This article describes two decades of workplace basic skills efforts in the United States (mid 1980s to early 2000s). Private- and public-sector groups defined the problem of inadequate basic skills in the incumbent workforce. They raised awareness of this problem as it affected various segments of the workforce and diverse industries. They…

The Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) continues to build and expand opportunities for adult education students to transition into college and the workforce. Through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), the ICCB will better align services with the core partners to assist students in accessing career pathway instructional and…

The federal government and private foundations for education have established postsecondary credential completion as a national imperative. Washington State's Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) model was developed to increase the rate at which basic skills students advance to and succeed in college-level occupational programs,…

A study was conducted in Minnesota to identify generic knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) that are germane to all of the fields of vocational education--that all students will need for future roles in the family and work force. The research consisted of a review of the literature pertaining to generic skills needed for work and a validation…

The State of New Jersey has proposed moving its competency test of basic skills from the 9th to the 11th grade, in order to allow for more content learning, more maturity, and more test-taking skills on the part of students. Since vocational students are more likely than other students to score low on the basic skills competency test, having the…

After 2 years of a 5-year pilot project to develop approaches to strengthen basic competencies of students enrolled in vocational programs in Oklahoma, two of the projects were reviewed. The study sought to: (1) document the incidence and level of basic skills instruction, along with the teaching methods and materials used, in the vocational and…

The nature of the listening and speaking instruments used for the Massachusetts assessment of those skills is discussed in this paper. Information concerning the design and administration of the assessment and data analysis is included. Copies of the instruments are appended. (FL)

Site visits to 17 workplace education projects funded in the second year of the Massachusetts Workplace Education Initiative are reported for year 1 and year 2 projects. The year one projects are as follows: EASCO Handtool Company (Springfield), T.J. Maxx Distribution Center (Worcester), laundry workers (Boston/Lynn), AT&T (Lawrence), and…

A survey was conducted of Colorado secondary career and technical programs in 1995 to gauge how the state has responded to mandates of the Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990. Results were reported for the first three of nine standards developed by a statewide committee in 1992. The three standards require secondary programs…

An evaluation was conducted to describe Tech Prep prototypes as they have been implemented in five sites in Indiana and to determine the effectiveness of the programs. Tech Prep is a curriculum initiative that: is performance based, provides students with skills necessary to gain employment or to pursue further education upon high school…

First-year evaluation results of Iowa's Basic Skills Certification pilot program were reported for the four community colleges participating: Northeast Iowa, Des Moines Area, Western Iowa Tech, and Iowa Western. The pilot sites represented a variety of adult basic education instructional environments that included a workforce development center,…

A survey was conducted of Colorado postsecondary career and technical programs in 1995 to gauge how the state has responded to mandates of the Carl Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990. Results were reported for the first three of nine standards developed by a statewide committee in 1992. The three standards require postsecondary…

Seven workplace education projects funded in the first year of the Massachusetts Workplace Education Initiative are reported. This report includes both general observations and specific information in case studies of the projects. Overall information is provided on students served, the importance of partnerships, the emphasis on…

This publication describes many of the basic skills improvement programs and activities ongoing in the state of Wisconsin. The efforts included were identified through a statewide survey in which administrators and staff members of the programs provided the information included in this volume. Programs described are grouped in the following…

Twenty-three Texas school districts conducted state-funded pilot projects in 1982 and 1983 to determine whether summer school programs could successfully remediate the needs of students who were retained in grade or had failed a required course, who were functioning greatly below their peers in skill attainment, or who were identified as having…