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

Office of Vocational and Adult Education

OVAE Web Page

The Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) supports a wide range of programs and activities that help young people and adults obtain the knowledge and skills they need for successful careers and productive lives.

School-to-Work Opportunities Act

In 1994, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STW) was signed into law. The act, administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor, provides funds to states and local communities to develop STW systems. STW is an approach to education that emphasizes high academic standards and hands-on learning to impart skills. A significant part of STW is exposing participants to a broad variety of career-related events-starting with speakers and field trips in elementary school and progressing to quality worksite placements in a high school student's field of interest. The underlying goal of STW is to provide students with knowledge and skills that will encourage them to opt for college, additional technical training or a well-paying job directly out of high school.

To receive additional information, contact the STW Learning Center at 800-251-7236. You can also visit the STW Web site at http://www.stw.ed.gov or send an e-mail to >stw-lc@ed.gov.

Division of Adult Education and Literacy

The division administers several programs that offer educational opportunities for certain adults. To participate, the adult must be age 16 or older and not currently enrolled in school. He or she must also not have graduated from high school and not know the skills needed to function effectively in the workplace. The Adult Education Act authorizes the following two formula grant programs: (1) the State-Administered Basic Grants Program and (2) the State Literacy Resource Centers Program. State-Administered Basic Grants are provided to state education agencies, which in turn distribute funds to local providers through a competitive process based upon state-established funding criteria. The State Literacy Resource Centers Program stimulates the coordination of literacy services and creates a network of state or regional resource centers. The division also maintains a Clearinghouse on Adult Education and Literacy. State contacts for the State-Administered Basic Grants Program and for the State Literacy Resource Centers Program are listed in the "Services and Resources" section of this book.

The Division of Vocational-Technical Education administers the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act, which provides formula grants to state education agencies to help provide vocational-technical education programs and services to youth and adults. Among the programs supported by the division is Tech-Prep education. Each state has a Tech-Prep coordinator. State Tech-Prep contacts are listed in the "Services and Resources" section of this book.

Tech-Prep

This program assists states in awarding planning and demonstration grants to consortia of local education agencies and postsecondary education institutions. The awards are for the development and operation of programs consisting of the last two or four years of secondary education and two years of postsecondary education, designed to provide Tech- Prep education leading to an associate degree or a two-year certificate and to provide strong links between secondary and postsecondary schools.

Gisela Harkin, 202-205-9444
E-mail: gisela.harkin@ed.gov

Division of National Programs

This division administers OVAE's national discretionary research, development and demonstration programs in vocational-technical and adult education. Through grants, cooperative agreements and contracts, the division supports activities that promote program improvement, leadership, research, capacity-building and dissemination. The division also supports the National Center for Research in Vocational Education and the National Network for Curriculum Coordination in Vocational and Technical Education. Specific information on the range of divisional program activities may be found within the Resource Guide for Discretionary National Vocational-Technical and Adult and Literacy Education Programs. Contacts for the center and network are listed in the "Services and Resources" section of this book.

New American High Schools

The New American High Schools Initiative is focused on high schools that are committed to ensuring that all students meet challenging academic standards and are prepared for college and careers. These high schools are using new instructional techniques and technology, improving professional development, and using community service and work-based experiences to enhance classroom learning and develop partnerships with employers, postsecondary institutions, community leaders and parents to enhance reform efforts. The staff at these schools are also engaged in an ongoing, thoughtful dialogue with one another and with the broader community to determine how they can better prepare all students for college and careers.

Gail Schwartz, 202-260-7242
E-mail: gail.schwartz@ed.gov

Preparing Teachers to Use Contextual Teaching and Learning Strategies to Enhance Student Success in and Beyond School

Contextual teaching and learning strategies help students make the connection between knowledge and its applications to their lives as family members, citizens and workers. These strategies focus on students as active learners and provide a wide range of learning opportunities for them to use their academic skills to solve complex, real-world problems. Teaching and learning in context emphasizes higher-level thinking, knowledge transfer, collecting and analyzing data, functioning in teams and collaborative groups, and solving challenging problems. OVAE is funding a study of contextual teaching and learning strategies.

Gail Schwartz, 202-260-7242
E-mail: gail.schwartz@ed.gov

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[Office of Postsecondary Education]

[Office of Educational Research and Improvement]