Recent studies showing the need for improvements in the educational system in the United States have resulted in strengthening of academic requirements, upgrading of standards for promotion, and increased course loads in high schools throughout the country. Pennsylvania is no exception to this trend; the passage of Chapter 5 legislation, which went into effect in 1985, upgrades graduation and promotion requirements for high schools. The effect of these new requirements on vocational education is questionable. For example, one program, the Philadelphia Business Academies (PBA), has an outstanding record of success in serving low-income, educationally disadvantaged students who are at high risk for dropping out. The five PBAs are mini-schools within traditional high schools and teach office occupations education. Since 1972, they have achieved results such as 90 percent average attendance rate (versus 70 percent in regular programs), almost zero dropout rate, and 85 percent job placement. The PBAs have had a reputation for being elite and offering a unique service to their students. As a result of Chapter 5, however, the students can no longer move as a group, they no longer take academic subjects from vocational teachers, and they have more academic requirements and less time for office skills courses and work experience placements. Also, teachers in the program seem disconcerted by the changes, especially because they no longer have common planning time to coordinate their efforts for students. Results are mixed, however, since at present the absenteeism, dropout, and job placement rates seem to be about the same as previously. It is feared, however, that as more students are affected by Chapter 5, the PBAs will serve fewer at-risk students, and help for these students will be diminished. The appendix offers a questionnaire exploring the effects of Chapter 5 on PBA teachers, students, program structure, and outcomes. (KC)