Fourth Biennial Evaluation (Program Years 1991 and 1992) of the Vocational Education System and the Coordination between JTPA and Vocational Education.

Overview & Synopsis

A biennial evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of New Jersey's vocational education delivery systems in meeting Perkins Act purposes and their coordination with the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) resulted in 19 recommendations. Respondents to a survey of country vocational districts, JTPA service delivery areas, and community colleges identified three barriers to educational coordination: access to training via public transportation, performance-based contracts, and class scheduling. Opinions of practitioners and consumers of vocational services regarding the delivery system that were presented at public meetings were incorporated into the evaluation. The State Council on Vocational Education made recommendations to restructure and revitalize occupational education. A task force also offered recommendations for preparing at-risk youth. Recommendations from this evaluation included the following: definition of occupational education, comprehensive career education, WorkLink, articulation, market-based outcome-oriented accountability system, integrated vocational and general education, Youth Apprenticeship option, linkage between secondary education and apprenticeship, new construct for cooperative education, competency-based education, vocational education certification, restructured career counseling, integrated career guidance, "best practices" identification, and linkages to business and labor. (YLB)