This report by a governor-appointed commission contains recommendations for designing a work-oriented education system intended to provide the skills Vermont citizens will need for the workplace by the year 2000. An executive summary describes the rationale for a work-oriented educational system; states the commission's mission; lists recommendations for kindergarten through 12th-grade education, vocational and technical education, and educational support services; and explains the philosophy reflected in the system's design. A graphic illustration of the recommended system is included. Among the recommendations for the K-12 component are elimination of the general track curriculum; assessment of mastery of essential skills; restructuring of schools to fit students' developmental stages; career exploration programs; and more involvement, incentives, and accountability for education professionals. Recommendations for vocational/technical education include flexible career plans; integration of basic skills and job-oriented training; responsiveness to private sector needs and economic development policies; open entry/exit; and testing, counseling, and planning. Recommended support services are for health, nutrition, substance abuse, family counseling, and an automated information and referral service. The document concludes with an appendix that describes how the commission accomplished its work, a bibliogrpahy containing 34 references, and an illustration of the entry points to the system. (CML)