Rigor and Relevance: A New Vision for Career and Technical Education. A White Paper.

American Youth Policy Forum, Publications Department, 1836 Jefferson Place, NW, Washington, DC 20036 ($5). For full text: http://www.aypf.org/publications/aypf_rigor_0004v.3.pdf.

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Carnegie Corp. of New York, NY.

Policymakers

Career Education; Curriculum Development; Dropout Prevention; Educational Change; Educational Finance; Educational Planning; Educational Policy; Employment Patterns; Federal Aid; Federal State Relationship; Government Role; Government School Relationship; High Schools; Outcomes of Education; Position Papers; Postsecondary Education; Relevance (Education); Secondary Education; Vocational Education; Work Experience Programs

Federal funding for career and technical education (CTE) should move from a state grant program to a competitive grant approach in order to disrupt an entitlement mentality and instead support the creation of high quality CTE programs with improved student outcomes. Funds should be used to develop and expand CTE programs to begin in 9th grade and continue to postsecondary education, with 5% to conduct or support research and demonstrations of new CTE curricula, 20% to states, and 75% allocated on a competitive basis to schools. In grades 9-10, the program would focus on academic foundations in the context of careers. In the upper grades, programs might include career-themed schools, career academies located in comprehensive high schools, technical schools with career clusters, and early or middle college high schools with a career theme. At the postsecondary level, the focus would be more occupational and technical. At the secondary level, progress would be measured by aligning with the No Child Left Behind Act and by reduced high school drop out rates, increased entry into postsecondary education, and attainment of technical or occupational competencies. (SLR)

2004

ED478344