In response to the rising demand for market-responsive education reform across the U.S., since 1998 more than twenty states have created Individual Learning or Graduation Plan (ILP/IGP) state policies. Using extensive policy document analyses and stakeholder interview data from four early-adopting ILP/IGP states, the goal of this four-state case…

Post-recession Federal policy initiatives, such as secondary/postsecondary career pathways and gainful employment higher education accountability standards, prioritize the alignment of education practices with market-driven outcomes. Using longitudinal student record data merged from college and state K-12 data systems with the Unemployment…

Since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, the federal government has taken an aggressive role in ensuring that all individuals have equal access to public education programs. For the disadvantaged, handicapped, limited English proficient, and other individuals with special educational needs, vocational education has been an important federal…

This report presents baseline data that identifies and describes the policy-related problems confronting State Education Agency Personnel in delivering vocational education to handicapped learners. The first section sets forth these two major objectives of the nationwide study: (1) to develop a survey instrument and techniques for identifying the…

This policy analysis focuses on identifying optimal federal fiscal policies for achieving desired programmatic and student outcomes on behalf of special populations in vocational education (i.e., disadvantaged, limited-English-proficient, and handicapped persons, and students interested in nontraditional careers). The present status of unserved…

The author recalls how Federal legislation has stimulated vocational education enrollments by special needs individuals since the mid-1960s, how each successive law has broadened the definition of special needs populations, and how much progress has been made. He also looks at what needs to be done yet in this area. (CT)

Since 1978, several federal and state initiatives have been implemented to strengthen the development of state-level interagency collaboration among vocational education, special education, and vocational rehabilitation. A survey of state directors of vocational education, special education, and vocational rehabilitation was conducted to ascertain…

The authors consider the effects of federal legislation on the delivery of vocational services to handicapped learners. Significant pieces of legislation assuring appropriate educational programs for disabled students are reviewed, including P.L. 94-142 (the Education for All Handicapped Children Act). (SB)

The article (1) examines the inquiry process and discusses questions raised by the National Commission for Secondary Vocational Education; (2) identifies implications for policy research, educational research, and evaluation research; and (3) offers observations about research on vocational education in secondary schools. (Author/CH)

This report presents baseline data describing perceptions and training needs of eight groups of leadership personnel involved in vocational programming for the handicapped. An introduction sets forth the problem--obtaining comprehensive data to assist in planning and development of appropriate inservice technical assistance activities the…

A 6-month study was conducted of Illinois job training, rehabilitation, and vocational education programs serving handicapped persons by the Illinois Vocational Education Task Force. From a list sent to 225 vocational and special education directors, Comprehensive Employment and Training Act prime sponsors, and rehabilitation services officers,…

A study focused on the development and preliminary validation of a framework for effective vocational education programs serving students with special needs. An initial framework composed of 20 program components was posited from an analysis of recent, rigorous studies of vocational education programs serving disabled, disadvantaged, and limited…

Recommendations were made for improving articulation between and identifying ways to increase the effectiveness of Ohio's secondary and postsecondary vocational and technical education institutions. The study focused on four areas crucial in Ohio: program articulation between secondary and postsecondary institutions; collaboration with business…

As part of Project IMPACT's efforts to identify and develop procedures for complying with the impact requirements of Public Law 94-482, a case study was made of Illinois Career Education Projects at the awareness level. First, the Career Development for Children Project (CDCP), which produced career awareness curriculum materials for elementary…

A study examined the impact that the United Auto Workers' (UAW) Joint Funds programs, established in the early 1980s, have had upon the policies and practices of selected community colleges in the Midwest. Each of the three UAW Joint Funds programs (Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler) offers a wide array of special programs to active and inactive…