The evolution of tech prep during the late 1990s was examined in a 4-year longitudinal study of 8 selected tech prep consortia since reauthorization of federal tech prep legislation in 1998. Cross-consortium results pertaining to curriculum reform, articulation, academic standards, and other essential elements of tech prep were examined along with factors contributing to changes in those elements over time. Data were collected through field visits in 2000-2001 and personal interviews with a wide range of stakeholders. The following were among the study's nine recommendations for future policy and practice: (1) encourage development of local and state policies promoting articulation agreements supporting transition from high school to college for more students; (2) increase funding for tech prep at the secondary and postsecondary levels and use the additional funds to explore innovative curricular and instructional options serving an increasingly diverse student population; (3) continue to affiliate tech prep with raised academic standards and enhanced career opportunities; (4) involve four-year colleges and universities in tech prep curriculum reform from the beginning; and (5) continue to utilize concepts associated with tech prep to enhance career and technical education (CTE) but do not confuse tech prep with conceptualizations of CTE that encourage immediate employment after high school. (Contains 41 references, 6 tables, and 1 figure.) (MN)