Educational Equity Patterns in South Carolina Career and Technical Education

Abstract

Fuller Hamilton et al. (2015) review provided a suggested model to improve Career and Technical Education (CTE) equity so that this study could be replicated systematically. National resources examining CTE educational equity components did not exist. The problem addressed in the replication study was the need to explore educational inequity within the South Carolina CTE Health Science career cluster. No CTE educational equity research exists in South Carolina, so the purpose of the replication study was to explore educational inequity within the South Carolina CTE Health Science career cluster. Cultural Replication Theory was the conceptual framework used for this replication study. Four research questions were formulated to examine the CTE enrollment patterns in South Carolina concerning four demographic characteristics, namely sex, race/ethnicity, region, and socioeconomic status. Students enrolled in CTE within South Carolina during the 2018-19 school year was the population selected. Secondary data was collected from a sample of 196,318 CTE enrollees and examined using descriptive analysis procedures. Overall results were not uniform. Inconsistent levels of inequity existed within race, ethnicity, and sex. In addition, inequity was present regarding regional effects and socioeconomic status. Future recommendations for research include conducting a qualitative or mixed-method study to further explain the enrollment patterns of CTE programs in South Carolina. Implications for practice to address the inequities in South Carolina include improving the underrepresentation of educators by sex and race/ethnicity, recommending equity audits, examination of access and availability of opportunities within CTE programs, and encouragement of all educators actively adopting and advancing an equity agenda from the original study.