The way students progress from high school to college is in need of change. This paper examines five programs for student pathways and determines which have enough promise to merit consideration by policymakers. "High Schools That Work" prepares students for college by requiring them to take a minimum core of courses. "Tech…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994 provides flexible funding and technical assistance to the education reform strategy known as the school-to-work movement, which offers a broad range of students work-based learning opportunities. In 1994, just before passage of the STWOA, the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation…

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;…

In an effort to link the K-12 systems with postsecondary education, Pima Community College (PCC) developed a number of outreach programs, one of which was the Summer Career Academy. During the summer of 1997, with the support of the Pima and Santa Cruz Counties School To Work Partnership and local business and industry, PCC conducted a series of…

Using the Progress Measures Survey, data was collected from 770 school-to-work (STW) partnerships in 34 states that encompassed almost 36,000 secondary schools with nearly 18 million students, nearly 178,000 employers, and almost 2,600 postsecondary institutions. Substantial gains were found in provision of STW opportunities in schools and modest…

A study evaluated implementation of the California school-to-career initiative (STC) and its influence on student outcomes. It attempted to collect data from all local partnerships (LPs) receiving federal funding under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. Findings with respect to implementation indicated many schools offered career development…

As year 4 of a 7-year initiative to implement the School-to-Work (STW) Opportunities Act begins, 37 states have received implementation grants and 105 direct federally-funded and over 900 state-funded local partnerships exist. In 1997, technical assistance is available to any of the remaining 13 states ready for full-scale implementation. Notable…

This employer participation model is designed to help employers of all sizes customize their participation in school-to-work activities. Using it as a foundation, companies can evaluate resources and target them to areas of opportunity. The first section focuses on employers working with students and teachers. A chart describes activities in which…

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 provides 5-year federal grants to help states implement school-to-work (STW) systems with broad collaboration among employers, organized labor, educators, and public agencies. All states have taken steps to create a statewide infrastructure. Local partnerships are widespread, but new and evolving.…

Workplace mentoring has been identified as an important aspect of work-based learning in projects conducted under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. By establishing relationships with caring and competent adults who can provide emotional support and facilitate skill development, less-experienced youths and adults are more likely to bridge the…

This report presents a final assessment of the early implementation of the School-to-Work (STW)/Youth Apprenticeship Demonstration programs and participants. Chapter I describes the evolution of STW policy. Chapter II discusses marketing methods, the student selection process and selection criteria, reasons for student participation, and number…