School districts measure who starts a career pathway program but rarely track who finishes one.
They count students who enroll in career and technical education (CTE), take dual-enrollment courses, or start a youth apprenticeship. That measures access, which matters. But few count how many complete a program, earn a credential, or move on to related work or study.
This is a problem of standards, not just data. What a district counts shows what it expects students to achieve. A district counting only sign-ups expects only that students sign up.
