Integrating academic and career tech curriculum is one of the primary objectives of the Carl Perkins Vocational Education Act (1998 reauthorization) and a guiding principle of the School to Work Opportunities Act. It has proven to be an invaluable approach to teaching, and educators across the nation have experienced firsthand how the application…

Reports on parental concerns and misconceptions regarding the federal school-to-work initiative, such as the following: it is too soon for students to select career paths; the government is infringing on local autonomy; college is the best path; and it is an adaptation of a socialist model. (SK)

Charles Benson's 1992 (posthumous) essay presents a vision of a "new vocationalism" that integrates academic and occupational curricula, combines classroom instruction with work-based learning, and connects secondary with postsecondary education. It explains the rationale, summarizes existing evidence, analyzes obstacles, and discusses…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act (1994) was designed to provide grants to states and local school districts aiming to help all students explore careers and create work-based-learning opportunities linked to academic course work. This article underlines the need for parent support and describes several districts' implementation efforts. (MLH)

This publication provides educators, policymakers, and researchers with vocational education data through 1992. It begins with text and figures covering these key questions: what is vocational education? how widespread is vocational education participation? what types of vocational education do students take? to what extent do students with…

Under the federal School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, Colorado has created a system of partnerships linking employers and public schools. The state's School-to-Career Partnership started in October 1995 with a 5-year, $24 million grant. Grant funds are distributed by the state to local partnerships of education, business and industry, and…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act broadens the meaning of curriculum by calling for integrated learning organized into coherent sequences around broadly conceived career majors. Work experience, as well as academic and occupational study, is an assumed element of the integrated school-to-work curriculum. A variety of strategies for curriculum…

Information is provided on tech prep education programs, which are part of a restructuring movement that combines secondary and postsecondary programs to provide technical preparation in a field such as engineering technology, agriculture, health, or business. Information on the following topics is outlined: seven essential elements of tech prep;…

Initiatives to improve vocational education--such as tech prep, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA), and Goals 2000: Educate America Act--are full of promise. Case studies prepared by the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America illustrate the potential of these initiatives. Massachusetts and Wisconsin are two recipients of federal STWOA…

The activities and services delivered under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 by the Capital Area Education and Careers Partnership in Austin, Texas, during 1998 and 1999 were evaluated by an independent evaluator, using interviews with 24 persons involved in the project, site visits, and document analysis. The evaluation found that…

This report, which is directed toward policymakers, educators, employers, researchers, and others interested in the school-to-work (STW) movement, synthesizes literature on the development and effectiveness of STW programs since 1993. Part I provides an overview of the STW movement and examines the effectiveness of STW efforts in terms of…

This document details Wisconsin's state plan for implementation of activities mandated by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 and funded by a grant from the National School-to-Work Opportunities Act. The plan is divided into 23 sections dealing with the following topics: geographical areas; local support/expansion of school-to-work…

This guide, which is designed for educators who are developing, implementing, or seeking background information about school-to-work transition programs, contains descriptions of 222 of the most current (1990-present) resources for/about the school-to-work transition. The entries describing each resource are organized into four sections:…

During the 1993-94 program year, more than 1.2 million Californians were enrolled in vocational education (VE) at a secondary high school, adult education program, or regional occupational center. An additional 1.2 million Californians were enrolled in community college VE programs. VE services were provided to significant numbers of students with…

Federal funding from the School to Work Opportunities Act (STOWA) has ended. There is no doubt that state policy to advance activities started under STOWA will be a major factor in the sustainability of School to Work. Already some states have taken the initiative for bringing higher standards to education by offering incentives for businesses to…