Flipping burgers, operating cash registers, and stocking shelves are unchallenging, dead-end jobs that hinder high school students' academic success. U.S. industry has been using advanced technology to dumb-down jobs. Efforts of states and school administrators to restrict teen labor are discussed. Sidebars present innovative state initiatives for…

Many people fail to realize the extensiveness and comprehensiveness of federal and state child labor laws. Although the 1994 School-to-Work Opportunities Act did not detail the legal compliance needed by its state-funded agencies, it clearly indicates that federal and state child labor laws will apply to its employment and employment-related…

This collection of background materials and guides is intended to assist Wisconsin educators involved in providing vocational experience programs for students with disabilities. Following an introductory section, the second section presents information on the following federal laws: Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); Individuals with Disabilities…

This paper, which is intended as a guide for state policymakers, examines issues and steps in building state-level school-to-work systems. Discussed in the introduction are the state's role in creating a coherent school-to-work system. The following aspects of state-level governance, oversight, and vision are considered: setting system goals,…