The final version of the School to Work Opportunities Act was passed only after an extended battle over how to protect individuals' private right of action to enforce the act. Although it still contains nonentitlement language, the final act also includes new language clarifying Congress' intent that the provision not preclude enforcement of the…

Focusing on the role of community colleges in implementing the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, the 12 essays in this volume describe strategies and practices developed by colleges to address the provisions of the Act and help develop a global workforce. The following articles are provided: "Assessing the Community College Role in…

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…

Data from annual surveys of Tech-Prep consortia that were administered to all local consortia in 1993 and 1994 were analyzed to assess the implementation of key school-to-work features in 1994. Among the study's key findings were the following: Tech-Prep programs of study may help facilitate creation of career major options in school-to-work…

Data from national Tech-Prep surveys that were completed by more than 800 Tech-Prep consortium coordinators in fall 1993 and/or fall 1994 were analyzed to assess the emergence of Tech-Prep at the state and local levels. It was discovered that, between 1993 and 1994, the number of Tech-Prep consortia nationwide increased from 812 to 953, the…

This guide, which is one of a series of three guides designed to provide state and local leaders, policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders with information about the work-based learning component of the School to Work Opportunities Act, deals with occupational education. The introduction traces the history of school-to-work initiatives,…

This conference report outlines the proposed House of Representatives and Senate compromise regarding disputed provisions in the proposed School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994. First, Congress' findings regarding the education needs of noncollege-bound students, youth employment, work-based learning, and educational attainment in the United…

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…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 mandates standards-based assessment and skills certification as an integral part of a comprehensive school-to-work (STW) system. An ideal STW assessment system would span elementary through postsecondary education and culminate in assessment of skills at the workplace. It would articulate in progressive…

The New York State School-to-Work Opportunities System Plan, which is based on New York's original application for a federal school-to-work implementation grant and contains the 23 federally required elements, outlines the state's plans to develop and implement a statewide school-to-work opportunities system within a 9-year period. The plan…

"Perspectives on Progress: The School-to-Work (STW) National Customer Dialogues" was a series of six regional and two national discussions that were held between December 1999 and July 2000 to gather the views of more than 700 employers, educators, labor union representatives, students, parents, community-based organizations, and state…

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 document summarizes the responses from members of the public throughout the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico to a September 1994 notice in the Federal Register in which the Secretary of Education invited public comments regarding reauthorization of programs under the Perkins Act, Adult Education Act, and National Literacy Act…

This document contains background information on the school-to-work (STW) movement and 20 essays written by employers and intermediaries involved in STW program planning and implementation. Four points are highlighted: (1) it takes time to assemble an STW system; (2) the number of students participating in structured work-based learning remains…

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…