A study was initiated in 1986 to collect systematic national data on the content and processes surrounding the delivery of vocational-technical education programs that could be used to help assess and describe the dynamics of high school vocational classrooms. The national database generated contained information from schools, classrooms, school personnel, and students in 120 high schools and 893 related classrooms. The schools offered two or more federally funded vocational classrooms. Data were secured through questionnaires, interviews, schools documents, and classroom observations. The topics addressed were shaped by 13 major policy issues: access and equity; adult training; articulation (secondary-postsecondary); at-risk students; basic skills; career guidance; currentness of vocational curricula, equipment, and materials; economic development; institutional characteristics; Job Training Partnership Act/community-based organization/vocational education linkages; private sector-vocational education linkages; teacher education; and transferable and higher-order skills. The research questions themselves focused on instruction in vocational classrooms, variations in vocational classrooms and in programs across different types of institutions, and addressing the needs of at-risk students in vocational classrooms/programs. Fifty-six references are listed. (YLB)