Studies have confirmed that middle school students must learn to do the following: think about the future; recognize their responsibility for educational planning; broaden their aspirations beyond the stereotypes of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic level; develop and maintain self-esteem; develop complexity; understand how school relates to future life roles; and recognize the broad scope of work in the 21st century. Vocational education (VE) can help middle school students learn to do all these things; however, the high school model of VE cannot be imposed directly on middle schools. Instead, VE programs for middle schools must incorporate middle school concepts in the following ways: make exploration of life's work an integral part of the middle school core for learning to live and work in a culturally diverse world; reflect developmental needs by helping students recognize their interests, aptitudes, and abilities in age- and stage-appropriate ways; integrate vocational and academic education to promote intellectual development; and assist with development of social skills, personal values, and self-esteem through home economics/family life courses and the activities of vocational student organizations. Programs illustrating the application of these ideas are being implemented in New York, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Illinois. (Contains 11 references.) (MN)