While other fields at the secondary level have rapidly embraced national curriculum standards and goals, school-to-work programs continue to vary widely in content, scope, and methodology across the nation. At present, the notion of establishing "national standards" in this content area has focused largely on developing industry skill standards.
Yet, in today's changing world of work, critical evaluation of curriculum is a helpful step toward realizing national goals for education (such as those outlined in Goals 2000) and in fulfilling the vision of new and emerging vocationalism (e.g., Tech Prep, youth apprenticeship, and career academies). Standards for curriculum and instructional products, encompassing appropriate student outcomes and highly effective instruction, would establish important benchmarks for products used by schools and postsecondary institutions in implementing school-to-work initiatives.
Using information from curriculum practitioners nationwide, the NCPQ Curriculum Quality Standards for School to Work guidebook before you is designed to assist practitioners in examining curriculum products, adapting materials, or creating original curriculum. Through research and technical assistance, the NCPQ strives to improve curriculum design and practice. By discussing the focus areas of the Standards, and by documenting good examples that are currently in practice, we hope to provide a richer foundation for your efforts to integrate curriculum design, content, and use. Successful implementation, and subsequent meaningfulness to the learner, are essential components in the process of curriculum development and evaluation. Bearing this fact in mind, we intend this guidebook to present a connected or integrated approach regarding curriculum development and curriculum evaluation.
The NCPQ was formed to serve the education field by advancing curriculum design and practice through meaningful research and technical assistance. National use of the NCPQ Standards, and the opportunity to apply these standards to a host of instructional materials, will help create a positive interface of curriculum design, content, and program use. In the end, that successful interface is critically important to the ultimate beneficiaries of our work: our students.