Introduction
Regional Vocational-Technical School System
The Connecticut Regional Vocational-Technical School System (RVTSS) is a state-run network of schools providing both academic instruction and trade experience. Its mission is "to provide a rigorous education program meeting the needs of Connecticut's citizens and employers through academic instruction, intensive occupation-specific training, and apprenticeship credit."
Secondary students receive a comprehensive high school education in conjunction with training in one of nearly two dozen specific trades. Adults have access to full-time or part-time instruction in about one dozen trades.
In March 1999, the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee voted to undertake a new study of the state vocational-technical (v-t) school system.1 (The committee had last reviewed the system in 1987.) The scope of the current study identified two key issues for review:
To assess the performance of the v-t school system, the committee examined data about programs, resources, and enrollees currently and over time. An October 1999 public hearing and questionnaires sent to v-t school faculty, administrators, and graduates, to the State Board of Education, and to employers in the state provided input from those inside and outside of the school system. Information about national trends in vocational education and secondary-level vocational schools in other states was also compiled.
The primary focus of the program review committee's recommendations is on steps the vocational-technical school system can take to increase its visibility and make its schools more desirable. While the system has been making changes, the committee believes more should be done. The v-t school system in coordination with the state Department of Education (SDE) and the State Board of Education must take advantage of the expanded resources the legislature is currently providing to improve the facilities and programs of the vocational-technical schools. In the future, when Connecticut parents, students, and employers seek out exemplary educational opportunities, state v-t schools should be on their list.
Report Format
The report is divided into five chapters. The first presents an overview of the regional vocational-technical school system, including its organizational structure, budget, and staff levels. The second chapter explains the application process required of those interested in attending a v-t school. It also includes enrollment data and a profile of the secondary students in the schools.
The third chapter describes the trade programs available at the v-t schools and the process ninth grade students go through to select the area they will study in the tenth through twelfth grades. Information about the post-graduation activities of recent v-t school alumni is also presented. Chapter Four describes the results of the five surveys conducted by the committee. The final chapter discusses the performance of the v-t school system and presents program review committee findings and recommendations related to the issues under review.
Data for the most recent year available are presented as well as some perspective on changes since the mid-1980s. In most cases, the information in the main body of the report is reflective of the vocational-technical school system as a whole. Similar school specific information is presented in appendices, which are referenced in the report when the systemwide figures are presented.
Agency Response
It is the policy of the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee to provide agencies subject to a study with an opportunity to review and comment on the recommendations prior to publication of the final report. The response from the commissioner of education is presented in Appendix O.
1 After completing the preliminary phase of the study in the fall of 1999, the committee postponed completion of the review until 2000 in order to undertake another project.