The field of secondary special education and transition has long advocated for quality training at the preservice level. However, transition-focused coursework is not required for all special education licensure programs. Licensure programs requiring this coursework do not cover all transition-related knowledge and skills needed for teachers to…

The vast majority of high school students aspire to some kind of postsecondary education, yet far too many of them enter college without the basic content knowledge, skills, or habits of mind they need to succeed. Andrea Venezia and Laura Jaeger look at the state of college readiness among high school students, the effectiveness of programs in…

This policy update discusses provisions of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act which directly influence the experiences of high school-age students with disabilities as they prepare for the transition from school to work and adult life. The paper discusses: (1) purposes of the Act; (2) the eight National Education Goals of Title I; (3)…

Included in this review of the literature on grade retention are annotations for 13 articles supporting nonpromotion policies, 13 articles refuting nonpromotion policies, and 5 articles arguing that both policies result in undesirable consequences. Articles are identified as being: (1) original research comparing students retained with students…

This analysis of secondary-postsecondary alignment issues suggests some clear directions that campus, system, and state policy leaders must take to improve the success of students in the educational pipeline. These efforts will be more successful if they take place as part of broader K-16 initiatives--efforts that include early outreach to high…

This article examines the effect of educational reform on transition services for students with learning disabilities (LD). Considered are effects of general education reform, the inclusion movement, teacher education programs, special education reform, and standards-based education (Goals 2000). The need for effective transition planning for…

This article provides an overview of policymaking in relation to state and local district testing and accountability and concludes by identifying continuing policy issues and strategies for local implementation of standards-based secondary education that aligns with current testing and accountability policies. Governance models for curriculum…

Despite the fact that a majority of urban educators remain optimistic about the future of city schools, urban high schools face significant challenges. Many recent developments in high school reform have important implications for career and technical education (CTE) programs in urban high schools. Publications on reforming secondary education…

Eight tech prep consortia located across the United States were studied to assess their tech prep implementation and outcomes. Special attention was paid to the consortia's use of and success with the following tech prep components: formal articulation agreements; core curriculum; rigorous instruction emphasizing integration of academic and…