The effectiveness of work-based learning (WBL) was examined in an exploratory study of WBL in three different programs in Los Angeles: a transportation career academy (TCAP), medical magnet high school (MMHS), and school-based enterprise (SBE). Data were collected from the following sources: surveys examining students' WBL experience; interviews…

The career academy is a high school model that integrates school-to-work elements in a personalized learning environment. Academies have these three essential features: a school within a school; partnerships with employers; and integrated academic and occupational curriculum centered on a career theme, occupation, or industry. J. Kemple (1997)…

A case study of a large nonselective urban high school in Baltimore (Maryland) describes the design and implementation of a comprehensive package of school reforms, the Talent Development Model with Career Academies. Qualitative and quantitative evidence is provided on significant improvements in school climate, student attendance, promotion…

Using data from 254 participants, the effectiveness of a career academy program, that is, a school-to-work transition program, was studied using outcomes relevant to employers, for example, job performance and work attendance. Results indicate that the program's positive effect on high school attendance had a positive effect on work attendance.…

Most school-to-career initiatives are limited to career education and applied learning, combining academic basics and workplace readiness skills. A high-school credentialing system would offer a structured pathway to academic and technical credentials, requiring that students earn a college-placement readiness credential and industry-recognized…

In the long march from manual training, the subject which today is called technology education has always had to contend with the question of its legitimacy as valid school knowledge. In this regard, it shares a similar history of struggle with other subjects whose initial entry into the curriculum was based on a utilitarian rather than an…

To be successful in the workforce or in postsecondary education, high school graduates must have achieved competency in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Yet, many students leave high school without competency in these areas, putting them at a significant disadvantage both in the workplace and in postsecondary education…

High school reform has moved to the top of the education policy agenda, commanding the attention of the federal government, governors, urban school superintendents, philanthropists, and the general public. All are alarmed by stubbornly high dropout rates, by the low academic achievement of many high school students, and by the large numbers of…

Nationwide, there is a growing understanding of the connection between quality early childhood education and future academic success. In almost every article, study and report, the following words are found somewhere in the text: children who attend high-quality preschool are more successful in kindergarten and beyond--both academically and…

To meet the demand for workers with high-tech skills and an understanding of international business, America's schools have initiated school-to-work and international education programs. This study described the internationalization process of two banking and finance school-to-work programs, a German youth apprenticeship and an American career…

For more than 6 years, Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has demonstrated its ability to redefine the community college commitment to open access for high school graduates. This article describes how, through the Career Edge Academies and The Workplace Learning Connection, high school students participate in a quality system of…

In May 2008, the Center for Evaluation & Education Policy (CEEP) issued the Education Policy Brief, "Calculating High School Graduation Rates," which discussed the importance of accurate and reliable high school graduation data, various graduation rate calculation methods, the history behind the use of particular methodologies, and…

Career pathways align vocational and academic education within career clusters and provide students new options from grades 9-14. They must have the following elements: industry breadth and depth; opportunities for many populations; career options at entry, technical, and professional levels; and alternative delivery options and academic and…

The Urban Teacher Academy Project (UTAP) promotes the recruitment and preparation of qualified and diverse teachers for urban schools by expanding a school-to-career approach through high school teaching career academies. The UTAP has documented the best practices and developed practical information to guide the formation of career teaching…

Integration of academic and vocational curricula is missing from most American classrooms because integration that is rigorous, authentic, and sustained is much more difficult than most advocates imagine. The difficulty arises because teachers must do the following: keep integration sharply focused on clear, well-defined educational objectives;…