ERIC Number: ED277852
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-Dec
Pages: 41
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Assessing the Effect of Increased High School Graduation Requirements and the Development of Models to Minimize the Impact on Enrollments in Vocational Courses. Research Report. Executive Summary.
Anderson, B. Harold; And Others
A research project was undertaken to analyze the effect of increased science and math high school graduation requirements and to develop models to minimize the impact of these increases on vocational course enrollments. Data from survey instruments sent to Colorado's 174 school districts, state directors of vocational education, and state curriculum directors indicated that, like the rest of the nation, Colorado does appear to be increasing its high school graduation requirements. Although no definite decrease in enrollments was evident in the data collected for the year studied, there did appear to be a decrease in vocational enrollments and the number of vocational courses offered in the larger districts. Despite the limited objective data, there did appear to be a correlation between the increase in academic units required for graduation and the dropout rate in vocational programs. Schools were developing alternative methods to enable students to meet the academic requirements for high school graduation without reducing their time in vocational courses. The alternatives emerging from the study included granting direct credit for vocational courses, awarding shared credit (half academic and half vocational), using competency testing in lieu of credits required, and requesting district-level policy changes to reduce established credit requirements based on such criteria as coded skills and demonstrated occupational needs. (Appendixes include a list of advisory committee members, the three project survey instruments, 15 tables summarizing the study findings, and suggested alternative models for setting science and math requirements.) (MN)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Colorado State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, Denver.
Authoring Institution: Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins.
Identifiers - Location: Colorado
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A