This paper analyzes teacher responses to a distinctive reform that sought to ­implement alignment between high schools and colleges. A survey of 225 teachers is used to examine teachers' perceptions of the reform's effectiveness, further resources needed, and how perceptions changed over time. The reform was perceived as effective for…

High schools have responded to the poor labor market primarily by encouraging college-for-all policies, leading the majority of seniors to plan to get college degrees, even those who perform poorly. School policies focus too narrowly on academic achievement, overlooking soft skills like motivation, dependability, attention to quality, and social…

This book discusses problems facing U.S. high school graduates who do not continue their education, noting that many cannot find jobs, and those who do are often stuck in low-wage, dead-end positions. At the same time, employers complain that high school graduates lack the necessary skills for today's workplace. The book looks at new studies of…

This study examined the career and college advice that high school counselors and vocational teachers gave to students who were unlikely to seek a 4-year college degree. Transcripts of interviews conducted with 35 guidance counselors and 80 vocational teachers from 12 Chicago metropolitan high schools between 1992 and 1995 were examined in regard…

Investigated the career and college advice given to students unlikely to seek four-year college degrees by high school counselors and vocational teachers. Interview data indicated that most counselors encouraged all students to attend college, while vocational teachers fit into four broad categories in terms of advice and opinions about college…