U.S. Department of Education: Promoting Educational Excellence for all Americans

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

School-to-Work Opportunities

Goal 8: To build School-To-Work (STW) systems that increase student academic achievement, improve technical skills, and broaden career opportunities for all.
Objective 1 of 3: ALL YOUTH--INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE DISADVANTAGED, HAVE LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, ARE ACADEMICALLY GIFTED, ARE OUT OF SCHOOL, OR ARE DISABLED--HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE ACTIVELY IN SCHOOL-TO-WORK SYSTEMS.
Indicator 8.1.1 of 1: Student Participation in School-to-Work Systems: By fall 2000, increasing numbers of youth will be participating in School-to-Work systems. Participation is defined as receiving an integrated academic and occupational curriculum and completing a related work-based learning experience.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Number of students that participated in School-to-Work systems
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Number of students
Number of students
1996
280,000
 
1997
471,000
 
1998
515,617
 
1999
751,438
750,000
2000
1,160,366
1,000,000
Status: Target exceeded. Performance targets were set only through the year 2000. This is due to the scheduled sunset of the School-to-Work legislation in 2001, with final data collection at that time reflecting previous year's performance.

Explanation: Performance targets were exceeded due to a significant investment by the National School-to-Work Office in providing technical assistance to help states develop workplace learning experiences that connect to student's academic and technical coursework in school.   		Additional Source Information: Progress Measures Survey.

Frequency: Annually.
Collection Period: 2002.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: No Formal Verification.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance data were developed. However, data from other sources, including the national School-to-Work evaluation, corroborate the findings.

Limitations: This survey is voluntary and collects data from substate-funded, local partnerships. By 2000, only 78 percent of local partnerships in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia had submitted data.

 

Objective 2 of 3: ALL YOUTH EARN A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA OR EQUIVALENCY, MEET CHALLENGING ACADEMIC STANDARDS, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A SKILL CERTIFICATE, AND ARE PREPARED FOR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREERS.
Indicator 8.2.1 of 3: Academic achievement: By fall 2000, an increasing percentage of high school graduates (including vocational concentrators) in School-to-Work systems will complete at least 3 years each of math and science.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percent of students who took at least 3 years each of mathematics and science.
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Math Science Both
Math Science Both
1996
83 73 69
     
1998
85 78 74
     
2000
     
80 80 80
Status: No current data but progress toward target is likely. No 2000 data, but progress towards target is likely.

Explanation: Data is not available to measure progress due to an unanticipated delay in the coding of transcripts. Performance targets are likely to be met given the growing number of states requiring that all students--including those participating in School-to-Work activities--take more rigorous academic courses to meet graduation requirements.   		Additional Source Information: National School-to-Work Evaluation, Student Transcripts of High School Seniors in Eight States.

Frequency: Biennially.
Collection Period: 2002 - 2003.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program data were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This study examines outcomes for students in eight early implementing School-to-Work states. Therefore, data do not represent the achievement of all students in School-to-Work systems nationally.

 
Indicator 8.2.2 of 3: Transition from high school: By fall 2000, an increasing percentage of high school graduates in School-to-Work systems will successfully transition into either further education, employment, or the military.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percent of high school graduates in School-to-Work systems that successfully transitioned into either college, employment, or the military or other postsecondary training program eighteen months following graduation
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
College Employment Military Total
College Employment Military Total
1996
61 21 7 89
       
1998
61 22 6 90
90 90 90 90
2000
       
92 92 92 92
Status: No current data but progress toward target is likely. No 2000 data, but progress toward target is likely.

Explanation: Data is not available to measure progress due to an unanticipated delay in the coding of transcripts. Performance targets for 2000 are likely to be met given the steady increase in number of students taking more rigorous courses (see Indicator 2.1) in preparation for college and careers.   		Source: Other
Other: National Evaluation.

Additional Source Information: National School-to-Work Evaluation, follow-up Survey of High School Seniors in Eight States.

Frequency: Biennially.
Collection Period: 2001.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This study examines outcomes for students in eight early implementing School-to-Work states. Therefore, data do not represent the transition experiences of all students in School-to-Work systems nationally.

 
Indicator 8.2.3 of 3: Skill Certificates: By fall 2000, an increasing percentage of students in School-to-Work systems will earn skill certificates.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percent of seniors who received skill certificates
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
percent of seniors
percent of seniors
1996
2.40
 
1997
3.60
 
1998
4.20
 
1999
2.30
7
2000
 
10
Status: Negative trend away from target.

Explanation: Due to the impending sunset of the School-to-Work legislation and the lack of staff available in many states to report data, this survey was not administered in 2000.   		Additional Source Information: National School-to-Work Evaluation, Local Partnership Survey.

Frequency: Annually.
Collection Period: 2002.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This survey is voluntary and collects data from substate-funded, local partnerships. By 1999, only 82 percent of local partnerships in 49 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia had submitted data.

 

Objective 3 of 3: BUILD COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL-TO-WORK SYSTEMS IN EVERY STATE.
Indicator 8.3.1 of 3: High Schools: By fall 2000, an increasing percentage of high schools in School-to-Work systems will have implemented key School-to-Work components. Implementation of key School-to-Work components are defined as offering career major programs that require an extended workplace activity.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percent of high schools that implemented key School-to-Work components
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
1996
25
 
1998
25
 
1999
27
35
2000
 
40
Status: No current data but progress toward target is likely.

Explanation: Due to the impending sunset of the School-to-Work legislation and the lack of staff available in many states to report data, this survey was not administered in 2000.   		Additional Source Information: National School-to-Work Evaluation; Local Partnership Survey; Progress Measures Survey.

Frequency: Annually.
Collection Period: 2002.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This survey is voluntary and collects data from substate-funded, local partnerships. By 1999, only 78 percent of local partnerships in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia had submitted data.

 
Indicator 8.3.2 of 3: Community and Technical Colleges: By Fall 2000, an increasing percentage of community and technical colleges in School-to-Work systems will have articulation agreements with high schools to grant academic credit for work-based learning.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percent of colleges developing articulation agreements with high schools
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
1996
21
 
1997
18
 
1998
20
 
1999
19
33
2000
 
40
Status: Negative trend away from target.  

Explanation: Due to the impending sunset of the School-to-Work legislation and the lack of staff available in many states to report data, this survey was not administered in 2000.   		Additional Source Information: National School-to-Work Evaluation, Local Partnership Survey.

Frequency: Annually.
Collection Period: 2002.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This survey is voluntary and collects data from substate-funded, local partnerships. By 1999, only 82 percent of local partnerships in 49 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia had submitted data.

 
Indicator 8.3.3 of 3: Employers providing work-based learning opportunities: By fall 2000, an increasing number of employers in School-to-Work systems will be providing work-based learning experiences for students.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Number of employers providing students with work-based learning experiences
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Number of employers
Number of employers
1996
59,000
 
1997
136,000
 
1998
109,251
 
1999
154,543
270,000
2000
212,501
350,000
Status: Target not met.

Explanation: Performance targets for 2000 were not met and further data to assess progress will not be gathered. It is likely that progress toward performance targets may have been hindered by downward economic trends and reduced labor demand, thus reducing the need for employers to use School-to-Work to expand their future workforce.   		Additional Source Information: Progress Measures Survey

Frequency: Annually.
Collection Period: 2002.
Data Available: Unknown 2002.
Validated By: On-Site Monitoring By ED.
Data were collected before ED standards for evaluating the quality of program performance were developed. However, other sources of data corroborate these findings.

Limitations: This survey is voluntary and collects data from substate-funded, local partnerships. By 1999, only 78 percent of local partnerships in 40 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia had submitted data.

 

Return to table of contents