APPENDIX M
Vocational Education Options
A recent U.S. Department of Education study of vocational education identified three common formats for high school vocational education:
· comprehensive high schools, which offer a full range of academic and vocational education courses;
· area vocational schools, which offer a range of occupational programs that students attend for a portion of the day; and
· full-time vocational high schools, which provide academic and occupational programs.1
No up-to-date summary of information about the structure and graduate placement rates of secondary vocational schools in individual states appears to exist. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) compiles information about the number of vocational schools in each state as part of its annual report on elementary and secondary schools.2 Limited information about the entities operating the vocational schools is also available.
Based on NCES data for school year 1998-99, Connecticut appeared to be the only state operating full-time vocational schools. In a majority of states, such schools were run by local school boards configured on a city/town, regional, or county basis. Fourteen states had no full-time vocational schools.
In an effort to obtain specific data from as many states as possible, committee staff also posted a request for information on an internet CareerTech list service sponsored through the University of Ohio. Twenty-five individuals from 17 states responded. The information varied in scope, with some people able to provide quantitative answers and others suggesting potential resources.
Based on those responses, it appears there is more diversity among the entities sponsoring part-day vocational programs. For example, in Kentucky, regional districts and the state both run secondary vocational schools. The state of Kentucky operates 52 area technology centers. In most cases, students attend these centers for their vocational-related training, and they go to their local district school for academic courses. The programs at these technology centers are available during the last two or three years of a student's secondary education.
Precise figures regarding the number of vocational school graduates obtaining employment in a related field were limited. Several respondents to the staff query noted interest in this measure has decreased as the emphasis on post-secondary education has increased. The estimates received from eight states ranged from approximately one-third to one-half.
Career academies. Another related, national education model is the Career Academy. These programs integrate school-to-work elements in a personalized learning environment. Although originally designed for students at risk of dropping out, many now serve a broader range of students. The three main features of the academies are:
Connecticut Alternatives
In addition to the state v-t schools in Connecticut, students have several other options for obtaining vocational instruction from public, secondary educational institutions. Inter-district magnet schools, regional vocational-agriculture centers, and charter schools offer programs of varying scopes. In addition, local high schools offer some trade-related courses.
Regional vocational-agriculture centers are the alternative most clearly focused on preparing students for the workplace. A vocational-agriculture center is defined as "a regional high school program operated by a local or regional board of education which provides vocational agriculture instruction, including aquaculture and marine-related employment." The purpose of such programs is to "prepare individuals for entry-level employment or higher education in the fields of agriculture and related-occupations." Statewide, a total of 2,489 students were enrolled in vocational-agriculture programs in school year 1997-98.4
The Connecticut School-to-Career System is another program to help students connect learning with the needs and demands of the workplace and/or higher education. Students at elementary through post-secondary levels participate in career exploration activities and assessments and choose course work based on potential career interests. They also receive some structured training and mentoring in the workplace itself. The system is organized around eight career clusters: arts and media; business and finance; construction (technologies and design); environmental, natural resources, and agriculture; government, education, and human services; health and biosciences; retail, tourism, recreation, and entrepreneurship; and technologies (manufacturing, communications, and repair).5
1 Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, February 2000, p.6.
2 According to September 12, 2000, correspondence from the National Education Data Resource Center, for purposes of the NCES report, a vocational school is defined as "a public elementary/secondary school that focuses primarily on vocational education, and provides education and training in one or more semi-skilled or technical operations."
3 Sandra Kerka, "Career Academies," In Brief: Fast Facts for Policy and Practice, National Dissemination Center for Career and Technical Education, No.1, 2000.
4 Connecticut Department of Education, A Five-Year Plan for the Continuous Improvement of Connecticut's Public Schools: Enhancing Educational Opportunities and Achievement, January 1999, pp. C-2 and C-13.
5 "Connecticut's School-to-Career System," The Connecticut Economic Digest, November 1999, p. 4.