Career academies are schools within schools that link students with peers, teachers, and community partners in a disciplined environment, thereby fostering academic success and mental and emotional health. The career academy concept includes the following three key elements: (1) small learning communities; (2) a college preparatory curriculum with…

After more than three decades of development and two decades of evaluation, career academies have been found to be effective in improving the performance of students in high school, particularly for students at greatest risk. Career academies have become the most durable and best-tested component of a high school reform strategy that includes…

Facts on career academies are provided for local school board members, superintendents, other district administrators, and building administrators. The facts are divided into three categories. The category title or the fact is followed by the numbers of the references on which that category or fact is based. The section called Components of Career…

This document, which is designed for practitioners involved in the vocational education/rehabilitation of incarcerated adults, contains materials to facilitate replication of the Rock County Education and Criminal Additions Program (RECAP), a comprehensive, integrated training/rehabilitation program that was developed and implemented through the…

A study identified strategies for increasing the retention of disadvantaged students in nontraditional programs in Florida. The first phase of the study consisted of a review of literature concerning working women, the earnings gap between men and women, barriers to enrollment in nontraditional programs, and recruitment and retention strategies.…

TAFE (Technical and Further Education) is a multifaceted educational organization in Australia and few people in it, and even fewer outside, know about all its aspects outside their own areas of interest and expertise. This book provides information about some current aspects of TAFE, intended to give a broad perspective on 12 different issues.…

The "Dropouts in Massachusetts Public Schools" report is an annual report created by the Massachusetts Department of Education (MADOE) to provide districts and the public general information on dropouts in Massachusetts. The intention of this report was not to draw conclusions or make recommendations on the current state of dropouts in…

This guide is designed to share the experiences of 25 British further education colleges and adult education services that have developed demonstrably successful strategies to improve student retention. An introduction discusses the report's background, content, and format. The format mixes thematic presentation with mini-case studies and…

Strategies to improve disadvantaged young people's access to and progression within initial vocational training (VT) were identified through a study of relevant experiences within the European Union's member states. The study, which was based on national reports from each country, focused on the following topics: identifying the challenges and…

This document contains vocational education program course standards (curriculum frameworks and student performance standards) for exploratory courses, practical arts courses, and job preparatory programs offered at the secondary and postsecondary level as part of Florida's diversified education program, which consists of courses, programs, and…

The Experience Based Career Education (EBCE) program of career and vocational development is designed to help high school-age migrant students stay in school, plan appropriate classes, and make realistic educational and employment choices. Developed by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, EBCE is a highly individualized, fully…

A project was conducted at Gateway Vocational Technical School in Arkansas to reduce effectively the high percentage of students who discontinue vocational training before completing the course. This would be accomplished by assisting potential students with realistic career training decisions. The project involved the following four steps: (1)…

This text summarizes knowledge from research that focused on reforming secondary special education and high schools and makes recommendations for improving high schools' effectiveness. Chapters are as follows: "Characteristics of Youth and Young Adults" (Stephen Lichtenstein); "Emerging Transition Best Practices" (Frank R. Rusch, Dorothy M.…

The experiences of young women in Victoria, Australia, who left school before completing their secondary education were examined to identify the issues facing female early school leavers and the policy implications of those issues. The study was based primarily on data from the Youth Research Centre's Disaffiliated Early School Leavers study, a…

This report marks the completion of 10 years' development work in the European Community, in close cooperation with member states, to test new approaches to the provision of education and training to help young people become better prepared for their entry into work and adult life. The report contains an overview of the Second European Community…