Secondary Vocational Education: Availability, Coursetaking, and Outcomes.

Overview & Synopsis

This volume presents information on secondary vocational education compiled by the recently completed National Assessment of Vocational Education. Chapter 1 provides information about regional, district, and school-level availability of vocational education and the institutions that provide it. It reports the following: availability differs by region, size, and urbanicity of district and among different types of institutions; instructional options are most available in larger districts and in districts located in suburban areas; and students with access to area schools probably have a greater opportunity to enroll in occupationally specific courses. Chapter 2 is an extended exploration of coursetaking patterns in academic and vocational education from the high school classes of 1969-1987. The following trends are noted: a gradual and then steep increase in total credits throughout the period, a decline in academic and an increase in vocational coursetaking in the 1970s, and a resurgence of academic coursetaking in the 1980s accompanied by a slight decline in vocational coursetaking. Chapter 3 examines two sets of outcomes of vocational education--mathematics achievement and early labor market experience. Findings show the following: mathematics enrollments increased dramatically, mathematics skills can be learned outside of traditional mathematics courses, and about 38 percent of all occupationally specific vocational courses were used in skilled jobs 1 month after graduation. Contains 71 tables and 13 references. (YLB)