U.S. lacks distinct high‑school vocational track

OECD's 2023 Education at a Glance shows that unlike many OECD peers, the United States generally does not route secondary students into separate vocational (VET) tracks; instead, vocational learning is offered via optional CTE courses while all graduates retain the same postsecondary access. That structural difference shapes how skills are developed, how employers engage with schools, and how students transition to careers. — Framing the U.S. approach to vocational education as a deliberate structural choice reframes debates about workforce training, mobility, and inequality and points to concrete policy levers (curriculum, pathways, employer partnerships).