After a period of dramatic growth in secondary school completion in Australia, school retention rates are declining. Analysis of state, system, geographic, social, and gender patterns suggests that during the 1990s the downturn in completion rate has been uneven; some groups who had come to rely on schooling during the 1980s for future economic…

The critical issue for education is how to induce the most productive use of school resources through governance, finance, and management structures that enhance student achievement. Despite inadequate research and waning public confidence, Americans want all kids to learn and achieve to high standards. (MLH)

A survey of 1,433 high school seniors in northern California examined adolescent educational and career aspirations. Increasing numbers of students planned to seek education or training beyond high school. Latinos had lower aspirations than other ethnic groups. School counseling services were not used much or considered helpful. Parents were the…

Career development theories do not typically highlight their relevance to the school-to-work transition process. This issue features articles that examine how several prominent career development theories (person-environment fit, social learning, developmental, and social cognitive) can be brought to bear on this process. Three discussants assess…

Discusses contributions of Krumboltz & Worthington, 1999; Lent, Hacket, & Brown, 1999; Savickas, 1999; Swanson & Fouad, 1999 to the application of career development theories to the school-to-work transition. Concludes with recommendation that theory-building efforts derived from the individual experience of work-bound youth should be included in…

A survey of secondary school-to-work and tech-prep teachers from 45 states concerning inclusion of students with disabilities found that the 169 respondents did not feel prepared to meet the needs of their students with disabilities, had received little or no in-service training regarding inclusive practices, and had not participated in developing…

It is clear that for many young people the balance between learning, work and leisure has shifted considerably over recent decades. Many students now work throughout the whole of their post-compulsory education, entering the labour market well before any higher education applications have been made, and continue to work throughout their time at…

This study analyzes urban youths' career decision-making in a career and technical education program that provided work-based learning experiences and a pathway linking high school, community college, and work in biotechnology laboratories. The program provided work experiences not generally available to adolescents, and enabled students…

Russian society has become more stabilized since the tempestuous 1990s. The social and economic space has been entered by a generation that is counting on a successful career. How justified are these expectations? What can it realistically hope for? What are the rules that it will have to play by to build a career? To what extent do these rules…

A study determined the extent of gender stratification in Finnish vocational education and labor force, especially in the transition from school to work. It used follow-up data that Statistics Finland gathered in 1990 concerning the labor force status of the 1985 school leavers and the level of their educational qualifications 5 years later to…

Humanities departments at higher education (HE) institutions throughout the United Kingdom must determine what business expects of the humanities, devise strategies to improve understanding of the objectives and contribution of HE in the humanities, and develop language and standards that will enable members of the academic and business…

The challenge of preparing young people for employment and facilitating the smooth transition from school to work has spurred the enactment of the federal School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA), in May 1994. The intent of STWOA is to establish a national framework in which states can create work- and school-based learning systems that include…

Designed for use in the BRIDGE program of Seattle Public Schools, this career development portfolio is a 4-page blank form designed to encourage students to take responsibility for their decisions and development to enhance career opportunities and options. It is a tool to help students connect their learning to their success in the workplace. The…

A strategic planning model for planning and conducting outcomes assessment was developed and implemented at Wayland Baptist University in Lubbock, Texas. First, the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) model was used to survey 100 undergraduate students regarding their perceptions of skills they would need after graduation.…

The 1994 Work Program of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training reflected two priority areas of activity--qualifications and vocational training systems--and the expectations concerning the outcome of these activities at the European Union (EU) level. Projects carried out under the qualifications priority area had three…