Joyce Logan, associate professor of educational leadership studies, received a $30,000 grant from the state of Kentucky Workforce Investment Department to complete a five-year evaluation of the Tech Prep programs throughout Kentucky.

According to Logan, Tech Prep programs were created about 20 years ago through federal legislation. The goal was to create a cohesive link between high schools and colleges or other post-secondary education institutions for the purpose of preparing and encouraging more secondary career and technical education students to attend post-secondary institutions after graduation. More importantly, students who completed both the secondary and post-secondary components would graduate with an advanced level of skill and knowledge in their career fields.

“Within the state of Kentucky, there is a demand for people with advanced education who can fill vacancies in the labor force,” said Logan. “This grant will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of Tech Prep programs and whether the secondary-post-secondary partnership prepares students with the necessary job skills and knowledge that meet the workforce needs.”

Logan will be working with a five-member advisory committee that includes individuals from high schools, universities, and community and technical colleges throughout the state. The evaluation also includes two case studies of Tech Prep programs, one rural and one urban school setting, to discover successful practices and strategies for strengthening secondary-postsecondary linkages, support services for students, and student outcomes.

“I conducted a five-year evaluation of the Tech prep programs once before and the results were quite favorable,” said Logan. “I am optimistic that the programs have continued to improve because I have seen evidence that high schools and area technology centers work together much closer than they did when I worked with those schools previously.”

Logan earned her bachelor’s degree in business education and her master’s degree in secondary education at Murray State University. She later earned her doctorate in administrative leadership from Vanderbilt University.

Prior to coming to the University of Kentucky, Logan spent 15 years working for the Kentucky Department of Education as a regional coordinator of vocational education and two years as the division director of the Kentucky TECH system for the Kentucky Department of Education. She also spent five years as a vocational school principal.

Working with the Department of Education, the Department of Workforce Investment has the mission to connect employment, workforce information, education, and training in Kentucky. More information is available on their website at www.workforce.ky.gov