Project RII.2
Tech Prep as a School-to-Work Vehicle to Educational Reform

Project Director:

• Debra D. Bragg, University of Illinois (Year 1 of 2)

Keywords:

• Tech Prep
• school to work
• educational reform

This multiyear study will address three research objectives: (1) to examine student demographic characteristics, academic abilities, and educational and occupational aspirations; (2) to describe the array of educational experiences created by local consortia and states for student Tech Prep participants and identify the relationships among these educational experiences and student characteristics; and (3) to ascertain student outcomes (benefits) associated with varying levels of experience with Tech Prep curricula and programs. The research methodology will include a national survey as well as case studies involving student cohort groups in six to eight local Tech Prep consortia in the United States. The findings will have implications for local, state, and federal policy and practice regarding Tech Prep, STWO, and educational reform.

Deliverables

Three deliverables will be prepared. First, a practitioner-oriented deliverable will be produced from this report to summarize the findings of the national study of Tech Prep and STWO policy regarding the Tech Prep student.

Second, an article will be prepared and submitted for publication in a major professional journal focusing extensively on Tech Prep and STWO policy in relation to the nation's evolving educational reform agenda.

This project's findings will be disseminated through annual conferences of the National Tech Prep Network, American Evaluation Association, and American Vocational Association. These presentations will be designed specifically to fulfill the needs of several audiences: local and state Tech Prep practitioners, educational researchers, teacher/educators, educational reformers, school-to-work advocates, and business representatives. The findings will also be submitted to major professional periodicals such as Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis.

In addition to these national meetings and publications, findings from this project will be presented at other local and state meetings throughout the project year.

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