Chapter Five
Findings and Recommendations
The state-run Regional Vocational-Technical School System provides regional education programs combining academic instruction with occupation-specific training. Since the program review committee's 1987 review and even during the course of this study, the v-t school system has taken steps to improve its operations. New trades including several computer-related ones have been added and physical resources have been improved.
The program review committee believes some additional modifications are needed in the v-t school system, if it is going to adequately meet the needs of the 21st century marketplace. Specific recommendations for change, including a proposed expansion of communication efforts, are presented below.
Societal Influences
In assessing the vocational-technical school system, it is important to recognize some factors affecting the system are not unique to Connecticut or to vocational schools. Secondary schools across the country must deal with:
It is also true the concept of vocational education is changing. A recent U.S. Department of Education report noted the traditional focus of vocational education has been on preparing students for entry-level jobs in occupations requiring less than a baccalaureate degree. During the past 15 years, the purpose has shifted "toward broader preparation that develops the academic, vocational, and technical skills of students," and high school students are encouraged "to continue their studies at the postsecondary level."1
Consequences of Being a State Entity
A unique feature of the Connecticut v-t school system is its status as a state entity. As a consequence, the system differs from other school systems in the state in several ways. (See Appendix M for information about the structure of vocational schools in other states and other types of vocational training in Connecticut.)
First, the vocational-technical school system is overseen by the State Board of Education rather than a locally elected school board. Since the state board is responsible for setting policies affecting schools throughout the state, its attention is not focused exclusively on the v-t schools. A four-member subcommittee of the board -- the Vocational-Technical School Committee -- handles the detailed review of v-t school matters, but ultimately the full state board must sign off on all decisions. This includes policies as routine as the list of approved textbooks for specific courses.
Second, administrative responsibilities for the system are divided among units inside and outside the system. Staff in the v-t school central office in Middletown or the individual schools handle most routine tasks, but employees of the Department of Education central office in Hartford retain control over other tasks. For example, budget preparations and the allocation of legislative appropriations are controlled by the SDE central office.
Activities of the v-t school system related to construction (both new and renovations) require the involvement of several other state entities. As is the case for all state agencies, the State Bond Commission must vote to release funds authorized by the legislature. In addition, the Department of Public Works oversees the management of specific projects.
A third unique characteristic of the v-t school system is the wide geographic region it covers. With full-time secondary and various adult educational programs offered in buildings in 20 towns and a student population drawn from almost 169 towns, the system serves a region much larger than a typical local education area.
Elements of Success
The success of the v-t school system in meeting the needs of students and employers is dependent on a mix of factors. As shown in Figure V-1, state funding controls the physical resources and personnel in the school system. Resource levels limit the number of students who can enroll in individual v-t schools and ultimately define the quality of the programs offered.
All of these factors shape the public's impression of v-t schools and influence the number of applicants, which in turn affects the quality of the student body. The extent to which these different elements mesh determines the degree to which the v-t school system is able to produce workers who have the skills needed by employers.
Funding. In recent years, the legislature increased the resources of the Connecticut vocational-technical school system for both operational and infrastructure purposes. Figure V-2 shows General Fund expenditures for state fiscal years 1990 through 2000 as well as projected FY 01 expenditures.
In 1998, the General Assembly made a commitment to provide the v-t school system with $15 million per year in bond dollars for five years. These funds are targeted primarily for infrastructure, trade equipment, and computer-related technology. As of December 2000, the State Bond Commission had released $42 million, which is about 94 percent of the amount authorized through FY 01.
The availability of additional resources for equipment is particularly important. The cost of operating vocational schools can be higher than for regular secondary schools because of the specialized equipment and supplies needed for trade programs. Respondents to the program review committee's questionnaires expressed mixed views about equipment in the v-t schools. Among most of the groups surveyed, less than half agreed or strongly agreed at the time of the surveys that equipment in the system was in good condition and technologically current.
Recently, the v-t school system also gained access to another funding resource. On July 1, 1999, the system became eligible to compete with towns for school building project grants disbursed by the state Department of Education.
The timing of this opportunity is especially helpful to the system because it recently embarked on a major capitol improvement program. An architectural firm is developing a master plan for all 17 v-t schools. Based on the initial work of the firm, the State Board of Education requested $100 million from the FY 01 cycle of construction grants for the two v-t schools deemed most in need of repair -- Hartford and Danbury. In future years, funds will be requested for other v-t schools, based on the priorities identified in the master plan.
An area where v-t schools incur costs that are reimbursable for local school systems but not the v-t schools is special education. Under the current system, v-t school expenses for items such as brokered services, hospitalizations, alternative education placements, and professional development come out of the system's operating budget, specifically its "other expenses" pool of money. If these special education costs are higher than anticipated, the system must reduce other items that year to stay within budget. Local education agencies, on the other hand, may be eligible for supplemental special education grants to pay for extraordinary special education costs. (See Appendix N for a table summarizing the characteristics of these programs.)
Since the late 1980s, the number of v-t school students with disabilities requiring special education programs has comprised 14 to 18 percent of the total secondary enrollment. Systemwide the proportion of v-t students with disabilities in school year 1999-2000 was 14 percent; individual v-t schools ranged from 6 percent (Bridgeport) to 23 percent (Middletown). Statewide, the proportion of students receiving special education services averaged 13 percent.
An unsuccessful bill in the 2000 legislative session would have allowed SDE to retain up to $500,000 annually in supplemental special education money for the v-t schools. In FY 00, the system expended $523,000 from its "other expenses" account for special education related costs. The State Board of Education budget options request for FY 02 seeks $172,000 to pay special education costs that would otherwise come out of the "other expenses" account and $820,000 for personnel-related special education costs.
Applicants and enrollment. The 17 vocational-technical schools vary in size, with current secondary enrollments ranging from 410 to 945. Systemwide secondary enrollment peaked in 1983 at 12,408 students. Enrollment declined annually thereafter until 1994. Since then, it has increased each year. Full-time secondary enrollment on October 1, 2000, was 10,605.2 The proportion of secondary students statewide who attend v-t schools has remained between 7 and 8 percent since 1980.
Changes have occurred in the demographic composition of those attending v-t schools, resulting in a more diverse student body. Systemwide, 36 percent of this year's secondary enrollees are female, and 39 percent are minorities. In 1990, 30 percent were female, and one-quarter were minorities. Although the v-t school system draws students from throughout the state, a majority of the students come from the major urban areas.
Figure II-1 in Chapter Two summarized the admissions process for students who want to enter the v-t school system in the ninth grade. Each applicant receives a weighted score, up to a maximum of 120. Applicants are ranked using that score and generally are offered admission based on that ranking.
The number of applicants to each v-t school differs considerably. Since there is no systemwide minimum score an applicant must attain to be admitted to a v-t school, the scores of those who enroll vary among the individual schools. When a large number of students apply for a limited number of slots, the scores of those admitted tend to be higher than those entering a v-t school with low demand. Thus, the chance of being admitted to a v-t school is affected by the region where a person lives.
Program review committee staff analyzed admissions data from the 5,618 students who applied to the vocational-technical school system in the spring of 1999 for admission to the Class of 2003. The minimum score of those accepted at the individual schools ranged from 12 to 67. The percentage of applicants offered admission ranged from 54 percent to 93 percent. (See Appendix B for a more detailed description of the data for the 17 schools.)
The issue of variable minimum scores within the v-t school system is not new. The program review committee's 1988 report on v-t schools found no data available that evaluated the correlation between admission scores and performance in a v-t school program. The committee said "the Department of Education and the state board should carefully examine the validity of the manner in which vocational-technical students are selected."3 The committee recommended SDE research the relationship between admission scores and successful completion of the v-t school program.
Correspondence from SDE to the program review committee in 1989 and 1990 discussed aspects of the admissions issue and noted further review would occur. In 1989, the department said it was beginning to collect longitudinal data to study the relationship between admission scores and completion of the v-t school program. Due to a change in the elements comprising the admissions score, SDE indicated the earliest completion date for the study would be June 1991. The Department of Education never finished the admissions study it began in 1989.
The program review committee recommends the state Department of Education conduct a study of the relationship between admissions scores and performance within the vocational-technical school system, using the groups of ninth-grade students entering the system as the Classes of 2003, 2004, and 2005. The department shall provide periodic, written updates to the legislative committee of cognizance for education and the program review and investigations committee regarding elements of the study. Specifically:
Generally in Connecticut, admissions requirements are not used in public schools. State policy requires magnet schools to use a lottery system to choose students when the number of applicants exceeds the number of available spaces. However, some specialized schools such as those involved with the performing arts use an audition process. (According to SDE staff, the purpose of the audition is to identify which students are more likely to succeed in the school's program, not necessarily to select enrollees.) If the v-t school system is going to continue using numeric scores to select students for admission, the program review committee believes SDE should determine whether a specific minimum score should be required.
Program offerings. The v-t school system currently offers 38 trade programs -- 29 secondary and nine adult only. Since the 1980s, the vocational-technical school system has added 10 new programs and eliminated nine other programs.
From 1993-1999, the trade programs with the highest rates of growth were newer ones, including several related to information technology. However, overall enrollment levels remain weighted toward traditional areas rather than new fields. Many of the same secondary-level trade programs have been ranked in the top third of v-t school offerings for many years, although specific rankings have fluctuated. (The top three programs the past few years have been Hairdressing and Cosmetology, Auto Mechanics, and Culinary Arts.)
C.G.S. Sec. 10-95i(b) requires the State Board of Education to evaluate trade programs every five years in terms of projected employment demand, anticipated technological changes, the availability of qualified instructors, the existence of similar programs, and student interest. The board is also supposed to consider geographic differences that might make a trade feasible at one school and not another as well as whether certain combinations of offerings should be required. Programs can be reauthorized for periods of up to five years.
The process currently used to reauthorize trade programs does not include a detailed analysis of the statutory evaluation criteria. Staff from the v-t central office compile descriptive data about each program for the elements listed in the statutes, but no detailed assessment of performance occurs. There is no indication that efforts are made to understand why enrollment levels shift and placement rates vary. In addition, related programs such as Baking/Culinary, Auto Body Repair/Auto Mechanics, and Avionics/Aviation Mechanics are not reviewed during the same year.
The statutes also require the State Board of Education to provide a process for the public to request consideration of new trade programs. No written process for establishing new trade programs existed until spring 2000, after the program review committee's September 1999 briefing found the system out of compliance with this statutory requirement.
Currently, basic operational tasks consume large portions of the time of the v-t central office administrators. The system is required to develop several long-range plans, a biennial report of activities, as well as annual school and district profiles. In order to complete those reporting tasks, the v-t school system collects large quantities of data. However, administrative staff do not appear to have the time to thoroughly analyze the data the system collects to determine the accuracy or assess the implications of the information.
On several occasions, program review staff requested copies of routinely collected data. Only when committee staff examined the data were inaccuracies and inconsistencies among the schools found. In other cases, committee staff analyses produced findings of which the v-t school administrators had not been aware.
For example, graduate data collected by the v-t schools were examined to identify which trade programs were more successful at placing graduates in employment related to the trade studied. The v-t school administrators knew only one-third of the Class of 1998 obtained jobs related to the trade studied. They expressed surprise that placement rates among individual trades ranged from zero to 67 percent, and only six of the 24 trades placed half or more of their graduates in full-time related jobs
Both the continuation and creation of trade programs should be based on the needs of the marketplace. To accomplish that goal, the state board must have access to analyses that examine the relationship of existing and potential offerings to current and projected employment opportunities. In order to conduct those analyses, the v-t school system should consider supplementing its existing resources with assistance from external sources.
The program review committee recommends the Regional Vocational-Technical School System investigate opportunities to use faculty and graduate students from public and private colleges and universities in Connecticut to conduct research projects that will analyze existing system data and collect new data where appropriate.
Fiscal year 2002 and 2003 budget options approved by the State Board of Education include a request for an analyst position that could handle much of this work. The program review committee believes this position would be of use to the system. However, the inclusion of outside researchers should also be pursued. Besides answering unmet needs, this option can help attract individuals with fresh ideas. In addition, through this involvement, these individuals may decide to seek out opportunities to remain involved permanently in the system as teachers or administrators.
Performance standards. The State Board of Education took several actions in recent years to define the direction of education in Connecticut as the 21st century approached. In 1997, the board established goals focusing on expectations and achievement, with the objective of helping students succeed. A key goal was to set and meet high expectations for academic achievement for all students to prepare them for productive adult life, continuing education, and responsible citizenship.4
In September 2000, the board adopted a "Position Statement on Measuring Success," calling for the regular assessment of Connecticut students using multiple measures. The statement notes local boards of education must define standards of performance, monitor progress, and address areas needing improvement.
Since the State Board of Education is the equivalent of the local board for v-t schools, the program review committee examined data sources suggested in that position statement to assess the performance of the v-t schools. Table V-1 compares data for the v-t school system with that from the two Education Reference Groups where a majority of the v-t school students live as well as with state averages.
In key measurement areas, students in the vocational-technical schools are performing below the state average. Indeed, in some areas, v-t school performance is similar to or lower than ERG I schools, a grouping that includes many of the neediest schools in Connecticut.
The results from questionnaires distributed by the program review committee during this study provide another perspective on the performance levels of recent v-t school graduates. One-third of the instructors rated the math and reading skills of those graduates "good" or "excellent," but 84 percent rated knowledge of craft-specific skills and familiarity with equipment "good" or "excellent."
In the responses to the employer survey, a majority of the businesses that hired v-t school graduates during the past five years rated those employees "good" or "excellent" in seven skill areas, while employees who were not v-t graduates received ratings at those levels in only two skill areas. Sixty percent of the employer respondents indicated they would be interested in sending employees to programs at v-t schools in the future.
|
TABLE V-1. Vocational-Technical School Performance Measures. |
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|
V-T Schools |
ERG H |
ERG I |
State Average |
|
|
Conn. Academic Performance Math Test (CAPT) - 1999 Language Percent At or Above Goal Science Interdisciplinary |
14% 8% 12% 13% |
36% 36% 28% 43% |
14% 18% 11% 20% |
43% 39% 38% 42% |
|
Percent of students taking CAPT |
95% |
86% |
80% |
92% |
|
Dropout rate - Class of 1999 (cumulative)* |
5% |
15% |
35% |
14% |
|
Graduates - Employed/military Class of 1999 Education |
62% 32% |
16% 78% |
17% 76% |
17% 78% |
|
SAT scores (math + verbal total) - 1999 |
785 |
968 |
833 |
1007 |
|
Physical fitness (% meeting goal) - 1999 |
24% |
33% |
33% |
39% |
|
Per pupil expenditures (high school), 1998-99 |
$9,629 |
$8,236 |
$8,853 |
$7,864 |
|
Average class size (high school), 1999-00 |
21.4 |
20.7 |
19.5 |
20.0 |
|
Students per academic computer, 1999-00 |
3.1 |
5.3 |
5.9 |
5.0 |
|
Instructional hours per year (high school),1999-00 |
1,030 |
979 |
990 |
995 |
|
* When applied to v-t schools, the dropout rate is misleading because students who leave a v-t school return to their local school system. A more important statistic is the number of students who actually obtain their high school diploma from the v-t school. Enrollment data for the Class of 1999 showed only 62 percent of the students who entered the v-t school system in September 1995 graduated in June 1999. Sources of data: Conn. State Board of Education, Profiles of Our Schools, 1999-00, and RVTSS. |
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The v-t school system also initiated efforts to assess the occupational skills of its students. Using structured exams developed by national organizations such as the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI), students in trade programs will be tested on their skills. A spring 2000 pilot project used written and performance assessments from NOCTI to test seniors enrolled in three trade areas -- Hairdressing and Cosmetology, Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning, and Machine Drafting. Results were mixed, with Connecticut v-t school students performing:
Given the current performance levels of the v-t school system, a quote from a document prepared by SDE as part of its effort to assist the Hartford school system is worth considering. The 1996 Hartford improvement plan noted:
In any community, a school system's high schools are recognized as the flagships of the enterprise. This is not because they do more than any other level of schooling, nor because they are more effective, but because they represent the culmination of all the work done in elementary and middle schools. In addition, our bottom-line, product-oriented workplace understandably judges an entire system's health on the basis of its high school graduates.6
This quote makes two important points relevant to the v-t schools. First, as a school system composed solely of secondary and adult programs, the reputation of the system is based almost exclusively on the performance of its high school graduates. This fact increases the importance of ensuring students receive relevant, quality skills.
At the same time, the system does not have any control over the elementary and middle schools that are the sources of its students. That means v-t school programs include students with a wide range of preparation levels. Given that a majority of v-t enrollees are from urban areas, the v-t schools face challenges similar to those of large city school systems.
The vocational-technical school system as the state's own school system should receive sufficient support from the state Department of Education and the State Board of Education to enable the v-t schools to flourish. During the past few years, the board has increased the amount of attention it gives the v-t schools. System issues and presentations are included on the agenda of every monthly board meeting, and the V-T School Committee is actively involved with the schools. However, as evidenced by the measures cited earlier, more remains to be done.
Public Act 99-288, "An Act Concerning Education Accountability," requires the State Board of Education to prepare a list of elementary and middle schools in need of improvement based on student performance and requires boards of education for those schools to develop improvement plans and take steps to become accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).
Each vocational-technical school has been working on a School Improvement Plan that focuses on critical school practices including fostering improvement in student learning. All 17 v-t schools are currently accredited by NEASC. Students at v-t schools also are required to meet the same statutory promotion and graduation requirements as students in local area high schools.
The program review committee recommends the Regional Vocational-Technical School System, the State Board of Education, and the state Department of Education work together to define specific achievement goals for secondary v-t school students at each grade level, which will be the basis for allocating additional resources if needed.
In addition, the v-t school system, the state board, and the department shall identify a set of quantifiable measures to be used to create an index reflecting the performance of each vocational-technical school. The measures shall include factors such as CAPT scores, trade-related assessment tests, dropout rates, and graduation rates.
The v-t school system is seeking to take additional steps to improve student achievement. The FY 02 and FY 03 budget options approved by the state board include a number of items specifically aimed at performance, including increased instructional time in math, English, and science. Development of the index proposed by the program review committee should help identify areas that are improving. All of these efforts are key to raising the profile of the v-t school system and will benefit employers as well as v-t graduates.
Image. Public perception of an institution in a positive manner is an intangible asset, comparable to what businesses call "goodwill." This image provides economic value to those who are part of the institution as well as to the overall community where it is located. The image of the v-t school system is driven by the varied set of elements shown earlier in Figure V-1.
Recently, the v-t school system has undertaken several new outreach efforts using cable television and the internet. The administration also re-emphasized to the individual v-t schools the importance of having active craft and other committees at each school. Involving employers, parents, and graduates in these activities creates opportunities for the public to learn more about v-t schools and for the schools to receive advice from those it hopes to serve.
However, many people in Connecticut are still not familiar with the state vocational-technical school system. Several respondents to the program review committee's survey of employers requested information about the system and the potential for workers because they were unaware of the schools, including the towns where they are located.
The program review committee recommends the Regional Vocational-Technical School System make outreach to the business community a top priority and establish a position in its central office specifically assigned to carry out this task (in coordination with trade instructors in the individual v-t schools).
The proposed position would be similar to the job of Communications Specialist, which already exists in state service. (The estimated annual cost would be $75,000 including fringe benefits.) This person would handle promotional and informational outreach efforts under the direction of the v-t schools superintendent. The duties of the job also would include listening to the concerns of employers, an important task given only 27 percent of the businesses responding to the program review survey concurred v-t schools are meeting the training needs of employers.
The v-t school system also needs to increase contact with legislators, especially those who have v-t schools in their districts. While some v-t school Citizens Consulting Committees include legislators as members, this is insufficient. The program review committee recommends vocational-technical system administrators and members of the Vocational-Technical School Committee periodically invite local legislators to tour the vocational-technical schools in their districts and become more familiar with v-t school programs.
Given the extent of the upcoming renovation program the system expects to undertake, greater legislator awareness of the v-t schools will be important. Increased awareness may also benefit the Connecticut Regional Vocational-Technical School System Statewide Advisory Committee, which has had vacancies awaiting legislative appointments for a number of months.
Relationships with local school districts. The level of interaction between vocational-technical schools and the local school districts in the geographic areas the v-t schools serve differ. The number of towns sending students to individual v-t schools ranges from six to 32; the median number of towns is 16. Only 39 percent of the towns in the state send more than 40 secondary students to vocational-technical schools.
Each of the 17 v-t schools is supposed to have a Citizens Consulting Committee that includes representatives from various interests in the region and provides input to the school director. The composition and activity levels of the committees vary from school to school.
An example of an activity where v-t schools have worked with local school districts is the state's Inter-district Cooperative Grants program. To date, three vocational-technical schools have received grants for programs involving local area school districts.
The program review committee recommends the central administration of the Regional Vocational-Technical School System monitor the composition and meeting schedules of the Citizens Consulting Committees at each v-t school to ensure each committee includes representatives of area school districts as participating members.
The program review committee also recommends each regional vocational-technical school director:
· annually convene a meeting to discuss coordination issues with representatives of all of the towns that send students to the v-t school; and
· quarterly host a meeting with representatives of those towns that send students comprising more than 5 percent of the total secondary enrollment at the v-t school (as measured annually on October 1) to work on developing programs that can be jointly sponsored.
In addition to improving communication with local school districts, these recommendations will provide an opportunity for vocational-technical schools to interact with representatives from the town governments where their students live. Based on recent enrollment data, the proposed annual meetings will range in size from six to 32 towns; the quarterly meetings will involve from one to seven towns.
Summary
Graduates of Connecticut's vocational-technical schools are like the graduates of other public and private high schools in the state. Whether they want to go on for additional education, enter the work force immediately after high school, or pursue other interests, they must attain certain skill levels in order to be successful.
The job readiness of v-t school graduates is variable. The performance measurements examined as part of this study show areas of success, but with room for improvement. The v-t system is adding new trade programs, but its assessments of the marketplace need to be more comprehensive. The v-t school system, the state board, and SDE must work together to build upon recent system enhancements and to increase public awareness of Connecticut's v-t schools.
1 Vocational Education in the United States: Toward the Year 2000, National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, February 2000, p. iii.
2 The v-t school system projects enrollment will reach 10,818 in 2002, the highest level since 1987. Demographers are projecting increases in K-12 schools across the country, with enrollment expected to stabilize in 2006 and start declining in 2008 (Julie Steiny, "Too Many Kids," Governing, November 2000, p. 60).
3 Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee, State Secondary Vocational-Technical Schools, January 1988, p. 32.
4 Nurturing the Genius of Connecticut's Students, Connecticut's Comprehensive Plan for Education 1996-2000, Connecticut State Board of Education, January 1997.
5 September 13, 2000 memo from commissioner of education to State Board of Education re: NOCTI Assessment.
6 Conn. State Department of Education, Working Together for Higher Student Achievement in Hartford's Schools: A Review of the Hartford Public Schools with Recommendations for Improvement, November 6, 1996, pp. 6-7.