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

The Emergence of Tech-Prep at the State and Local Levels

VII. The School And Workplace Content Of Tech-Prep Programs

A combination of challenging occupational instruction and rigorous, relevant academic education is at the heart of the Tech-Prep reforms. Title IIIE of the Perkins legislation stipulates that Tech-Prep program curricula should give students technical preparation and "build student competence in mathematics, science, and communications (including through applied academics) through a sequential course of study" that has an occupational focus. The legislation also emphasizes articulation agreements, to promote collaboration between secondary and postsecondary institutions in curriculum development and to provide students with a "nonduplicative sequence of progressive achievement leading to competencies."

Interest in work-based learning as a component of Tech-Prep has developed more recently, as a result of expected federal support under the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. This legislation promotes development of systems of career-oriented, integrated school curricula linked to structured training and other activities at a worksite. Tech-Prep consortia may figure heavily among partnerships seeking grants under the new legislation, because many proponents believe that Tech-Prep is the natural model for the school-based component of school-to-work systems and consider workplace experiences a logical extension of Tech-Prep. Many state and local Tech-Prep coordinators feel that successful implementation of Tech-Prep gives consortia an advantage in developing school-to-work systems.

This chapter describes the school-based and work-based activities that are available to Tech-Prep students. We first describe the occupational emphasis of Tech-Prep programs, including the use and focus of career clusters to guide course taking. Second, we discuss the development and implementation of new academic and vocational curricula at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. Third, we examine the extent and types of articulation that exist among consortium members. Fourth, we discuss the career development and guidance efforts undertaken by consortium schools. Finally, in the fifth section, we describe the workplace experiences available to Tech-Prep students.
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[Reported Participation In Tech-Prep Programs] [Table of Contents] [The Occupational Emphasis of Tech-Prep Programs]