PUBLICATIONS

General Information on School-to-Work

America and the New Economy
Carnevale, A. P. (1991, May).
Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development.

Produced by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) and the U.S. Department of Labor, this monograph presents a new concept of economy, one which is based on organizations, people, and technology. The author distinguishes the new economy from the old through the former's use of competitive standards--the ability to deliver quality, variety, customization, convenience, and timeliness. The monograph provides an overview of the new economy; a discussion of the competitive standards; an explanation of the role of technology; and a discussion of the impact of new competitive standards, technologies, and the radical alteration in process of economic change on organizations, jobs, and skills, respectively.

Directed towards businesses and workers, the author suggests a list of basic skills required of workers in the new economy. These skills include (1) academic skills: reading, writing at work, and computation; (2) communication skills: speaking and listening; (3) adaptability skills: problem solving and creativity; (4) developmental skills: self-esteem, motivation and goal-setting, and personal and career development; (5) group effectiveness skills: interpersonal, negotiation, and teamwork; and (6) influencing skills: organizational effectiveness and leadership. The author also discusses why the skills are important in the new economy, and suggests components of a curriculum, competencies, and how they will be measured. (126 pages, no charge for single copy)

Address:
American Society for Training and Development
Customer Service
1640 King Street
Box 1443
Alexandria, VA 22313-2043
(703) 683-8100

America's Choice: High Skills or Low Wages!
Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce. (1990, June).
Rochester, NY: National Center on Education and the Economy.

This report documents some disturbing discoveries about the low skills that many of our workers possess, that our employers seek, and that our schools teach. The authors argue that the United States is at a crossroads. We can choose either to maintain an economy that relies upon low wages rather than high skills, or we can create high performance work organizations and the high skill levels needed to sustain them. With 70% of American jobs expected to require less than a college education by the year 2000, the authors call the development of a high quality American education and training system, closely linked to skilled, productive work, an economic necessity.

Five broad problems and corresponding recommendations are forwarded to achieve this goal. The problems include (1) the lack of clear standards of achievement and motivation to work hard in school, (2) the high percentage of dropouts, (3) a very small segment of noncollege-bound students who are prepared for work, (4) the lack of employer investment into high performance work organizations, and (5) a passive public policy on worker training and an inefficient training system. Based on intensive research, the report presents five corresponding recommendations to the problems. (147 pages, $18.00)

Address:
National Center on Education and the Economy
39 State Street, Suite 500
Rochester, NY 14614
(716) 546-7620

Beyond the School Doors: The Literacy Needs of Job Seekers Served by the U.S. Department of Labor
Kirsch, l. S., Jungeblut, A., & Campbell, A. (1992, September).
Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

The Educational Testing Service administered a literacy assessment to nearly 6,000 adults representing some 20 million persons participating in the Job Training and Partnership Act and Employment Service/Unemployment Insurance programs. This report includes a summary of the results from that assessment. Some of the major findings reported include (1) individuals with high literacy skill levels have shorter unemployment period, earn higher wages, and work in higher level occupations; (2) 60 to 65% of client groups believe they could get a job or better job if their reading or writing skills were improved through additional education; (3) 70 to 80% believed their job opportunities would improve with increased mathematical skills; and (4) minority clients are disproportionately represented at both low and high literacy scale levels with African American and Hispanic groups generally scoring at lower literacy levels than whites. Conclusions and implications drawn from the data are discussed throughout the report. (120 pages, no charge for single copy)

Address:
Educational Testing Service
Rosedale Road
Princeton, NJ 08541
(609) 921-9000
Fax: (609) 734-1090

Building a Quality Workforce: An Agenda for Postsecondary Education
Gilleland, D. S., Rodriguez, E. M., & Mingle, J. R. (1992, September).
Denver, CO: State Higher Education Executive Officers, Committee on Workforce Preparation.

The central problems facing the development of a high-quality system of postsecondary vocational education and training fall under the following five themes: (1) program quality, (2) school-college-work connections, (3) skills assessment, (4) state planning and coordination, and (5) incentives and accountability. In this report, the authors show how higher education is collaborating with other sectors to create new systems of education and training services. They further challenge higher education, through a series of suggested changes, to strengthen its role in ensuring a state's healthy economy by participating in joint partnerships to prepare and retrain a state's workforce, and by helping to develop vocational/occupational programs that link schools, colleges, and industry.

Among the pressing needs identified in the report are (1) strengthening the basic skills achievement of all students, especially those from disadvantaged education and economic environments; (2) linking schools, colleges, communities, and work; (3) assessing skills and other outcomes that show what students know and can do; (4) conducting comprehensive planning and coordination among state and federal programs; and (5) developing incentives and accountability mechanisms that promote and ensure successful efforts. Descriptions of model programs are included. (49 pages, $10.00)

Address:
State Higher Education Executive Officers
707 Seventeenth Street, Suite 2700
Denver, CO 80202-3427
(303) 299-3685

Combining School and Work: Options in High Schools and Two-Year Colleges
Stern, D. (1991, March).
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

The role of vocational-technical education in the transition from school to work and how it can contribute to a competent, highly skilled workforce is the focus of this report. The author discusses ways in which quality vocational-technical programs can make transition experiences efficient, effective, and meaningful. The author also discusses traditional approaches and the latest innovations that respond to the challenge of preparing young people for a more learning intensive workplace.

The traditional approaches, including apprenticeship, cooperative education, and school-based enterprise, make deliberate use of work as part of the learning experience. The latest innovations, including vocational academies and Tech Prep programs, are reconstructing the high school curriculum to unite the vocational with the academic disciplines. The author concludes with a discussion of the importance that employers play in all of the programs through business-school partnerships. (45 pages, no charge)

Address:
Clearinghouse of Adult Education and Literacy
U.S. Department of Education
Division of Adult Education and Literacy
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7240
(202) 205-9873

Cooperative Education as a Strategy for School to Work Transition (CenterFocus No. 3)
Ascher, C (1994, January).
Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.

The author of this paper discusses several critical policy issues in cooperative education as it is practiced at the high school level. These issues include program costs; the preparation of teachers and the training of employers to participate in the program; and the effect of the program on students' employment, school persistence, and social development. (4 pages, no charge)

Address:
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
Materials Distribution Service
Western Illinois University
46 Horrabin Hall
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(800) 637-7652

From School to Work (Policy Information Reports)
Barton, P. E. (1990).
Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

Focused on noncollege-bound youth, this report deals with several important and current aspects of the school-to-work transition. These include the work that students do before they leave school, differences between skills acquired in the classroom and those needed at the workplace, the information processing skills of high school graduates, new efforts to integrate academic and vocational education, and the weakness of linkages between the school and the workplace.

The author highlights innovative programs currently underway in the United States, while noting that transition services are inadequate. In addition, he argues that high school graduates need to be better prepared in those academic and interpersonal skills which employers consider most important. (31 pages, $3.50)

Address:
Educational Testing Service
ETS Policy Information Center
Room R120
Rosedale Road
Princeton, NJ 08541-0001
(609) 734-5694

Hands and Minds: Redefining Success in Vocational Technical Education
Education Writers Association, & The William T. Grant Foundation Commission on Youth and America's Future (Eds.). (1992).
Washington, DC: Education Writers Association.

Nine innovative vocational education programs identified by the Education Writers Association (EWA) are highlighted in this publication. It is based on interviews with educators, researchers, policymakers, and business and association representatives. The EWA says that the best vocational education programs feature educators who view vocational education as an integrated "learning system" and make use of techniques on the cutting edge of school reform: team teaching, cooperative learning, alternative types of assessments, applied learning, and experiential learning. (39 pages, $10.00)

Address:
Education Writers Association
1331 H Street, NW, Suite 307
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 673-9700

Here Is What We Must Do at School to Get Our Students Ready for Work: Blueprint for a School-to-Work System
U.S. Department of Education. (1992).
Washington, DC: Author.

This eight-page brochure explains what schools can do to get young people ready for work. Issued by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, the brochure outlines four steps schools can take to prepare students for work: (1) insist on the essentials (principles of effective schools), (2) provide career information, (3) offer a variety of learning options, and (4) follow up with certification and support. A checklist of the components of an effective school-to-work system is included. (8 pages, no charge)

Address:
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-7100
(202) 205-5451

Improving the Transition from School to Work in the United States
Kazis, R. (1993).
Washington, DC: American Youth Policy Forum, Competitiveness Policy Council, and Jobs for the Future.

In this paper, the author clarifies and describes aspects of the school-to-work transition problem he feels need "fixing." The author discusses trends in program and policy intervention at the local, state, and national levels that might respond to the challenges identified. These trends may be grouped into two areas: (1) strategies for improving career pathways and (2) components of an effective career preparation system. The recommendations address each of these components. They include universal access, high academic standards, increased career exposure and counseling, integration of academic and vocational education, integration of school and work experiences, the award of a widely recognized credential based on industry-approved standards benchmarked to international best practice, and clear routes to postsecondary academic advancement. The paper closes with Paul Barton's memorandum on the youth transition. (33 pages, $5.00 postpaid)

Address:
American Youth Policy Forum
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 301
Washington, DC 20036-5541
or
Jobs for the Future
1815 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 661-3411

Learning a Living: A Blueprint for High Performance, a SCANS Report for America 2000
Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. (1992, April).
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

This final report of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) discusses how young people and workers already on the job can be prepared for productive work in the 21st century. Part I outlines the SCANS vision, describes how schools and the private sector can cooperate to create a high-performance economy capable of maintaining the nation's standard of living, and offers suggestions on how to proceed. Part II provides a more detailed roadmap for those charged with the responsibility for SCANS' concerns, including educators, employers, and the designers of our certification and assessment systems. (88 pages, $6.50)

Address:
Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
(202) 512-1800
Fax: (202) 512-2250

Managing Workforce 2000: Gaining the Diversity Advantage
Jamieson, D., & O'Mara, J. (1991, April).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Diversity in the workforce is creating challenges never seen before in American business. Ethnic and gender differences aside, workers have vastly different skill and educational levels, physical abilities, ages, cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, values, and needs. How can organizations make themselves flexible enough to not just accommodate these differences, but to capitalize on them? The authors demonstrate how diversity, far from being a stumbling block, can be a springboard to excellence and high achievement.

In this book, the authors detail how managers in more than eighty organizations are making diversity an asset by adopting innovative policies and practices that bring out the best in individual employees, thereby, increasing employee responsibility, loyalty, and creativity, and enabling employees to learn and grow into tomorrow's jobs. They present a six-step procedure for creating a more flexible workplace, with practical advice on how to set goals, pinpoint where changes are needed, and make the transition from "one size fits all" to responsive management. The authors also provide tips and insights for building cohesion and synergy among diverse employees. (295 pages, $27.95)

Address:
Jossey-Bass, Inc., Publishers
350 Sansome Street
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 433-1740

A National Policy for Workplace Training: Lessons from State and Local Experiments
Batt, R., & Osterman, P. (1993).
Washington, DC: Economic Policy Institute.

This report focuses on efforts to improve the skills of adult workers by creating workplace-centered public training policies. It draws on the experience of states to describe the opportunities and dangers which a national effort to enhance the training of adults would confront. The authors conducted intensive case studies of programs in four states. The major findings and recommendations are presented in this report. (63 pages; $12.00, plus $3.00 shipping and handling)

Address:
Public Interest Publications
3030 Claredon Boulevard, Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 243-2252

Research on School-to-Work Transition Programs in the United States
Stern, D., Finkelstein, N., Stone III, J. R., Latting, J., & Dornsife, C. (1994, March).
Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley.

NCRVE researchers conducted a study of existing school-to-work programs in the United States. Their findings are included in this report, which is designed to assist localities and states as they develop school-to-work systems. The research dealt with separate school-to-work programs and models, which are of two kinds: school-and-work arrangements which permit students to participate in both kinds of activity during the same time period and school-for-work programs which provide instruction with the express purpose of preparing students for work. Cooperative education and new youth apprenticeships are major examples of school-and-work programs. School-for-work programs include secondary and postsecondary vocational education--both traditional versions and recent models such as Tech Prep and career academies. This document also includes a summary of selected studies of programs for young people who are not attending school. A concluding section considers implications for localities and states designing new school-to-work systems. The appendix includes examples of school-to-work programs and program elements. (MDS-771@747, 189 pages, $11.50)

Address:
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
Materials Distribution Service
Western Illinois University
46 Horrabin Hall
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(800) 637-7652

School-to-Work Connections: Formulas for Success
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. (1992).
Washington, DC: Employment and Training Administration's Office of Work-Based Learning.

This report is based on a study of successful programs of school-to-work partnerships. Information useful to readers include guidelines and strategies for successful programs, specific examples of effective partnerships, and a summary of high school and post-high school level programs. (29 pages, no charge)

Address:
Employment and Training Administration's Office of Work- Based Learning
Room 4700
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 219-6871

School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (PL 103-239)
(1994, May)

Congress passed the School-to-Work Opportunities (STWO) Act to establish a framework for the development of school-to-work opportunities systems in all states. The systems called for in the legislation will integrate school-based learning with work-based learning and provide high school students a chance to complete a career major. Programs created must provide all students with equal access to the full range of program components and related activities such as recruitment, enrollment, and placement activities. A single copy of the STWO Act may be obtained free of charge by calling (202) 225-3456 or sending a request and a self-addressed gummed label to the address listed. Indicate the specific act number (PL 103-239) in the written request.

Address:
U.S. House of Representatives
Document Room B18
Ford Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-6622
(202) 225-3456
Fax: (202) 226-4362

The School-to-Work Opportunities Act: Overview
American Vocational Association. (1994).
Alexandria, VA: Author.

This summary provides a review of pertinent facts about the legislation. Answers to questions about the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, including who qualifies for support, what activities are supported with available funding, and accountability provisions in the law are provided. Several charts throughout the summary highlight important aspects of the legislation. (16 pages; $4.95/member, $6.95/nonmember)

Address:
American Vocational Association
1410 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-3111

School-to-Work Opportunities Act: Policy Briefs
Kochhar, C. A. (1993).
Reston, VA: Council for Exceptional Children, The Division on Career Development and Transition.

The Division on Career Development and Transition has produced this series of policy briefs on the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 which focus on the full participation of diverse populations in the range of activities and opportunities being developed through emerging policy initiatives and new legislation. It also focuses on research implications of these new legislative acts.

Address:
Council for Exceptional Children
1920 Association Drive
Reston, VA 22091-1589
(703) 620-3660

School-to-Work Opportunities Packet
Center for Law and Education, Vocational Education Project. (1993).
Washington, DC: Author.

The Center for Law and Education's Vocational Opportunity for Community and Educational Development Project developed a series of papers on school-to-work opportunities. The first two papers explain what the workplace and schools can look like. The third paper examines a few opportunities for states and localities to address some of the most challenging questions facing those trying to create systems. A summary of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act is also available from the Center's DC office (see ORGANIZATIONS). (14 pages, no charge)

Address:
Center for Law and Education
Vocational Education Project
197 Friend Street, 9th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 371-1166

School-to-Work Toolkit: Building a Local Program--Design Elements and Best Practices from Pioneering School-to-Work Programs Across America
Churchill, A., Morales, D., & O'Flanagan, M. K. (1994).

Jobs for the Future designed this toolkit as an introduction and comprehensive reference for people who want to build a school-to-work program in their community. The toolkit includes the following information: (1) a how-to booklet which includes descriptions of school-to-work programs across the country, a glossary, and recommended readings; (2) an introductory essay on the general Ideas behind the school-to-work model; (3) a diagnostic checklist for assessing program process; (4) flashcards, which explain and illustrate facets of a comprehensive school-to-work model, and are divided into four sections--Planning and Design Issues, Structuring the Learning Environment, Launching the Program, and Roles and Responsibilities; and (5) a notebook of tools, which are actual design and implementation examples such as contracts, learning plans, committee structures, and marketing materials developed and actually used by pioneering programs around the country. (450 pages, 60 cards; $149.00, plus $12.00 shipping and handling)

Address:
Jobs for the Future
One Bowdoin Square
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 742-5995

The School-to-Work Transition and Youth Apprenticeship: Lessons from the U.S. Experience
Bailey, T., & Merritt, D. (1993, March).
New York: Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation.

The Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation under its School-to-Work Transition Project conducted a study designed to assess the feasibility of the youth apprenticeship model in the United States. The researchers examined U.S. programs that include some components of the youth apprenticeship model. Their findings are reported in this monograph. The authors focus on four educational strategies that share some features with youth apprenticeship: (1) the Tech Prep model, (2) high school career academies, (3) cooperative education, and (4) agricultural education. After describing the strategies, the authors discuss the U.S. experience with each of the four components (of the model) as they relate to the strategies. The monograph ends with some suggestions for policy, research, and evaluation.

Future reports from the School-to-Work Transition Project will provide how-to-do-it advice on establishing work-based learning programs, and a detailed examination of how 15 programs are working, with an analysis of the roles of states and employers. (74 pages, no charge)

Address:
Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation
Three Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 532-3200

State Initiatives for School and the Workplace
Council of Chief State School Officers. (1991).
Washington, DC: Author.

The purpose of this resource compendium is to provide education policymakers with a review of current state efforts to improve school and workplace learning. The compendium identifies and categorizes state-level initiatives and is divided into ten sections. After the first two brief introductory sections, six major sections describe the responses from the states to the Council's survey regarding policies and practices to support improved employment readiness for all students. These sections include a discussion of the identification and assessment of work readiness skills, curriculum change, guidance and counseling, incentives to schools, staff development, and education and business efforts. The conclusion provides an overview of the strengths and shortcomings of the responses to the survey. Also included is a listing of state programs where at least 25% of student education occurs at the workplace. (138 pages, $12.50)

Address:
Council of Chief State School Officers
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20001-1431
(202) 336-7016

States and Communities on the Move: Policy Initiatives to Create a World-Class Workforce
Gold, L. N. (1991, October).
Washington, DC: William T. Grant Foundation Commission on Work, Family, and Citizenship, et al.

Over fifty examples of workforce development policy initiatives in the nation's schools are described in this publication. Included are planning structures for human investment policies, statewide school-to-work transition policies, student apprenticeships, Tech Prep and other experience-based learning initiatives, dropout recovery programs, school-business partnerships, pathways to postsecondary education, and creative financing mechanisms. These represent a sample of policies and programs nationwide. The document is intended to stimulate more informed debate in legislatures, policy councils, and among citizens. (47 pages, $5.00)

Address:
American Youth Policy Forum
or
Jobs for the Future
1815 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140
(617) 742-5995

Teaching and Learning Generic Skills for the Workplace
Stasz, C., McArthur, D., Lewis, M., & Ramsey, K. (1990, December).
Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California at Berkeley. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 329 682).

NCRVE researchers conducted a study of the teaching and learning of generic employability skills in several vocational classrooms. The study sought answers to three questions: (1) What generic skills are being taught? (2) How are they taught? and (3) How does the instructional context affect instruction? The generic skills studied include the following: (1) group cooperation, communication, and problem-solving; (2) identifying and defining problems in complex environments; (3) acquiring and synthesizing information; and (4) adapting to changes and gaps in information. This report provides a conceptual framework for defining these skills and analyzing these skills from the perspectives of the framework and research on learning and teaching. Findings have implications for future research on generic skills, for educating diverse populations, and for integration of academic and vocational education. (MDS-066@747, 69 pages, $4.50)

Address:
National Center for Research in Vocational Education
Materials Distribution Service
Western Illinois University
46 Horrabin Hall
1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(800) 637-7652

Transition from School to Work: Linking Education and Worksite Training
Frazier, F. (1991, August).
Washington, DC: U.S. General Accounting Office.

This report examines the benefits and characteristics of high-quality cooperative education programs--those most likely to exhibit the potential for facilitating transition to work--and barriers to program expansion.

The United States provides noncollege-bound youth relatively little assistance for entry to the workforce. Apprenticeships are not widely used, nor generally a program for youth. However, apprenticeship-type programs, notably cooperative education, do provide U.S. youth a formal bridge from school to work. Offered in high schools and two- and four-year colleges, cooperative education combines classroom instruction with work experience and on-the-job training related to a student's career goals. Efforts to expand participation in cooperative education must overcome two major barriers: lack of awareness about programs and a negative perception of cooperative education at the high school level. (52 pages, no charge for single copy)

Address:
U.S. General Accounting Office
P.O. Box 6015
Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015
(202) 512-6000

What Work Requires of Schools: A SCANS Report for America 2000
Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. (1991, June).
Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor.

The first product of the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), this report defines the skills needed for employment and contains proposals for acceptable levels of proficiency. Fundamental changes in the nature of work and the implications those changes hold for the kinds of workers and workplaces the nation must create are described. Five competencies and a three-part foundation of skills and personal qualities that define effective job performance today are identified. (31 pages, no charge)

Address:
U.S. Department of Labor
Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20210
(800) 788-SKIL
(202) 219-7316

Worker Training: Competing in the New International Economy
Office of Technology Assessment. (1990, September).
(GPO No. 052-003-01214-6). Washington, DC: Congress of the United States.

Requested by the U.S. Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, the House Committee on Education and Labor, and the Senate Finance Committee, this assessment examines employee training issues from the standpoint of maintaining a competitive workforce. The assessment includes an analysis of the forces that are shaping training today and describes the extent of current U.S. employer-provided training compared with that of other countries. Also examined are trends in instructional technology and their use in training programs. Finally, options Congress may wish to consider to encourage employer-provided training, improve the quality and effectiveness of training, link training and technology assistance, and provide retraining to individuals for career advancement are presented.

Findings related to vocational education and training are included. The authors maintain that vocational education can make an important contribution to workforce preparation. They also suggest that good vocational programs can help develop good work attitudes and general skills applicable in a wide variety of occupations and can familiarize students with the kinds of technology they are likely to use in the workplace (290 pages, $12.00)

Address:
Superintendent of Documents
P.O. Box 371954
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954
(202) 512-1800
Fax: (202) 512-2250