The purpose of this study was to ascertain reasons why high school students who did or did not participate in cooperative education work part time during the school year. The research was based on two questions: (1) the opinions of Tennessee high school students about working part time during the school year; and (2) differences in the two groups of students' opinions about the effects of working part time during the school year. The Tennessee Secondary Students' Employment Survey consisted of demographic questions and 31 opinion items pertaining to high school students working. From the population of all public high school students in Tennessee, a randomly selected sample size of 382 students was established for each grade level 9-12. A total of 1,980 students responded with usable instruments. Both cooperative and noncooperative vocational working students felt part-time work helps students learn job skills, money and time management skills, and career decision making skills. Both groups felt that working part time while in high school would not help students improve their goals and school attendance. A comparison of mean ratings led to the conclusion that the enhancement of secondary education by students working part time was greater for those students in a formal cooperative vocational education program. (11 references) (NLA)