Roughly one in five American adults, or approximately 53 million people, live with some type of disability, and their unemployment and poverty rates are nearly double the rates of people without disabilities. Labor force participation for people with disabilities is just 20.2 percent--less than a third of the rate of participation among people…

Employers and labor organizations in the United States use apprenticeships to provide workers with technical education and paid on-the-job training leading to wage increases and higher-skilled jobs. When English learners participate in apprenticeships, employers benefit from an expanded pipeline of qualified employees and a more diverse workforce,…

This report summarizes the implementation and evaluation of the Accelerating Connections to Employment (ACE) program. The ACE program model is designed to improve employment and employment-related outcomes for low-skilled workers through formal partnerships between Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) and community colleges. Implemented at nine…

This report presents baseline and process study findings of an evaluation of the Urban Alliance high school internship program, which provides training, mentoring, and work experience to high school seniors from distressed communities in Washington, DC, Baltimore, Northern Virginia, and Chicago. The report, which focuses on the program's…

Domestic violence survivors encounter numerous barriers and few supports in pursuit of their vocational goals. There is a dearth of research, however, on the vocational supports and barriers salient for survivors. This study aims (a) to assess the psychometric properties of vocational supports and barriers measures with a racially and…

Purpose: The number of children requiring dysphagia management in the schools is increasing. This article reports survey findings relative to speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') training and self-rated confidence to treat children with swallowing and feeding disorders in the schools. Method: Surveys were completed by 222 SLPs representing…

Policymakers and education leaders in Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) states have been working since 2002 to meet all 12 "Challenge to Lead" Goals for Education. At the same time, SREB states have had to struggle with the toughest economic challenges in decades. Even so, SREB states have succeeded in achieving many of the goals…

A descriptive analysis was made of survey data collected on a sample of Work Incentive (WIN) Demonstration Program clients (i.e., mandatory welfare recipients who are required by law to register for employment and training as a condition of benefit receipt) participating in a special employment and training program called OPTIONS in Baltimore…

Study of one state's first-time welfare recipients found less evidence of welfare dependency than previously reported. Argues that client self-sufficiency hinges on an investment strategy in education, work preparedness, job training, and public-sector jobs, along with the provision of supportive services, such as child care. (RJM)

This document examines recent developments in strategic planning for employment, identifies key elements of strategic plans, examines issues to be addressed in implementing such plans, examines New Jersey's state plan in detail, and provides short sketches of the strategic plans for employment in six other states. Following an executive summary,…

Allegany Community College in Cumberland, Maryland, conducted an employer assessment survey of Somerset County businesses during the winter of 1995 in order to provide evaluation data for planning and curriculum development for the secondary and postsecondary educational institutions. The survey was mailed to 760 establishments, with a 29 percent…

A study examined six cases where job training and economic development had been successfully linked through an interorganizational arrangement. Cases were nominated by U.S. Employment and Training Administration officials, job training and economic development experts, and published reports. The six organizations of primary focus were Pima County…

A study examined the extent of cooperation and coordination between and among agencies and individuals responsible for job training, vocational-technical and occupational education programs, and supportive services in Maryland. Two methods of inquiry were used in the study. First, a questionnaire was mailed to the director or coordinator of…

A survey of the employers of the 1980 career graduates of Dundalk Community College (DCC) was conducted to evaluate the college's instructional programs and to assess the extent to which DCC assisted graduates in their preparation for career employment. Questionnaires were sent to 73 employers of career and non-career graduates in early 1981.…

A study was conducted to identify the role community colleges have played in developing Maryland's economic resources. The study sought to determine: (1) what types of programs and courses had the community colleges created to serve local economic development needs; (2) how many students were involved in programs and courses related to job…