An ethnographic, case-study complement to a statewide survey in New York State attempted to shed light on the interwoven personal, social, economic, and program factors underlying secondary vocational education students' reports of improved attitudes. The survey assessed whether the state's two-year, half-day, separate-facility vocational programs were achieving a positive effect upon the social or nontechnical development of their students. Building on the findings of the statewide questionnaire and its companion interviews, the ethnographic study employed classroom observation, indepth interviewing, relevant documents, and inductive analysis to identify those characteristics of a vocational program and its students that, in their interaction, constitute attitude-influencing events. A vocational course (Food Preparation I and II) was studied. Findings suggested that even though most vocational students find their programs enjoyable and rewarding, many of the developmental effects of these programs are actually the product of an interwoven assemblage of personal, economic, sociocultural, and program factors and work against the goal of increasing participants' opportunities. (YLB)