Vocational and Liberal Education Historical Perspective Division Goals Results Perkins Act Amendment

Historical Perspective 1917-the beginning of the federal government’s involvement in funding 1917-$7 million per year 1946-$36 million per year 1960’s revival of vocational education 1970’s-research suggested that vocational education programs were not meeting their primary objectives: A. Keeping students in school B. Making students more employable in the workforce C. Providing higher wage opportunities for non college bound students 1980’s—Allen Weisberg review indicated that approximately 17 million were involved in vocational education, 7.3 of them in programs that prepare students for specific occupations

mid 80’s almost 9 billion per year was spent on vocational education -50% female -23% minority -12% low income groups (“disadvantaged” students”

General Division of Vocational Programs 50% are enrolled in only two categories 1. Business and office education (majority female) 2. Technical trades and industrial education (majority male) AgricultureDistributiveHealth Occupational Home Economics Business and office education Technical trades and Industrial ed. Vocational consumer education Homemaking education Marketing

Vocational Education Results Some help keep students in school longer Reduced likelihood of post secondary training Not well matched to the needs of the labor market –Labor markets require strong general education skills or job specific post secondary training Among males, vocational education graduates are twice as liely as non-vocational graduates to be working in craft occupations which require no specific skills and training Females seem to do better in the labor market as a result of their vocational education Graduates do not have the verbal and intellectual tools to do productive work

Perkins Act Amendment of 1990 By law, funding is required to be concentrated in low-income school districts Requires that vocational education initiatives must come from local school districts instead of state governments Rejects high school training for specific job skills in favor of “tech-pep” approach that provides academic skills to prepare high school students for postsecondary technical education Emphasis on integrating academic and vocational studies. Vocational activities are to provide a strong academic education for all students who choose that approach Vocational Education as a Teaching Method –See list beginning on p. 345 –Excellent example of integration of vocational and academics on p. 346 (bottom)