As part of the effort to create a labor force that is competitive across the world, Connecticut is planning a School-to-Career System that would give high school students the opportunity to extend learning into the community and workplace. The state would provide schools with information about the fastest-growing jobs and skills needed for entry-level positions; the academic, employability, and technical skill standards would be translated into curriculum ideas; and each program would include a workplace experience. A visit to Germany to learn about apprentice programs resulted in the following recommendations to improve the passage from school-to-career: creation of new relationships among employers, labor organizations, and educators; structured programs with employers for high school students; use of applied, hands-on curricula; and development of a system to connect schools to employers. For the third year, the statewide recognition program, Educating for High Performance, has identified, validated, and honored the work of educators involved in change aimed at high standards and higher student achievement levels. Recommendations regarding Carl Perkins funding and the Job Training System urge schools to move vocational education toward programs that use applied curricula and toward school-to-career opportunities for students and the state to continue to provide basic education programs for people outside the labor force. (YLB)