Tech Prep. Trends and Issues Alerts.

Overview & Synopsis

Tech prep is an educational initiative that promotes increased cooperation between local educational agencies and postsecondary institutions. Its intent is to improve the quality of instruction and employment potential of students, particularly those enrolled in general or vocational education. Tech prep's strength lies in the partnership commitment it promotes between academic and technical educators, secondary and postsecondary education institutions, and education and the business community to provide a program competitive with a college prep program that responds more directly to industry's real skill needs. Tech prep is a shift away from a job-skills orientation; the integration of academic and vocational education is emphasized. Other goals of tech prep are ensuring continuity in education and streamlining the transfer process. With funds from the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act of 1990, state departments of education are implementing tech prep programs and researching issues that have implications for success of their efforts. (An annotated bibliography lists 17 print resources. Two resource organizations are cited.) (YLB)