State activities to collect information on program outcomes for students enrolled in postsecondary vocational education were examined in spring 1990. A multistage process, beginning with a review of state reports and legislation, was followed by telephone interviews with state officials. The average number of respondents per state was five. Governance of secondary and postsecondary vocational education was commonly divided among a variety of state agencies. This division severely limited states' ability to develop comprehensive policies. No state measured program outcomes in the same way for students in public postsecondary programs and in proprietary school programs. States collected information about the number of program completers, job placement of program completers, and job placement related to training. The most frequently used sources of information were surveys of former students and surveys of employers. An increasing interest in third-party data was noted. Few states attempted to verify the validity of data reported by schools. Most states that required schools to report data did not analyze it. States used collected student outcome data to conduct individual program reviews, respond to ad hoc requests from the government, and compile profiles available to public and proprietary institutions. State policies on outcome measurement were changing rapidly, as evidenced by new legislation and descriptions of new procedures. (YLB)