AS PART OF A 3-YEAR STUDY OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN MICHIGAN, 10 PROBLEMS WERE ARRANGED IN RANK ORDER OF IMPORTANCE BY AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. ONE PROBLEM WAS "TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR AND FEASIBILITY OF AREA VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN." THIS REPORT REPRESENTS A REVIEW OF LITERATURE RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. INCLUDED ARE A DEFINITION OF TERMS, THE HISTORY OF AREA VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE U.S. OFFICE OF EDUCATION, EXAMPLES OF AREA VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN MICHIGAN, AND A DISCUSSION OF AREA VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN RELATION TO THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT MOST HIGH SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN ARE TOO SMALL TO PROVIDE A DIVERSIFIED PROGRAM OF SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH. ASSUMING THAT A HIGH SCHOOL WOULD NEED AT LEAST 1,000 STUDENTS TO PROVIDE A VARIETY OF OFFERINGS TO MEET THE SPECIALIZED NEEDS OF EMPLOYMENT-BOUND YOUTH, FEWER THAN 20 PERCENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS IN MICHIGAN COULD QUALIFY. IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT FURTHER STUDY BE GIVEN TO THE AREA CONCEPT OF VOCATIONAL EDUCATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL YOUTH AND ADULTS. (PS)