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Descriptors:
Tech Prep; Longitudinal Studies; Educational Change; Educational History; Federal Legislation; Educational Finance; Program Implementation; Vocational Education; Apprenticeships; Dual Enrollment; Program Descriptions; College Credits; Secondary Education; Higher Education

Abstract:
This article provides a broad overview of the history of career-focused education in the United States and the reauthorization of the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006. The Perkins act required that the recipients of its funding offer at least one program of study, and this reauthorization included four core components that play a central role in the implementation of the overall Programs of Study initiative. As such, we provide a background of the development of the Programs of Study initiative in Perkins through earlier initiatives: Tech Prep, career pathways, youth apprenticeship, and dual/concurrent-credit programs. We also offer a brief overview of the challenges faced by each initiative, along with an overview of the three National Research Center for Career and Technical Education longitudinal studies represented in this special issue. (Contains 3 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
College Credits; Tech Prep; Dual Enrollment; Postsecondary Education; High School Students; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; High Schools; Regression (Statistics); Academic Achievement; Prediction

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine a Tech Prep Program located in Northwest Ohio and determine the degree to which college credits earned in high school through the Tech Prep and PSEO Programs predict college success and if there were any significant gender/race differences in credits earned and college success as well as high school origination. For the study there were 1,072 students who participated in the Tech Prep and PSEO Programs during the years of 2004-2008 attending 32 high schools. The data were gathered using the State of Ohio Higher Education Information System (HEI), which allows administrators to review and calculate information via the Internet that includes college credits earned by Tech Prep and PSEO Program high school students and whether or not they are still enrolled in college. Three research questions guided this study. Logistic regression was used to determine if the number of college credits earned in a Tech Prep and Post Secondary Enrollment Options Program predict college success. The results indicate that the number of college credits earned did significantly predict success; however, a higher number of credits were more likely to predict an unsuccessful outcome (not in school). T-test of independent samples examined differences in credit hours earned by college success. Similar to research question 1, the results from research question 2 showed that the number of college credit hours earned by students while in high school did significantly differ by college success with unsuccessful students having a higher number of credit hours earned. Research question 3 examined the differences in credit hours earned and college success by gender, race or high school origination. No significant gender or race differences were found in the number of credit hours earned or college success. However, high school origination significantly generated differences in the number of credit hours earned but not college success. Tech Prep and PSEO have become important elements in technical education and career development for many high school students across the nation. The results of this study indicate that programs such as Tech Prep and PSEO may promote college success and help create numerous opportunities for the "Neglected Majority" to attend college. The "Neglected Majority" is still very much present, but by allowing students to participate in programs such as Tech Prep and PSEO it is no longer being ignored. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Tech Prep; Technical Institutes; Education Work Relationship; Focus Groups; Articulation (Education); College Faculty; Teacher Attitudes; Secondary Education; Postsecondary Education; Teacher Surveys; College Choice; College Readiness; College Credits

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to determine what opinions Gateway Technical College instructors had toward secondary and postsecondary program alignment. Student transition is critical to supporting the mission and vision of Gateway Technical College. The impetus for this study was twofold. First, the quality improvement process established at Gateway Technical College were not alone meeting the need to increase direct enrollment from area high schools; and second, the researcher has extensive professional experience in implementation of tech prep and school-to-career programs and believes alternative approaches to youth transition services are needed for many students. The results of the study showed that Gateway instructors have a strong opinion on the value and need for program alignment between secondary and postsecondary programming but they are not as strong in their support for credit transfer between the systems. It was also evidenced through survey comments and focus group responses that credit should not be the reason for program alignment. Competency development and defined career pathways are highly valued by instructors an measuring students' ability to transition into postsecondary programs and make Gateway a college of first choice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Test Results; Grade Point Average; College Preparation; Academic Achievement; High School Graduates; Predictor Variables; Academic Records; Achievement Rating; Achievement Gains; Comparative Analysis; Comparative Education; Age Differences; Statistical Significance; College Readiness; Tech Prep; Developmental Studies Programs; Transitional Programs; Predictive Validity; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; College Students; Followup Studies; Educational Assessment; Educational Indicators

Abstract:
This study examined the academic performance of Tech Prep students (referred to as participants) in comparison to non-Tech Prep students (referred to as non-participants) entering a two-year community college from sixteen different high schools in Stark County, Ohio. This study provided a quantitative analysis of students' academic experiences to determine if Tech Prep students achieve higher GPA's than non-Tech Prep students in post-high-school education at the college level. Findings are presented for students identified locally as participants in Tech Prep programs--referred to as Tech Prep participants, as compared to a group of students drawn from the general student population with similar academic performance at high school graduation, referred to as non-Tech Prep participants. Recorded data from the class years of 1998-2007 was used to determine whether Tech Prep participants in high school demonstrated greater academic performance levels than non-Tech Prep participants. It was determined that during this time 1,108 students enrolled from Tech Prep programs. It was important to select students who had completed at least one semester (12 hours) at the college in order to analyze GPA. It was determined that approximately 776 students had fulfilled enough coursework. Using a random selection, to identify ten percent of the students, 77 students were selected from this group. In order to maintain equal-sized groups, 77 students were randomly selected from the non-Tech Prep group. Therefore, at a total of 154 students were selected for the study, 77 who participated in Tech Prep during high school and 77 who did not participate in that program. Considering the federal commitment to Tech Prep implementation, beginning with the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 (Perkins II), it is important to understand various ways these programs have influenced student academic performance, by evaluating student grade point averages in college. This study assessed student academic performance, drawing heavily upon transcript analysis (GPA scores). Focus was on the Stark County College Tech Prep consortium high schools, with results presented in the main text in narrative, figures, and supporting tables. All data was maintained and stored, providing a rich source of information for further analysis of students' transitions from high school to college. In all test results the relationship between studying Tech Prep in high school and the student's college academic performance in post-secondary school was not statistically significant. Of the independent variables, Age and High School GPA were found to have some statistically significant relationships. The independent variable Age was statistically significant predictor of Mathematics GPA, but a significant predictor of the other dependent variables. The independent variable High School GPA was a statistically significant predictor of the dependent variables, Overall GPA, Technical GPA, Non-Technical GPA, Mathematics GPA, English and Communication GPA, and Science GPA. This study provided an opportunity to study students who participated in Tech Prep in high school and entered a two-year college and uncovered issues not often found in the existing literature. The findings are relevant to any college that enrolls Tech Prep participants since understanding the potential positive and shortcomings of this population is critical. This study indicated that the reauthorization of the Perkins Vocational-Technical Education Program (College Tech Prep) was found to lack clarity and purpose. The Carl Perkins Title II legislation that led to the development of Tech Prep states that Tech Prep includes a rigorous and focused course of study that provides students with essential academic and technical foundations. Additionally, Tech Prep is declared as a pathway for students which prepare them for technologically advanced careers and post secondary education by emphasizing strong academic skills. The results of this study cast strong doubts on whether Tech Prep participants are more prepared than non-Tech Prep participants for college academic performance. Based on student performance in Mathematics, Technical, Social Science, and English and Communication courses this study suggested that Tech Prep participants are not better equipped for college academic performance than non-Tech Prep participants. This research study provides evaluative evidence to question whether Tech Prep provides college academic readiness. At the same time, the findings and speculations that emerged from this study provide suggestions for future research to more clearly explore "under what conditions?" The following conclusions appear to be warranted: (1) Generalizations from this study can be used by administrators in higher education to analyze the situation of college preparation, identify areas of needed change, and adopt new strategies to increase college readiness. (2) The findings can assist educational leaders, legislators, and policymakers in increasing the communication between secondary and postsecondary institutions regarding expectations of high school graduates, in writing educational policies, and in assisting students in the transition from high school to college. (Abstract shortened by UMI.) [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
College Graduates; Brain Drain; Labor Force Development; State Programs; Regional Programs; Transitional Programs; Tech Prep; Higher Education; Program Implementation; Counties

Abstract:
This document represents the findings of the Greater Akron and Canton Regional Chambers of Commerce under an Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Ohio Department of Development Graduate Retention Initiative (GRI) Planning Grant. The document also includes a proposal for the implementation phase of the initiative with a geographic scope of Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne Counties. These counties represent the places of business of the chambers' combined 3,400 member base. In order to implement the first phase of a Graduate Retention Initiative for this region, a request is being made for $64,475.00, an anticipated amount which represents funds remaining from the planning phase plus additional new dollars under the implementation phase. A major finding of this planning phase was that several informational and operational disconnects exist along the continuum from K-12 to college to work which inhibits the awareness of students and graduates of the benefits in remaining and building a career in the region and in Ohio. The proposed activities for the implementation phase of this initiative are targeted towards beginning of a process to remove such disconnects through heightened awareness, substantive marketing, and increased networking. In accomplishing these objectives, a base of partner and supporting organizations such as the Ohio College Access Network (OCAN), the Summit Education Initiative, the Stark Education Partnership, the Stark County P-16 Compact, a new College Career Directors Consortium, and an emerging consortium of Northeast Ohio Graduate Retention Initiatives, plus an implementation committee of high level business and student representatives will seek to insure the sustainability of the initiative beyond the state funding period. This document also serves an additional purpose in that findings are meant for broader distribution among stakeholders and the general public within the five county region. It is hoped that it will provide the basis for discussion, further deliberation, and decision-making. Appended are: (1) National Contacts and Consultations; (2) Persons Consulted, Interviewed, or Offering Input on the Research and Drafting of this Document; and (3) Survey and Focus Group Documents. A bibliography is included. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; High Schools; Career Choice; Interests; Education Work Relationship; School Counselors; Family Environment; Career Guidance; Tech Prep; High School Students; Career Development; Advanced Placement; Mentors; Student Attitudes; Parent Influence; Gifted

Abstract:
The intent of this study was to identify the needs and preference of high-achieving high school students. In terms of career related programs in high school, students listed AP courses and mentoring as their preferred career-related programs. Also, students stated that career guidance by counselors, workshops or sessions, and tech prep were the top three least-preferred career-related programs in high school. As important factors influencing students' career choice, students listed their own interests and the family environment. Most students mentioned their own interests and their parents' expectations together, indicating that parents tended to develop students' talent and career interests based on the students' interests. The study suggested that parents, teachers, and guidance counselors should recognize their own critical roles in shaping high-achieving students' career development and provide tailored career related services to meet different needs of high-achieving students. (Contains 3 tables.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Private Schools; Curriculum Evaluation; Educational Assessment; Alignment (Education); Educational Philosophy; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Educational Principles; Advanced Placement Programs; College Preparation; Tech Prep; Performance Factors

Abstract:
Since its widespread emergence in the mid-1960s, the Advanced Placement (AP) curriculum has successfully established and maintained an identity as the gold standard of transcript currency for college preparatory schools. It is something that nearly all independent school parents and students believe they understand and clearly expect, and it is what colleges and universities say they want. Independent schools are endlessly examining, analyzing, modifying, and restructuring their curricula. For some reason, the AP program is often exempted from that kind of thoughtful scrutiny because it has become something like the wallpaper of "academic excellence." Does the AP, arguably the ultimate test prep curriculum, really deserve that kind of free pass? In this article, the author presents eight questions that he believes are important to ask about the AP and how it works (or not) in one's school. Giving faculty a way to have genuine dialogue on these questions will provide some very valuable information about the beliefs, values, and priorities that inform their work and the character of one's school. (Contains 1 note.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
State Legislation; Federal Legislation; Tech Prep; Vocational Education; Governance; Government Role; Alignment (Education); Institutes (Training Programs); Apprenticeships; Local Government; Federal Regulation; State Regulation; Transitional Programs

Abstract:
Local educational agencies (of which there are more than 14,000) have the primary responsibility for governance of public vocational education and training (VET) in the United States. Local agencies operate within a framework of state legislation and regulations that are heavily influenced by federal legislation. The federal government offers funds to the states for the support of VET. To qualify for these funds, states must submit plans to the federal government describing how they will use the funds to achieve the intent of federal law. States, in turn, require local agencies to submit plans for their use of the funds. The diversity of this system is further complicated by the variety of ways that states assign responsibility for the administration of secondary and postsecondary VET. Initiatives to link secondary and postsecondary training include Tech Prep, career pathways, and, in the most recent federal legislation, programs of study. Almost all government-supported skill training outside the education system occurs through the Office of Apprenticeship and the Job Corps, both of which are administered by the federal Department of Labor. The number of trainees in these programs is much lower than that of those receiving skill training from educational institutions. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure and 8 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
High Schools; College Preparation; Community Colleges; High School Graduates; School Counselors; Tech Prep; College Students; Student Attitudes; Secondary School Teachers; Teacher Role; Counselor Role; Parent Role; College Admission; Student Recruitment; Gender Differences; Racial Differences; Majors (Students); English Instruction; Mathematics Education; Teacher Influence; Career Development; Trend Analysis

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine students enrolled at community colleges and universities in North Carolina about their perceptions of their college preparation experiences. The study specifically examined student perceptions as to the role that high school teachers, high school counselors, parents, and college admissions and recruiting staff played in their college preparation experience. Gender, race, high school course of study, level of first English course, and level of first mathematics course served as independent variables. Results indicate that students enrolled in the College/University Prep course of study while in high school perceived their high school teachers had significant influence on their preparation for college compared to students enrolled in the College Tech Prep, Career Prep, or Occupational Prep course of study. Although not statistically significant, students enrolled in a curriculum level mathematics course as the first level college mathematics course felt their high school teachers had a greater influence on their college preparation when compared to their peers enrolled in developmental/remedial mathematics. The same trend was found when examining the influence of high school counselors. Students enrolled in a curriculum level mathematics course as the first level of mathematics course felt their high school counselors had a greater influence on their college preparation when compared to their peers enrolled in developmental/remedial mathematics. Finally, students enrolled in curriculum level English as their first level of English course also felt their high school counselors had a greater influence on their college preparation when compared to their peers enrolled in developmental/remedial English. Students believe parents and college admissions and recruiting staff played a minimal role in their college preparation. Generalizations from this study can be used by administrators in higher education to analyze the situation of college preparation, identify areas of needed change, and adopt new strategies to increase college readiness. The findings can assist educational leaders, legislators, and policymakers in increasing the communication between secondary and postsecondary institutions regarding expectations of high school graduates, in writing educational policies, and in assisting students in the transition from high school to college. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Federal Legislation; Academic Achievement; Academic Standards; Tech Prep; Vocational Education; Research Reports; Literature Reviews; Comprehensive Programs; Course Content; Dual Enrollment; Program Descriptions

Abstract:
In January 2010, the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) issued a progress report on three studies being conducted by the Center that examine the implementation and outcomes of Programs of Study (POS), which were required in the 2006 reauthorization of the federal legislation for career and technical education (CTE). The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006 (otherwise known as Perkins IV) states that recipients of federal funds must offer at least one POS that includes coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant career and technical content. This joint report summarizes the literature on previous initiatives that share many similarities with the components of POS, specifically Tech Prep, career pathways, and dual/concurrent enrollment. Most of the evidence on these predecessors of POS is mixed. It also summarizes the evidence on the effects of participation in CTE on engagement in school, academic achievement, and transition to postsecondary education and employment. The report also describes three field-based research studies initiated by the NRCCTE that seek to examine POS from different perspectives. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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