In the 1990s, federal education legislation and policies have encouraged state and local efforts in educational reform and placed a new emphasis on education for and about work. These initiatives have engaged the active participation of a broad range of partners and have spurred a variety of locally customized programs and practices. Nationally, tech prep and school-to-work (STW) initiatives have been developed and implemented in a political climate that is increasingly devolving funding, responsibility, and accountability to the local level. Evaluation of these efforts must meet local, regional, and federal demands for information that addresses both accountability and program improvement needs. A benchmarking model can be used to begin the process of addressing the challenges faced by evaluators, educators, and policy makers in addressing both accountability and program improvement while meeting the information needs of multiple constituencies. Wisconsin's Cooperative Tech Prep benchmarking model is adapted from tools and processes for continuous program improvement used in the business sector. The model views the evaluation of tech prep and STW through the component practices that make up each initiative. At the heart of this model are a data collection system and self-assessment process intended to provide both local program improvement information and links to district, state, and federal accountability and performance standards requirements. Initial pilot tests show the usefulness of this model as a tool that increases practitioners' understanding of the tech prep and STW practices within their schools. Although a lack of common definitions of component tech prep practices, as well as institutional and attitudinal barriers, has limited the effectiveness of data collection, practitioners have found the process to be a beneficial tool for program improvement. (Contains 48 references.) (Author/KC)