Inability to relate classroom experiences to the real world in the community was greatly impeding the learning process for some students. Other students were eager to gain career experiences in the community, yet were unable to do so because of an inflexible school schedule. In an effort to offer these students more relevant learning experiences, an Experience-Based Career Education program was implemented, which gave eleventh- and twelfth-grade students an alternative to the regular program. The program interrelated learning activities in the school with real world career experiences in the community. Learning experiences were tailored to individual needs, abilities, and learning styles and focused on relationships with a variety of working adults in the community. After piloting the program for one semester, students had participated in a wealth of community career experiences, yet maintained their overall standing in basic skill areas compared to the national norming sample for the California Test of Basic Skills. Significantly, participating students expressed great satisfaction in program experiences. When asked to rate the value of overall program provisions, students responded with an average rating of 4.42 on a scale of 1 to 5, where 5 was the highest rating. (Author)