Alternative Design(s) for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's Delivery of a Comprehensive Articulated Program of Vocational Education. Final Report.

Overview & Synopsis

A study sought to analyze the capability of the system existing in Pennsylvania to deliver a comprehensive articulated vocational education program to all, identify problems, and make recommendations to improve the delivery system. Prior studies were reviewed, the current system was described, problems were identified, promising elements were identified, the Delphi technique was used to identify and prioritize alternative strategies, findings were analyzed, and recommendations were developed. The recommendations dealt with issues of governance, administration, leadership, research, planning, evaluation, professional development, program development, and curriculum. Among the recommendations were the following: (1) Pennsylvania's vocational education should have a regional governance, administrative, and taxing structure; (2) the State Department of Education should develop a statewide public information campaign to point out the relationship between effective vocational education and the state's economic development; (3) the State Department of Education should establish a research center on vocational education and employment and three new high technology centers; and (4) an interdisciplinary curriculum should be implemented that encourages the integration of academic and vocational education. (Includes 33 references. Appendices compare Pennsylvania's economic and demographic characteristics to five other states, present Delphi instruments and responses, and summarize telephone interviews.) (CML)