Exclusive STEM-CTE Teaching: Teacher Typologies and Student Outcomes

Teacher workload is a key consideration in supporting student outcomes. We investigate whether this factor applies to CTE teachers as well—with a specific focus on STEM-CTE (i. e., STEM-focused career and technical education). We examine teacher characteristics associated with teaching only STEM-CTE coursework in high school (i. e., "STEM-CTE exclusivity") as well as student outcomes related to having a STEM-CTE exclusive teacher. We use data from the Maryland Longitudinal Data System (MLDS)—employing school and cohort fixed effects techniques—to identify potential benefits of having a STEM-CTE exclusive teacher. We find STEM-CTE exclusive teachers were more likely to be male, older, and have alternative teaching certifications. With respect to student outcomes, students who have STEM-CTE exclusive teachers are expected to have higher STEM-CTE grades and likelihood of STEM-CTE pathway completion. They are also more likely to have a higher GPA in advanced math courses and graduate on time. Implications are discussed.