This paper examines the study plan for the National Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE) and outlines some of the preliminary results that have been determined to date. According to the paper, the NAVE has identified five broad areas in which to conduct research: (1) implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act; (2) vocational education for special populations; (3) conditions of secondary vocational education; (4) conditions of postsecondary vocational education; and (5) the changing economy and its skill requirements. A section of the paper describes the studies being conducted to evaluate these five areas. The paper also points out some of the constraints of the NAVE, such as the following: (1) it is being conducted internally by the U.S. Department of Education rather than through a third-party contract; (2) postsecondary and secondary vocational training are pitted against each other; (3) the study plan does not seem to address the primary responsibilities historically assigned to vocational education; and (4) certain statements in the study plan seem to question the need for vocational education. A short section sketching some preliminary results shows that nearly all students take some type of vocational education, accounting for 20 percent of the courses that are taken by the average student who graduates from high school. The study data also indicate that vocational students take vocational education by adding credits, whereas college-bound students cut into their academic core subjects to take vocational education. Finally, the data suggest that vocational enrollments are declining and that more work is needed in giving disadvantaged students access to vocational education. (KC)