Jobs for the Future (JFF) and BigFuture want all students to have the sense of agency and purpose that comes with feeling hopeful, motivated, excited, confident. An essential step in achieving this is to ensure that high school students and their families receive a timely and abundant flow of information, resources, and advising in order to…

The teenage years can be difficult, filled with questions, emotions, and decisions. For high-achieving adolescents who may experience asynchronous development or experience the world more intensely, these years can bring about intense emotions, feelings of isolation, or difficulty understanding the injustices of the world. Parents, may try to…

Why has the large income gap between blacks and whites persisted for decades after the passage of civil rights legislation? More specifically, why do African Americans remain substantially underrepresented in the highest-paying professions, such as science, engineering, information technology, and finance? A sophisticated study of racial…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) The Value of Enhanced Reading Opportunities in High Schools: Report Finds Supplemental Reading Programs Can Improve…

The present study examined the occupational aspirations and career development influences of children attending Years 6 and 7 at a sample of rural and remote primary schools in the central western region of Queensland. Data was collected by means of the "Revised Career Awareness Survey" (McMahon & Patton, 2001). Australian and New…

The case study involves the family of a 16-year-old with cerebral palsy and behavior difficulties, and examines family dynamics related to vocational aspiration and independence. (CL)

The teen years are an excellent time to start thinking about a potential career and to investigate all of the different opportunities available. Motivating adolescents to become actively engaged in their own career development is not always easy, but this book makes it fun. Written for parents, school counselors, and counselors in private practice…

Traditionally, blacks have been underrepresented in scientific and technical career fields, focusing instead on people and service-oriented careers. To investigate the relationship between career aspiration and various environmental influences (e.g., academic preparation and intellectual orientation, science-oriented hobbies, math and science…

This booklet was developed to help parents in Australia guide their children in making career choices. It focuses on coaching (suggesting, guiding, encouraging questions, encouraging self-help actions, sharing decision-making responsibility, and demonstrating a helping attitude) and consulting (asking, sharing perceptions and information, giving…

This booklet was designed and illustrated to familiarize parents with the many career opportunities available through vocational education. The text provides an overview with a special emphasis on introducing career options without the limiting occupational sex stereotypes of the past. Topics covered in the narrative include the following:…

This book seeks to provide educators, parents, employers, and communities with specific strategies to help teenagers pinpoint the disparity between their preconceived career notions and aspirations, and the realities of the new economic and labor markets. This book advocates helping students develop a plan for career success, which may or may not…

This book attempts to provide a guide for students (and their parents) who are unsure of what to do after high school. Using anecdotal accounts, the author looks at what happens in families when teenagers have doubts about attending college. The volume is divided into three sections, the first of which examines the preparations required for life…

This guide assists in planning and monitoring the vocational education programs of students with mild disabilities. The pamphlet emphasizes the importance of vocational education for disabled students and reviews the three stages of career development: career awareness/orientation, career exploration, and career preparation. A section on adapting…

This publication is designed to aid teachers and administrators in preparing and teaching workplace mentors as part of the school-to-work program. The handbook is also a guide and workbook for teachers of mentors, self-educated mentors, parents, employers, and others interested in work-based learning and mentorship. The handbook consists of three…

A guide to help disabled students organize the search and decision-making process in selecting a college is presented. Students are encouraged not to allow their disability to become the major influence in their lives. Students are helped to probe their academic preparation as well as their academic and career interests/goals. Six questions are…