Causes Influencing Declining Occupational Education Enrollments.

Overview & Synopsis

Four surveys of attitudes toward vocational education were conducted in three school districts in Nevada in 1988 to derive information for use in strengthening vocational education programs. The surveys were completed by 331 parents, 1,454 students, 154 vocational teachers, and 29 administrators. More than 85 percent of students and a smaller majority of parents (73 percent) perceived vocational education to have three purposes: to explore occupational areas, to develop general skills for later use at home or on the job, and to prepare for employment in specific occupations. The education level of the parents appeared to influence their perceived choice of purpose for vocational education; parents with less college education indicated more often that one of the purposes of vocational education was to prepare students for technical school. Approximately three-fourths of the students and four-fifths of the parents surveyed recommended that students take a vocational course, especially for the purpose of career exploration. Parents and students who did not recommend taking at least one vocational course cited choice of subject or that it was not necessary for college. Three-fourths of the parents had favorable opinions about vocational education. Nonvocational students did not enroll because of lack of interest and lack of time. The study recommended more teacher recruitment; more accessibility to the vocational education curriculum; more public relations activities to educate parents, students, and the community about the benefits of vocational education; additional vocational guidance; and other actions to increase enrollment in vocational education. (KC)