The U.S. Department of Education (DE) has initiated several planning efforts and projects geared toward the attainment of excellence in trade and industrial education (T&I). One such effort involved the formation of a task force composed of educators from the various vocational curriculum areas who were brought together to focus on the impacts…

This document reports on findings of the studies on vocational education that the Education Amendments of 1976 directed the National Institute of Education to conduct. The introduction overviews these studies of vocational education programs conducted under the Vocational Education Act of 1963 (VEA) and other related programs conducted under the…

In a national study to help assure that programs meet the legislative mandate and are socially responsive to black students' needs, federal vocational education administrators surveyed black leaders. Respondants included 1,252 persons. The first of three major survey questions--"Is it desirable for black students to enter and complete…

Questions and issues about research on postsecondary education currently being considered at the National Institute of Education (NIE), NIE's major interests from previous years, and the evolving organization of NIE as it pertains to postsecondary research and development are examined. Over the six year period from funding year 1975 through…

The degree to which cooperative education is a viable educational and/or financial aid mechanism for institutions of higher education to adopt is examined in this research report. A postsecondary co-op program is defined as one in which the institution takes primary responsibility for providing the student with a series of experiences in which…

This paper discusses the role of public policy in the skills development system of the United States. It further examines the implications of that policy for the skill development and career progression of black workers. The paper describes the current "system" for skills development as a two-tiered system composed of (1) the "first…

The annual report of the U.S. Department of Education includes the Secretary of Education's report, and program-by-program analysis of the agency's principal operating components: the Office of the Secretary; the Office of the Under Secretary, including the Office of Management, the Office of Planning, Budget, and Evaluation, and the Office of…

This annual report of the U.S. Department of Education includes the Secretary of Education's report, and program-by-program analysis of the agency's principal operating components: the Office of the Secretary; the Office of the Under Secretary; the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; the Office of Bilingual Education and Minority…

There is a strong connection between the vitality of the nation's economy and the vitality of vocational education. The future of vocational education for the next 10 years lies in performing a key support role in economic development and in attacking national problems or preventing them from occurring. Reauthorization of the Vocational Education…

A study was undertaken for the Council on Postsecondary Accreditation to develop evaluative criteria and procedures for the accreditation of nontraditional education. The summary report presents the major activities and findings of the study. The Introduction gives its history and background and outlines its scope, including the goals,…

These four papers evolved from discussions at the National Conference on Marketing and Distributive Education in Vail, Colorado, May 19-22, 1980. Harland E. Samson's paper, Identity and Image: Strategies and Implementation, highlights the thinking and recommendations of the conference discussion groups on strategies and means of implementation…

The federal policy shift from skills training and toward work first strategies has come about, in part, from a misconception that "training does not work." A more comprehensive look at existing research reveals the documented effectiveness of skills training. A growing number of studies have shown skills training can increase earnings;…

A study identified United States Department of Labor efforts to expand apprenticeship to new occupations and explained impediments to establishing apprenticeship programs in fields not traditionally apprenticed (e.g., high technology and biotechnology). Labor had not systematically identified new occupations suitable for apprenticeship programs…

Key players in U.S. and Canadian vocational education and workforce training resemble each other. Motives from cultural values, ethics, or personal gain drive players' interaction. The U.S. government is increasing availability of grant funding but influencing policy by stipulating conditions on grant monies. In Canada, the federal government is…

This document presents nine papers from a symposium on challenges currently facing U.S. high schools and their role in preparing students for high achievement in postsecondary education. The following papers are included: "What Ails High Schools? How Should They Be Reformed? Is There a Federal Role?" (Chester E. Finn); "Achievement:…