The role of school-to-work transition in the broader context of K-12 systemic reform was examined by way of a case study of Jefferson County, Kentucky, before and after passage of the Kentucky Education Reform Act (KERA) in 1990. The systemic approaches toward school-to-work transition as part of educational reform that were developed and implemented in the Jefferson County Public Schools were examined from the standpoints of the role of the state, district, and community infrastructures and the following external building blocks--federal policy and programs and national business and foundation support. Models of career/technical education restructuring and magnet career academies were developed, and specific examples of successful approaches and strategies for incorporating work force education as an element of systemic reform were identified. It was concluded that school-to-work transition should be part of a more comprehensive and strategic approach to educating students and that transition activities should be a regular part of the education process for all students. (Appended is a discussion of the relationship between systemic school reform in Jefferson County and the KERA.) (MN)