This document, the first of five volumes that comprise the final report of the National Assessment of Vocational Education contains a policy statement by the Advisory Panel and a summary and recommendations. "The Future of Perkins--A Policy Statement" (Laurel McFarland) outlines three principles that the next Perkins Act should develop: the federal government should have a new role in supporting vocational education--fostering a truly comprehensive system of preparation for work; Perkins should become the principal vehicle for connecting skill standards and vocational education; and institutions and states should be held accountable for disadvantaged and special populations meeting skill standards. "Summary and Recommendations of the National Education" (David Boesel) has three parts. The first briefly discusses the condition of vocational education in secondary schools and nonbaccalaureate postsecondary institutions. The second part addresses questions posed in the Perkins mandate and issues related to those questions. It examines various aspects of program quality in vocational education, program improvement, equity issues related to special populations, and funding and administrative issues specified in the legislation. Recommendations based on the evidence in the report are made. The third section discusses some implications of the findings and suggests a model of occupational education consistent with them. Twenty-eight endnotes are appended. (YLB)