A study to ascertain state progress in building school-to-work systems reviewed the state applications for school-to-work planning grants submitted in December 1993 and 1993 state reports on progress toward achieving the National Education Goals. State infrastructure to support and guide local programs included clear goals, public understanding…

This publication offers a state-by-state summary of the school-to-work and/or school-to-careers activities funded by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico as of the summer 1997. Arranged alphabetically by state name, the profiles provide some or all of this information, as appropriate,…

Most of Arizona's 13 state-funded school-to-work (STW) partnerships are serving out-of-school youth through existing programs within their boundaries. The programs typically fall under the jurisdiction of educational institutions, training institutions, business and labor organizations, and other organizations. The most common approach to serving…

A series of five discussions with more than 50 people involved in the national school-to-work initiative created by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 (STWOA) resulted in the following conclusions (among others): (1) Problems with the concept include a negative attitude toward the phrase "school-to-work," the complicated nature…

This report examines the provisions of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act and describes the steps that have been taken thus far to establish an Ohio system. It discusses the general features that must be included in Ohio's school-to-work system and the strategies around which Ohio's school-to-work plans are being structured. Recommendations are…

A study obtained early information on the effects of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 on states' efforts to develop and implement effective systems of school-to-work transition. Systems in eight states were studied: California, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. State leaders understood the need…

This report presents the first product of a comprehensive 5-year evaluation of a major federal effort, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (1994), which provides 5-year federal grants as "seed money" to design systems involving work-based learning, school-based learning, and connecting activities. The report is based on extensive site…

These two newsletter issues of the National Transition Alliance (NTA) for Youth with Disabilities present articles concerning the transition of youth with disabilities from school-to-work (STW) and related informational items. The first issue contains the following articles: "Bringing a Complicated System into Harmony" (focus on the…

A study explored performance of the Arizona School-to-Work (STW) system in meeting the six goals established by the state STW Division. Goal 1 was to create a self-sustaining STW system at the state and regional levels. The state developed state policies and goals and provided implementation funding to partnerships, but no continuation funding.…

Data from national Tech-Prep surveys that were completed by more than 800 Tech-Prep consortium coordinators in fall 1993 and/or fall 1994 were analyzed to assess the emergence of Tech-Prep at the state and local levels. It was discovered that, between 1993 and 1994, the number of Tech-Prep consortia nationwide increased from 812 to 953, the…

In spring 1997, Arizona repeated a spring 1996 statewide public poll that established baseline measures of public attitudes toward school-to-work (STW). Samples were drawn from three constituent groups: parents, businesses, and educators. Over 2,700 Arizonans participated each year. Overall awareness of STW was up significantly among every group.…

Venture capital provided under the School to Work Opportunities Act 1994 (STWOA) has promoted significant state and local innovation. STWOA's 7-year lifespan assumed that states made a commitment to building sustainable systems when they applied for funds. As STWOA approaches the end of its lifespan, many states are examining and assessing their…