Leadership Studies Ed.D. Dissertations

Does the Number of College Credits Earned in a Tech Prep and Postsecondary Enrollment Options Program Predict College Success?

Date of Award

2011

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Department

Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Patrick Pauken (Committee Co-Chair)

Second Advisor

Rachel Vannatta Reinhart (Committee Co-Chair)

Third Advisor

Jon Bisher (Committee Member)

Fourth Advisor

Raymon Kresman (Committee Member)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine a Tech Prep Program located in Northwest Ohio and determine the degree to which college credits earned in high school through the Tech Prep and PSEO Programs predict college success and if there were any significant gender/race differences in credits earned and college success as well as high school origination. For the study there were 1,072 students who participated in the Tech Prep and PSEO Programs during the years of 2004-2008 attending 32 high schools. The data were gathered using the State of Ohio Higher Education Information System (HEI), which allows administrators to review and calculate information via the Internet that includes college credits earned by Tech Prep and PSEO Program high school students and whether or not they are still enrolled in college. Three research questions guided this study. Logistic regression was used to determine if the number of college credits earned in a Tech Prep and Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program predict college success. The results indicate that the number of college credits earned did significantly predict success; however, a higher number of credits were more likely to predict an unsuccessful outcome (not in school). T-test of independent samples examined differences in credit hours earned by college success. Similar to research question 1, the results from research question 2 showed that the number of college credit hours earned by students while in high school did significantly differ by college success with unsuccessful students having a higher number of credit hours earned. Research question 3 examined the differences in credit hours earned and college success by gender, race or high school origination. No significant gender or race differences were found in the number of credit hours earned or college success. However, high school origination significantly generated differences in the number of credit hours earned but not college success.

Tech Prep and PSEO have become important elements in technical education and career development for many high school students across the nation. The results of this study indicate that programs such as Tech Prep and PSEO may promote college success and help create numerous opportunities for the “Neglected Majority” to attend college. The “Neglected Majority” is still very much present, but by allowing students to participate in programs such as Tech Prep and PSEO it is no longer being ignored.

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