The push for higher academic standards has resulted in an increase in the numbers of high school students needing extra help. The need for extra help is most pervasive in high-poverty areas and most high school students need extra help not in traditional basic elementary skills but in reading, mathematics, and advanced reasoning skills. Most…

Historically, the role of career and technical education (CTE) has been a subject of debate. The various viewpoints regarding the best role for high school CTE can be condensed into the following options: (1) to provide an occupational sequence of courses that is integrated with rigorous academic course work as preparation for postsecondary…

Research indicates that the "college for all" policies encouraged by well-intentioned but misguided educators are preventing many students from getting crucial information about how they are doing, seeing the full range of their desirable options, assessing the appropriateness and likely outcomes of available options, and identifying actions that…

Research examining the impact of arts education on workforce preparation has confirmed that programs incorporating the arts can be educational, developmentally rich, and cost-effective ways of providing students with the skills needed for productive participation in today's economy. Arts education has been shown to help students develop basic,…

Officials in charge of California's community colleges and universities worked with an advisory committee consisting of representatives of two- and four-year public and independent colleges to develop a plan to ensure an adequate nursing workforce for California. The group reviewed existing nursing education programs, trends in the health care…

Older teens living in families receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) face serious sociodemographic disadvantages. When combined with the characteristic risk-taking behaviors of adolescence, these disadvantages pose a threat to TANF teens' immediate and future physical, psychological, and emotional health and to their long-term…

Much of the discussion surrounding marriage promotion policies have little basis in the reality of life in low-income communities. Research suggests that much of the income differential between low-income and middle class women is the result of differences in educational attainment, labor market experience, and access to labor supply rather than…

State governors have an immense stake in building a workforce training and education system capable of producing the skilled workers needed to secure the country's economic future. In doing so, states must face the following challenges: (1) many state workforce systems do not reflect market needs; (2) public education is falling short in preparing…

The impacts and cost-effectiveness of adult basic education (ABE) in Sub-Saharan Africa were examined in a review of the new generation of ABE programs in the region. African experts and other international resource persons examined documentation from recent adult literacy, numeracy, and other educational programs targeted toward individuals over…

Patterns of success and failure in the transition from school to work in Australia in the 1980s-1990s were examined by analyzing data from the Australian Youth Survey. Of those studied, 20% found full-time jobs upon leaving school and remained in full-time employment for the next 7 years, 13% obtained apprenticeships or traineeships leading to…

This congressional report contains testimony examining the status of vocational assistance and its role in work force development and the Clinton Administration's views on reforming the federal investment in vocational education. Testimony was provided by two U.S. senators (James M. Jeffords, Vermont; Edward M. Kennedy, Massachusetts) and…

Researchers have found that high-quality service learning programs are rich with benefits for schools, communities, and students. One hallmark of successful service learning programs is that they honor youth voice (meaning that they include young people in the creation and implementation of service opportunities). Elementary, middle, and high…

The extent of cross-border mobility in the tourism sector of the European Union (EU) was examined, along with its relationship to the transparency and recognition of qualifications. The study focused on the current and historical levels of mobility in the tourism industry, policies on transparency and recognition of qualifications, and existing…

Linkages between Australia's vocational education and training (VET) and technical and further education (TAFE) sectors and industry were examined through 13 case studies involving a variety of industrial sectors in South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. Special attention was paid to the processes established by school clusters to develop…

This book presents many views of the concept of "career," reviewing its past and considering its future in an international context including viewpoints from sociology, psychology, and human resources management. Following an introduction, "Framing the Future of Career" (Richard Young and Audrey Collin), the book contains the following 17…