Recommendations for improving general and vocational education in the high schools are as follows: (1) providing clearly stated state and local school board policies establishing the purpose of vocational education; (2) upgrading the content of vocational courses; (3) providing students with access to higher level academic content taught through an applied approach; (4) requiring students to complete a coherent multiyear program of vocational and academic studies that prepares them for either an employment or educational setting; (5) providing underachieving students with access to vocational programs and academic courses and the continued extra assistance they need to succeed; (6) developing the linkage between secondary and postsecondary education and training so that academic and vocational courses enable students to pursue further education successfully; (7) providing students with assistance in course selection and planning; (8) providing staff development programs to promote the academic competencies of vocational teachers and the applied teaching skills of academic teachers; (9) revising the preparation and certification requirements for new vocational teachers; (10) expanding efforts to place graduates in related employment or in postsecondary educational opportunities; and (11) establishing performance indicators to track and report the annual progress of each school district. (An appendix provides recommended high school curricula for automotive, health and related fields, secretarial and administrative support, and manufacturing production trades.) (CML)