A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

       ATTENTION:  EDUCATION EDITOR                       April 12, 1994                A review of current programs and projects at the            U.S. Department of Education.  Use upon receipt.        CONTACT:  David W. Thomas  (202) 401-1579 

"We don't do a very good job in this country of giving students both the knowledge and skills they will need to compete in a global economy," said Augusta Kappner, assistant secretary for vocational and adult education. "Our School-to-Work initiative, nearing approval in Congress, is based on the recognition that students shouldn't have to choose between academic studies and preparation for work. The projects will help us explore ways to combine these tracks more effectively."

For example, the California School Boards Foundation will provide training for superintendents and school board members in ways they can contribute to developing a new, more integrated approach to academic learning and job preparation. In Cambridge, Mass., educators are working in an urban high school to remove barriers between vocational and academic instruction and combine the best aspects of both.

Under the competition for Demonstration Projects for the Integration of Vocational and Academic Learning, the department awarded 11 competitive grants to colleges, universities, and education groups in eight states to support projects at both the secondary and postsecondary levels.

The awards are authorized under section 420 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act (P.L. 101-392).