Postsecondary Education

This report examines the potential impact of Project Lead the Way (PLTW) on two cohorts of Missouri students who began high school in 2013 and 2014 (145,619 students).  These students were tracked through high school and into post-secondary education and training programs up to and including academic year 2019-2020.  Thirteen percent of all cohort members enrolled in at least one PLTW course. Students who took PLTW courses outperformed those who did not on all high school and college outcomes examined, and these positive outcomes persisted even after controlling for school and student characteristics, including students’ achievement prior to high school. Differences between students who did and did not take PLTW courses were substantially larger for those who took two or more PLTW courses compared to those taking only a single PLTW course.