United States General Accounting Office

GAO Report to Congressional Committees

July 1995 VOCATIONAL

EDUCATION

2-Year Colleges

Improve Programs,

Maintain Access for

Special Populations

GAO/HEHS-95-163

GAO United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548

Health, Education, and

Human Services Division

B-255079 

July 26, 1995

The Honorable Nancy Landon Kassebaum

Chairman

The Honorable Edward M. Kennedy

Ranking Minority Member

Committee on Labor and Human Resources

United States Senate

The Honorable William F. Goodling

Chairman

The Honorable William L. Clay

Ranking Minority Member

Committee on Economic and

 Educational Opportunities

House of Representatives

Over the past two decades, economic changes, especially improvements in

technology, have created new opportunities for skilled workers. Many of

these emerging occupations do not require a 4-year college degree, but do

call for specialized high-tech skills. In this context, vocational education

becomes an especially important tool for ensuring that entry-level workers

are prepared for the labor market.

The Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act (P.L. 98-524) provides

federal support for vocational education at both the secondary (high

school) and postsecondary levels. Two-year colleges offer several

vocational education programs in fields as diverse as automotive

technology, nursing, culinary arts, computer-assisted drafting, and

electronics technology. Although Perkins funds (about $1.3 billion)

account for a relatively small proportion of total vocational education

spending, some experts in vocational education view the provisions of the

Perkins Act Amendments of 1990 (P.L. 101-392) as a driving force in

setting vocational education priorities for the nation. These amendments

encouraged several types of vocational education approaches that are

designed to provide students with a better understanding of how

schoolwork relates to the work place. The amendments also removed a

requirement that 57 percent of Perkins funds be set aside for students

from special populations, including economically disadvantaged students,

students with disabilities, and students with limited English proficiency.1

1

In place of the set-aside requirement, the amendments directed states to distribute Perkins funds so as

to give priority to schools or programs that serve higher concentrations of special population students.

Page 1 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

At the time of the amendments, some policymakers expressed concern

that removal of the set-aside requirement would reduce access to

vocational education for special population students.

In response to a mandate in the amendments to examine the changes in

vocational educational programs and the participation of special

population students, we carried out two studies—one of secondary

schools and one of 2-year colleges. An earlier report discussed changes in

vocational education at the high school level;2

 this report completes the

study of 2-year colleges.3

 We compared academic year 1990-91,4 before the

amendments were in effect, with 1993-94, after the amendments were in

effect. Specifically, we address the following questions:

• For vocational education programs, to what extent have colleges adopted

approaches to enhance quality—such as (1) use of quality indicators for

program assessment, (2) school-to-work transition activities, and

(3) integration of academic and vocational learning?

• For students in special population groups, what changes have taken place

in (1) their participation in vocational-technical education programs and

(2) the availability of support services?

We collected information for this study through two surveys. To obtain

information for 1990-91, and again for 1993-94, we mailed questionnaires

to a sample of 2-year public and private nonprofit colleges. For the

colleges that responded to both surveys,5

 we determined what changes

had taken place (1) in vocational-technical programs and (2) among

students from special populations. Although we did not verify the

self-reported data, to supplement our survey we visited four 2-year

colleges. We did our work between November 1993 and April 1995 in

accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. (For

further details on our scope and methodology, see app. I.)

2

See Vocational Education: Changes at High School Level After Amendments to Perkins Act

(GAO/HEHS-95-144, July 12, 1995).

3

We reported preliminary results of our studies in Vocational Education: Status in School Year 1990-91

and Early Signs of Change at Secondary Level (GAO/HRD-93-71, July 16, 1993) and Vocational

Education: Status in 2-Year Colleges in 1990-91 and Early Signs of Change (GAO/HRD-93-89, Aug. 16,

1993).

4

In this report, all hyphenated years are school years.

5

About three-quarters of the institutions we sent questionnaires to responded to both surveys. We were

unable to adjust sample weights for nonresponse. Consequently, our results may not be generalizable

to the universe of public and private nonprofit 2-year colleges and institutes.

Page 2 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

Results in Brief As 2-year colleges have enhanced their vocational-technical programs,

their efforts have reflected many of the priorities outlined in the Perkins

amendments. Colleges appear to have moved aggressively to increase their

use of performance measures—such as placement rates, program

completion rates, and results from state licensing exams—in program

assessments. In addition, 3 years after the passage of the Perkins

amendments, nearly all colleges in our sample indicated that they either

offer or are developing tech-prep programs. Other desired changes,

however, have been slower to develop. Colleges reported maintaining, but

not accelerating, their efforts to integrate academic and vocational

education, such as incorporating occupational concepts into academic

curricula. However, some often-recommended approaches (such as

academic and vocational faculty teaching together in teams), while gaining

acceptance, are still not a standard part of vocational education programs.

The removal of the set-aside requirement in the Perkins amendments has

not adversely affected enrollments of special population students. Special

population students enrolled in 2-year colleges to the same extent in fall

1990 and fall 1993, and participation by special population students in

vocational-technical programs remained virtually unchanged over this

period. Furthermore, colleges reported either increasing or maintaining

the availability of support services for special population students.

Background Vocational education prepares students for the labor market through an

organized sequence of courses that are directly related to employment in

jobs that do not require a bachelor’s degree. Because jobs at every level

require increased cognitive and technical skills, vocational education

programs face a continuing challenge to ensure that students are fully

prepared for an increasingly demanding labor market.

Vocational education programs are offered at both the high school and the

postsecondary school levels. In 1989-90, enrollments in public and private

nonprofit 2-year colleges accounted for almost 70 percent of all

postsecondary vocational education enrollments.6

 In fall 1990, over

5 million students were enrolled in almost 1,200 public and private

nonprofit 2-year colleges.

To strengthen vocational education programs, the Perkins amendments

encourage several approaches recommended by many education experts.

6

The other vocational education students are enrolled in proprietary schools or 4-year colleges. See

National Assessment of Vocational Education, Participation in and Quality of Vocational Education,

Final Report to Congress, Vol. II, U.S. Dept. of Education (July 1994), p. 41.

Page 3 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

For example, the amendments urge colleges to more closely integrate

academic and vocational instruction so that vocational education students

can develop a better appreciation of how academic learning is related to

job requirements. Greater integration can be accomplished in a number of

ways. For example, vocational education students may be required to take

academic courses as well as vocational education courses, or academic

and vocational faculty may teach in teams.

The amendments also encourage approaches designed to smooth the

transition from school to the work place. For example, Perkins funding in

1993-94 included $104 million for tech-prep programs, which link high

school vocational education programs to postsecondary institutions in a

coordinated program (2 years in high school and 2 years in college)

leading to an associate degree or certificate.

Efforts to Improve

Program Quality

Show Progress, but

Use of Some

Recommended

Approaches Is

Lagging

The Perkins amendments direct college recipients to enhance the quality

of vocational education by adopting certain approaches—such as

assessing program quality, developing tech-prep programs, and integrating

academic and vocational instruction. The amendments suggest that

strategies like tech-prep will smooth the transition from school to work for

many young adults who do not pursue a 4-year college degree. We found

most colleges were moving aggressively to adopt some of these

approaches to enhance program quality, especially the development of

tech-prep programs. However, colleges have been slower to implement

other changes; for example, efforts to promote integration of academic

and vocational learning have remained at their 1990-91 level.

2-Year Colleges Increase

Use of Quality Measures to

Assess Vocational

Education Programs

Between 1990-91 and 1993-94, 2-year colleges reported moving

aggressively to use quality measures in their program assessments. By

1993-94, over 90 percent of the colleges we surveyed reported using

placement rates and program completion rates in their assessments (see

fig. 1). An increasing proportion of colleges reported using a number of

other performance measures such as program retention rates (from 71 to

83 percent) and the results of state licensing exams (from 78 to

84 percent). Furthermore, almost 4 out of 5 colleges reported using in their

assessments measures of employer satisfaction with those who had

completed their vocational education programs. The Perkins amendments

encourage the use of quality measures in program assessments, but one

college we visited told us that its assessment program would have existed

even without the Perkins amendments because of state requirements.

Page 4 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

Figure 1: Reported Use of Selected

Quality Indicators in Program

Assessments, 1990-91 and 1993-94

Percent

60

65

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Placement Rates Program

Completion

Rates

Program

Retention Rates

Results from

State Licensing

Exams

Employer

Satisfaction

With Program

Completers

77

90

84

93

71

83

78

84

67

78

1990-91

1993-94

Tech-Prep Programs

Almost Universally

Adopted Since Perkins

Amendments

The 2-year colleges in our sample have overwhelmingly adopted tech-prep

programs. By the 1993-94 school year, over 95 percent of these colleges

either offered or were developing tech-prep programs, compared with

about 40 percent in 1990-91. Roughly 80 percent of the colleges offer

formal 2+2 type programs in conjunction with high schools. Under this

type of arrangement, the high school and college agree on a coordinated

vocational education program (2 years in high school and 2 years in

college) where students can earn postsecondary credit for some courses

taken while in high school. Furthermore, almost 3 out of 5 colleges include

a work-based component, such as co-ops, internships, and

apprenticeships, in their tech-prep programs. Administrators at one 2-year

college told us that their tech-prep program predated the Perkins

amendments, because the state viewed tech-prep as a solution to the

increasing dissatisfaction of local employers with the quality of local

workers.

Page 5 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

2-Year Colleges Slow to

Strengthen Integration of

Academic and Vocational

Instruction

For the most part, 2-year colleges neither increased nor decreased their

efforts to integrate academic and vocational instruction. Most colleges

reported that they require vocational education students to take certain

academic courses. But, in both 1990-91 and 1993-94, only a minority of

colleges incorporated academic instruction into vocational curricula,

designed special academic classes for vocational students, or incorporated

occupational concepts into academic curricula. The use of one

recommended approach—team teaching by academic and vocational

faculty—more than doubled between 1990-91 and 1993-94. However, by

1993-94, fewer than one in five colleges reported using this approach to a

very great or great extent. Two of the colleges we visited reported that

vocational education students were required to take academic courses in

math and English, but that other efforts to integrate academic and

vocational instruction have been limited.

Removal of Set-Aside

Requirements Does

Not Appear to Have

Hurt Special

Population Students

The removal of the set-aside requirements in the Perkins amendments

raised concern among Members of Congress. However, this change

appears to have had no adverse impact on special population students.

Neither the level of enrollments by special population students nor the

availability of support services has decreased since fall 1990.

Participation in

Postsecondary Vocational

Education by Special

Population Students

Maintained

Participation in vocational education programs by special population

students remained virtually unchanged between 1990-91 and 1993-94 (see

fig. 2). For example, almost 30 percent of vocational education

enrollments were economically disadvantaged students in both 1990-91

and 1993-94. Similarly, participation by students with disabilities and

students with limited English proficiency remained at their 1990-91 levels

(about 6 percent and 3 percent, respectively). The number of special

population students increased slightly, keeping pace with the increase in

overall postsecondary vocational education enrollments. (For more

information about participation by special population students in

postsecondary vocational education programs, see app. II.)

Page 6 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

Figure 2: Participation in

Postsecondary Vocational Education

by Special Population Students,

1990-91 and 1993-94

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Disabled

Students

Disadvantaged

Students

Students With

Limited English

Proficiency

6 7

28

29

4 3

1990-91

1993-94

Availability of Support

Services for Special

Population Students Little

Changed by Perkins

Amendments

Two-year colleges continued to provide most support services to special

population students at the same levels after the 1990 Perkins amendments

(see fig. 3). Almost all 2-year colleges reported offering remediation of

basic skills (98 percent), tutoring (96 percent), and liaison with social

services agencies (97 percent) to their students. The proportion of colleges

offering support services specifically for the disabled significantly

increased between 1990-91 and 1993-94. For example, the proportion

providing an interpreter for the hearing-impaired increased from

74 percent to 82 percent, and the proportion providing a reader for the

vision-impaired increased from 73 percent to 84 percent. Some disabled

students we talked with at selected colleges said they were satisfied with

the availability of support services. (For more information on the

availability of support services, see app. II.)

Page 7 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

Figure 3: Availability of Selected

Support Services, 1990-91 and 1993-94 Percent

60

70

80

90

100

Remediation

Tutoring

Interpreter for Hearing-Impaired

Reader for Vision-Impaired

Special Equipment to Accommodate Disabilities

Liaison With Social Service Agencies

98 98 97 96

74

82

73

84

80

89

96 97

1990-91

1993-94

Agency Comments The Department provided comments on a draft of this report. Department

officials stated that this is a very good report and agreed with its contents

and conclusions. More importantly, based on the information the report

provides, in the coming years the Department plans to concentrate on

improving the integration of academic and vocational education through

its technical assistance efforts and its grant to the National Center for

Research in Vocational Education. (The Department’s letter is in app. IV.)

Page 8 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
B-255079 

Please call me on (202) 512-7014 if you or your staff have any questions.

The major contributors to this report are listed in appendix V.

Linda G. Morra

Director, Education and

 Employment Issues

Page 9 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Contents

Letter 1

Appendix I 

Scope and

Methodology

12

Average Differences Across Colleges Used to Measure Changes 12

Site Visits Supplemented the Questionnaire Data 13

Appendix II 

Supplementary

Analysis

14

Postsecondary Colleges and Institutions 14

Colleges’ Efforts to Improve Vocational-Technical Programs 14

Participation by Special Populations in Vocational Education

Programs

17

Availability of Services for Special Population Students 18

Many Colleges Report That Perkins Amendments Have Positive

Impact

20

Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses

to Survey of

Postsecondary

Institutions

22

Appendix IV 

Comments From the

Department of

Education

45

Appendix V 

GAO Contacts and

Staff

Acknowledgments

46

Tables Table II.1: Types of Institutions in Sample 14

Table II.2: Use of Quality Measures in Self-Assessment 15

Table II.3: Percentage of Colleges Offering Certain

Characteristics of Tech-Prep Programs, 1993-94

16

Page 10 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Contents

Table II.4: Percentage of Colleges Reporting Integrating

Academic and Vocational-Technical Education to a Very Great or

Great Extent

16

Table II.5: Percentage of Contributions by Organizations,

Business, Agencies, and Groups to Vocational-Technical

Education

17

Table II.6: Average Enrollments of Special Population Students in

2-Year Colleges and Institutes

18

Table II.7: Average Enrollments of Special Population Students in

Vocational-Technical Programs at 2-Year Colleges and Institutes

18

Table II.8: Availability of Support Services for Special Population

Students

19

Table II.9: Availability of Job Placement Services for Special

Population Students

20

Table II.10: Percentage of Colleges Reporting Increasing or

Decreasing the Following Activities as a Result of the Perkins

Amendments

21

Figures Figure 1: Reported Use of Selected Quality Indicators in Program

Assessments, 1990-91 and 1993-94

5

Figure 2: Participation in Postsecondary Vocational Education by

Special Population Students, 1990-91 and 1993-94

7

Figure 3: Availability of Selected Support Services, 1990-91 and

1993-94

8

Abbreviations

NAVE National Assessment of Vocational Education

Page 11 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix I 

Scope and Methodology

The 1990 amendments to the Perkins Act require that we study the effects

of the amendments on access to and participation in vocational education

for certain special populations—students with disabilities, disadvantaged

students, and students with limited English proficiency. In our analysis we

compared the baseline academic year of 1990-91 (before the amendments

took effect) with the 1993-94 academic year (after the amendments took

effect).

We addressed the following two questions:

• With respect to vocational education programs, to what extent have

colleges adopted approaches to enhance quality, such as (1) use of

performance measures in program assessments, (2) school-to-work

transition activities, and (3) the integration of academic and vocational

instruction?

• With respect to special population students, what changes have taken

place (1) in their participation in vocational education programs and (2) in

the availability of support services?

Average Differences

Across Colleges Used

to Measure Changes

To address our objectives, we created a panel database from two surveys

initially administered to a representative set of public and private

nonprofit 2-year colleges and institutes. We developed a questionnaire to

obtain data on vocational program improvements, enrollment estimates,

program assessments, and funding. We received detailed information on

the 1990-91 baseline year during the first phase of our work and

comparative information for 1993-94 during the second phase. For each of

the two phases, we mailed the questionnaire (with limited revisions for the

second phase) to a random sample of 577 public and private nonprofit

2-year colleges and institutes. We selected the sample from a universe of

1,126 institutions we compiled primarily by merging unduplicated

membership listings from the American Association of Community and

Junior Colleges and the American Technical Education Association.1

 We

did not include in our universe providers of adult education courses not

associated with 2-year colleges or technical institutes such as for-profit

proprietary schools.

1

The Department of Education confirmed that our approach of using the membership listings would

provide a sufficiently complete and current universe of 2-year postsecondary institutions. To identify

any additional colleges that were not members of the two primary organizations, we reviewed a

commercially available guide to 2-year colleges and lists of selected vocational education conference

attendees.

Page 12 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix I 

Scope and Methodology

We received responses to both questionnaires from 425 institutions, for a

response rate of 74 percent. Since we did not know the characteristics of

the nonresponding institutions, we were unable to adjust sample weights

for nonresponse. Therefore, our analysis is based on the responses of the

425 institutions that responded to both questionnaires, and the results may

not be generalizable to the universe of public and private nonprofit 2-year

colleges and institutes.2

 Furthermore, many institutions did not respond to

all items in the questionnaire. Unless otherwise noted, our results for an

item are based on the responses of those institutions that responded to the

item in both questionnaires.

The advantage to using the panel approach is that small changes in the

variables of interest are more easily identified than if separate studies

were made using two independent samples.3

 The major disadvantage is

that some of those surveyed will not respond to both questionnaires,

leading to a lower overall response rate. By comparing the data for just

those schools that responded to both questionnaires, we were able to

focus on differences that occurred between the two surveys

uncontaminated by changes in the composition of the sample. We did not

verify the information sent to us by the colleges.

Site Visits

Supplemented the

Questionnaire Data

To supplement the information obtained from our questionnaires, we

visited four colleges during the second phase: Bessemer State Technical

College, Alabama; Del Mar College, Texas; Oakland Community College,

Michigan; and the Community College of Rhode Island. At the colleges, we

interviewed administrators, faculty, staff, and students with disabilities;

and representatives of business and industry as well as economic

development agencies.

2

If the nonrespondents are similar to the respondents, then our sample is representative of the

universe of nonprofit 2-year colleges and institutes.

3

See Gilbert A. Churchill, Marketing Research Methodological Foundations, 5th Edition (Chicago:

Dryden Press, 1991), p. 152.

Page 13 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

This appendix contains supplementary tables and more detailed

information about changes in student participation, the availability of

support services, and quality measures and standards between the 1990-91

and 1993-94 school years. The data presented in the following sections

compare changes only for those colleges and institutes that responded to

both our questionnaires. As a result the numbers and percentages reported

may differ from those in our 1993 interim report, which reported on all

colleges and institutes that responded to our first questionnaire.

Postsecondary

Colleges and

Institutions

Most of the institutions in our sample described themselves as community

colleges or public technical colleges or institutes (see table II.1). On

average, these institutions enrolled 4,812 students in fall 1990 and 4,887

students in fall 1993. In each academic year, over half of the students were

enrolled in vocational education programs (55 percent in fall 1990 and

54 percent in fall 1993). The average Perkins basic grant received was

$175,135 in the 1990-91 academic year and $224,022 in 1993-94. For both

the 1990-91 and 1993-94 academic years, the 2-year colleges and institutes

in our sample offered an average of 27 vocational-technical programs in

fields as diverse as automotive technology, nursing, culinary arts,

computer-assisted drafting, and electronics technology.

Table II.1: Types of Institutions in

Sample Type of institution Percentage

Community college 62.5

Public technical college or institute 18.4

Public junior college 5.2

Private junior college 7.8

Private technical college 0.2

Private nonprofit institute 5.0

Other 0.9

Colleges’ Efforts to

Improve

Vocational-Technical

Programs

We found that many colleges were making new efforts to improve the

quality of their vocational education programs. Dramatic changes were

reported in the self-assessment process, where significantly more colleges

were gathering and using more information for assessing their

vocational-technical programs. There was a sizable jump in the proportion

of colleges offering tech-prep programs. In addition, colleges maintained

their focus on integrating academic and vocational education, and on

creating or strengthening linkages to the business community.

Page 14 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Additional Data for

Assessing Program Quality

Between 1990-91 and 1993-94, more colleges used quality measures in

self-assessments. The proportion of colleges using various quality

measures increased between the times of our two surveys (see table II.2).

These increases were statistically significant in most cases. By 1993, over

80 percent of the colleges in our sample reported using student placement

rates, student completion or graduation rates, retention rates, state

licensing exam results, and student satisfaction in their self-assessments.

Table II.2: Use of Quality Measures in

Self-Assessment Numbers in percent

Quality measure 1990-91 1993-94

Placement rates 77.2 90.0a

Program completion or graduation rates 83.8 93.2a

Program retention rates 70.8 83.4a

Starting salary of program completers 50.8 52.5

Increase in wages over 1 year 4.9 8.0

Length of time to gain employment after program

completion 18.8 26.8a

Pretest-posttest of occupational competency gains 20.2 32.8a

Pretest-posttest for academic competency gains 29.9 48.3a

Percent of vocational-technical students going to 4-year

institution 36.7 51.7a

Results of state licensing exams 77.7 84.3a

Employer satisfaction with those who complete program 67.4 77.5a

Student satisfaction with education 78.2 86.7a

aThe difference between fall 1990 and fall 1993 is statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Tech-Prep Programs

Offered

Before the Perkins amendments, about 40 percent of the colleges in our

sample reported offering tech-prep programs. By 1993-94, over 95 percent

of these colleges either offered or were developing tech-prep programs.

Most of the colleges in our sample (over 70 percent) offer tech-prep

programs that involve formal agreements with high schools, give college

credit for certain courses taken in high school, offer applied academic

courses as well as integrating academic and vocational courses, and

involve high school courses (see table II.3). However, fewer colleges

(about 60 percent) offer tech-prep programs that have a work-based

component.

Page 15 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Table II.3: Percentage of Colleges

Offering Certain Characteristics of

Tech-Prep Programs, 1993-94

Characteristic Percentage

Formal 2+2 (2 years in high school and 2 years in college)

arrangement with high school 79.0

Postsecondary credit given for courses completed in high

school 80.4

Curriculum includes applied academic courses 78.8

Tech-prep courses integrate academic and vocational

instruction 79.4

Tech-prep involves high-tech courses 73.5

Work-based component, such as apprenticeships, co-ops,

and internships 59.6

Integrating Vocational and

Academic Instruction

The colleges we surveyed generally maintained—but did not

increase—their efforts to integrate academic and vocational instruction.

For the most part, there were no significant changes in colleges’ efforts to

formally blend academic and vocational instruction. We observed

significant increases, however, in the use of one integration

technique—academic and vocational faculty teaching in teams. The

proportion of colleges that reported using this method to a very great or

great extent more than doubled (from 6.4 percent to 16.3 percent). In both

1990-91 and 1993-94, the major method used to integrate vocational and

academic instruction was teaching vocational-technical students academic

skills in required academic courses—about three-quarters of the colleges

reported using this method to a very great or great extent (see table II.4).

Table II.4: Percentage of Colleges

Reporting Integrating Academic and

Vocational-Technical Education to a

Very Great or Great Extent

Category 1990-91 1993-94

Academic skills were taught in required academic classes 85.8 77.9

Academic curriculum formally incorporates occupational

concepts 31.7 33.1

Academic skills instruction was formally incorporated into

vocational-technical class curriculum 38.4 40.5

Special academic classes were designed specifically for

vocational-technical programs 30.0 30.3

Academic and vocational faculty taught in teams 6.4 16.3a

aThe difference between fall 1990 and fall 1993 is statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Ties to Area Businesses

and the Local Community

The colleges in our sample maintained strong ties with area businesses

and the local community (see table II.5). For example, nearly all colleges

Page 16 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

(95 percent in the 1993-94 school year) sought help from organizations in

the local community to help develop or modify the curriculum. Over

80 percent of the colleges reported that industry people taught at their

college and advised students on the skills needed in the work place, local

organizations donated supplies and equipment, local businesses provided

work-based positions, and local organizations and businesses assessed the

quality of their vocational-technical programs.

Table II.5: Percentage of Contributions

by Organizations, Business, Agencies,

and Groups to Vocational-Technical

Education

Category 1990-91 1993-94

Faculty worked at local industry for their professional

development 63.2 62.4

Industry people taught in the institution 82.0 86.0

Helped develop/modify curriculum 93.1 95.0

Advised students on skills needed in work place 85.0 89.6

Donated money to a vocational-technical program 60.3 63.0

Donated material, supplies, or equipment to a

vocational-technical program 88.4 85.7

Provided work-study/cooperative education/apprenticeship

positions 87.2 87.4

Made facilities available to other than cooperative

education students 62.6 61.8

Evaluated students for competency attainment 45.5 49.0

Helped develop competency standards 66.5 71.4

Assessed vocational-technical program quality 85.2 86.0

Participation by

Special Populations in

Vocational Education

Programs

We found no significant changes in overall enrollments of special

population students between 1990-91 and 1993-94 (see table II.6). The

average number of disabled students and students receiving Pell grants

(disadvantaged students) increased between 1990-91 and 1993-94 in the

colleges we surveyed. This increase in numbers also represents a slight

relative increase in enrollment by these two special populations.

Enrollments by students with limited English proficiency decreased in

both absolute and relative terms (from 3.8 percent of total enrollments to

2.8 percent).

Page 17 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Table II.6: Average Enrollments of

Special Population Students in 2-Year

Colleges and Institutes

Percentage of student body in parentheses

Category Fall 1990 Fall 1993

Students with disabilities 179

(5.2)

226

(5.8)

Students receiving Pell grants 759

(25.3)

838

(25.5)

Students with limited English proficiency 339

(3.8)

219

(2.8)

Note: The difference between fall 1990 and fall 1993 is not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Enrollments by students from special populations in vocational-technical

programs increased both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the

vocational education student body between 1990-91 and 1993-94 (see table

II.7). However, none of the changes were statistically significant.

Table II.7: Average Enrollments of

Special Population Students in

Vocational-Technical Programs at

2-Year Colleges and Institutes

Percentage of vocational education student body in parentheses

Category Fall 1990 Fall 1993

Students with disabilities 96

(6.0)

105

(6.7)

Students receiving Pell grants 407

(28.2)

423

(29.4)

Students with limited English proficiency 88

(3.7)

92

(3.4)

Note: The difference between fall 1990 and fall 1993 is not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Availability of

Services for Special

Population Students

In general, 2-year colleges continued to provide support services to special

population students at the same levels in 1993-94 as they did in 1990-91

(see table II.8). We did find statistically significant increases in services

directed toward the disabled, such as services for the hearing- and

vision-impaired, and special equipment for the disabled. The colleges and

institutes in our sample offered a wide variety of support services for

special population students in both the 1990-91 and 1993-94 school years.

Virtually all institutions offered testing and assessment, remediation

services, and tutoring services. The services cited as least available were

personal care attendants (available at less than 30 percent of the colleges)

and transportation services for students with disabilities (available at less

than 40 percent of the colleges).

Page 18 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Table II.8: Availability of Support

Services for Special Population

Students

Percentage of colleges with service available

Type of service 1990-91 1993-94

Curriculum/course modification for students with disabilities 83.7 85.6

Testing/assessment 97.6 98.4

Remediation of basic academic skills 97.9 98.2

Instructional aides 85.8 89.3

Tutoring 96.8 96.0

English-as-second-language courses 66.7 67.5

Interpreter service for the hearing-impaired 74.0 81.8a

Reader for vision-impaired 73.2 84.0a

Personal care attendant 28.5 29.4

Special/modified equipment to accommodate disabilities 79.7 88.8a

Removal of physical barriers 93.2 96.7a

Transportation services for students with disabilities 38.9 39.2

Liaison with social service agencies 96.0 97.3

Day care for children of students 62.7 63.7

aThe difference between 1990-91 and 1993-94 is statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

For the most part, the availability of job placement services did not change

between 1990-91 and 1993-94. There were statistically significant increases

in the availability of career assessment, career exploration, and mock job

interviewing services. Special population students have access to a wide

range of job placement services at the colleges in our sample (see table

II.9). Nearly all colleges offered career counseling, career assessment

services, career exploration services, listings of job openings, and resume

preparation services. Very few colleges offered transportation to

interviews for special population students or job support groups (less than

20 percent).

Page 19 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Table II.9: Availability of Job

Placement Services for Special

Population Students

Percentage of colleges with service available

Type of service 1990-91 1993-94

Career counseling 97.9 99.2

Career assessment 93.4 97.1a

Career exploration 93.4 97.9a

Mock job interviewing 80.1 87.9a

Job list or bank 92.6 94.4

Job development 67.3 69.7

Job coaching 53.5 55.4

Job mentoring 38.1 42.2

Job support groups 28.3 28.0

Interview scheduling 70.2 72.9

Transportation to interviews 16.8 14.6

Preparation of resumes 91.5 95.0

aThe difference between 1990-91 and 1993-94 is statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

Many Colleges Report

That Perkins

Amendments Have

Positive Impact

Over 45 percent of the 2-year colleges in our sample reported that the

Perkins amendments improved their ability to increase services and

enhance program quality (see table II.10). For example, many colleges

stated that the Perkins amendments helped them increase their ability to

purchase state-of-the-art equipment (47 percent), extend services to

special population students (60 percent), increase access to

vocational-technical programs by special population students (49 percent),

offer tutoring and remediation for vocational-technical students

(48 percent), improve the quality of vocational-technical programs

(49 percent), and develop tech-prep programs (60 percent). Although over

40 percent of the colleges said that the amendments increased their ability

to spend Perkins funds where they are most needed, two-thirds of the

colleges stated that the amendments increased the amount of record

keeping required by the state to meet Perkins requirements.

Page 20 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix II 

Supplementary Analysis

Table II.10: Percentage of Colleges

Reporting Increasing or Decreasing

the Following Activities as a Result of

the Perkins Amendments

Category Increase Decrease

Your institution’s ability to purchase state-of-the-art

equipment

46.8 21.9

Your institution’s ability to spend Perkins funds where

needed most

42.9 28.2

Your institution’s ability to plan vocational programs and

use Perkins funds

38.9 21.9

The equity with which Perkins funding is allocated among

institutions

29.4 25.1

The amount of record keeping required by state to meet

Perkins requirements

66.5 8.9

The extent of services your institution offers

vocational-technical students in special populations

59.9 12.0

The extent of services your institution offers

vocational-technical students in general

43.8 17.4

The access special population students have to

vocational-technical programs

48.7 11.6

Tutoring and remediation for vocational-technical students

in general

48.0 12.4

Quality of vocational-technical programs 49.2 13.1

Your institution’s program improvement efforts 54.5 13.9

Technical education standards that students must achieve 31.9 11.1

Academic education standards that students must achieve 26.3 11.3

Use of applied curricula in vocational-technical courses 35.4 11.1

Use of integration of academic and vocational-technical

courses

40.8 11.1

Application of measures and standards to evaluate the

effectiveness of programs

49.3 9.7

Development of tech-prep programs 59.8 8.6

Professional development opportunities for instructors and

administrators

44.4 12.5

Page 21 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE

Survey of Postsecondary Institutions

INTRODUCTION

With the enactment of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and

Applied Technology Education Act Amendments of 1990

(P.L. 101-392), the Congress mandated that the U. S.

General Accounting Office conduct a study of vocationaltechnical education with specific emphasis on special

population students. To do this we are surveying a random

sample of postsecondary institutions to gather information

about vocational-technical education and special populations.

The purpose of this questionnaire is to collect information

about your experiences with vocational-technical education

during the 1993-1994 academic year. You may recall that

we conducted a similar survey in 1991-1992. This survey is

the second phase of our mandated study of vocational

education.

INSTRUCTIONS

This questionnaire seeks information on the content of,

participation in, and funding for vocational-technical

education.

Because there are many postsecondary institutions and many

different types of programs and courses offered under the

general title of "vocational-technical education," we are

using the definition from the 1990 Perkins Act amendments.

The Act defines a vocational education program as an

"organized educational program offering a sequence of

courses which are directly related to the preparation of

individuals in paid or unpaid employment in current or

emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate or

advanced degree." In this questionnaire, any reference to a

"vocational-technical program" refers to such a sequence of

courses. Do not include non-credit courses, or courses such

as continuing education, personal growth, or exploratory

courses that are not part of a sequence leading to an

occupational skill.

The questionnaire includes questions on the access to and

participation in vocational-technical education by students

who are members of certain special population groups.

Special populations are those who have disabilities, are

economically disadvantaged, or have limited English

proficiency.

A service is formal support for special populations. A

glossary of these and other important terms used in this

questionnaire appears on the last page of the questionnaire.

We realize that your time is very limited, and that in order

to answer all of the questions you will probably need to

consult with other people. Please designate one person in

your institution to have overall responsibility for completing

this questionnaire, and provide the following information so

that we may call to clarify answers, if necessary.

Name: ______________________________________

Title: _______________________________________

Telephone number: __________________________

If you have any questions about this questionnaire, please

call Wanda Pearson at (202) 512-3669.

Please return the questionnaire in the enclosed postage paid

envelope within 10 working days of receipt to:

U.S. General Accounting Office

Attn: Amy Friedlander

NGB/Education and Employment

441 G Street, NW

Washington DC, 20548

Note: 425 2-year colleges returned questionnaires for

both 1990-91 and 1993-94. The "n" shown for each

item denotes the number of colleges that responded to

that item.

Due to rounding, percentages may not total 100%.

Page 22 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE AND PERKINS FUNDING

1. Which of the following best describes this

postsecondary institution as it operated during the

1993-1994 academic year? (CHECK ONE) (n=418)

65% Community college

18% Public technical college or institute

3% Public junior college

7% Private junior college

1% Private technical college

5% Private non-profit institute

0% Private for-profit

institute--->STOP! PLEASE RETURN

THIS QUESTIONNAIRE

2% Other (PLEASE SPECIFY)

2. Did your institution receive any funding for

vocational-technical education from any source, for

the 1993-1994 academic year? (CHECK ONE)

(n=404)

91% Yes----->GO TO QUESTION 3

9% No, received no funding-->STOP!

PLEASE RETURN THIS

QUESTIONNAIRE

3. In the table below, for vocational-technical education in your institution during the 1993-1994 academic year, please

provide your best estimate of the total funding your institution received from each source listed below. (ENTER

AMOUNTS; IF NONE ENTER "0")

Source of funds for vocational-technical education

1993-1994

academic year

(mean)

1. Tuition (excluding Pell grants) and fees $1,390,781 (n=375)

2. Local funds $ 961,311 (n=375)

3. State funds $3,281,126 (n=375)

4. Federal funds:

4a. Perkins basic grant $ 222,643 (n=376)

4b. Perkins competitive grants $ 73,233 (n=376)

4c. JTPA 8% funds $ 19,443 (n=375)

4d. Other JTPA funds $ 85,397 (n=375)

4e. JOBS funds $ 14,915 (n=375)

4f Pell grants $ 732,303 (n=375)

4g. Other federal funds $ 180,390 (n=375)

5. Other (gifts, endowments, internal sources, etc.) $ 188,204 (n=375)

6. TOTAL YEARLY FUNDING FOR VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL

EDUCATION IN THIS INSTITUTION ---------------------------------->

$6,879,169 (n=375)

Page 23 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

4. Did your institution receive a Perkins basic grant

for the 1993-1994 academic year? (CHECK ONE)

(n=350)

85% Yes---> GO TO QUESTION 5

15% No, received no grant-> GO TO

QUESTION 8

5. For the 1993-1994 academic year, please estimate the amount of your institution’s Perkins basic grant (as reported in line

4a of question 3) spent (or planned to be spent) for each of the following. (ENTER AMOUNTS; IF NONE, ENTER"0")

1993-1994

academic year

Uses of your institution’s Perkins basic grant (mean)

1. To pay salary or benefits for new teaching positions $ 7,394 (n=331)

2. To pay salary or benefits for existing teaching positions $ 27,727 (n=330)

3. To pay salary or benefits for new support positions (counselors, tutors,

administrators, etc.)

$ 20,516 (n=330)

4. To pay salary or benefits for existing support positions $ 73,582 (n=330)

5. For faculty education/professional development, including travel costs $ 6,718 (n=330)

6. For curriculum development $ 7,827 (n=330)

7. For supplies $ 11,380 (n=330)

8. To purchase new or replacement equipment used specifically to

accommodate special populations

$ 17,627 (n=330)

9. To purchase new or replacement equipment for vocational-technical

programs

$ 45,238 (n=330)

10. For institutional development (promotion, marketing, etc.) $ 1,719 (n=330)

11. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) $ 14,907 (n=330)

12. TOTAL PERKINS BASIC GRANT ----------------------------------> $ 234,534 (n=330)

Page 24 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

6. Once again, consider your institution’s Perkins basic grant. For the 1993-1994 academic year, please estimate the

percentage of your institution’s Perkins basic grant spent (or planned to be spent for 1993-1994) for each of the

following. (ENTER PERCENTS; IF NONE, ENTER "0")

1993-1994

academic

year

Uses of your institution’s Perkins basic grant

(mean)

1. Continue vocational-technical program(s) that existed in the prior year

(n=321)

13 %

2. Improve vocational-technical program(s) that existed in the prior year

(n=321)

28 %

3. Provide new vocational-technical program(s) (n=321) 3 %

4. Continue special population support services that existed in prior years

(n=321)

32 %

5. Improve special population support services (n=321) 13 %

6. Provide new support services for special populations (n=321) 8 %

7. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=321)

________________________________________________

________________________________________________ 3 %

8. TOTAL SPENT----------------------------------> 100%

7. What principal method did your institution use to allocate your Perkins funds for programs during the 1993-1994

academic year? (CHECK ONE) (n=317)

7% Allocated to campus site(s) that served a concentration of special populations

35% Allocated to program(s) that served a concentration of special populations

3% Allocated to program(s) that needed to serve more special populations

4% Allocated to program(s) that needed improvement

47% Allocated funds based on a combination of the above categories

4% Allocated based on other factors (PLEASE SPECIFY)

Page 25 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

8. Please indicate in part (A) whether each of the following changes in your institution’s vocational-technical programs and

services occurred between the 1990-1991 academic year and the 1993-1994 academic year. If "yes" in part (A), check

the one column in part (B) that best describes the cause of this change. (CHECK YES OR NO FOR EACH CHANGE;

IF YES, CHECK THE ONE COLUMN THAT BEST DESCRIBES THE CAUSE)

Main cause of change

(B)

Type of change between 1990-1991

and 1993-1994 academic years in vocational

education programs

Did change

occur?

(A) Elimination of

set asides in

Perkins Act

Change in

amount of

Perkins

funding

Other

changes in

Perkins

legislation

Other

reasons

Don’t

know No Yes-->

1. Added program(s) (n=379) 38% 62% 1% 13% 3% 81% 3%

2. Added service(s) for special

populations (n=377)

23% 77% 4% 41% 23% 30% 1%

3. Eliminated program(s) (n=368) 59% 41% 2% 3% 5% 87% 3%

4. Eliminated service(s) for special

populations (n=371)

94% 6% 32% 32% 23% 14% 0%

5. Expanded enrollment in existing

program(s) (n=374)

31% 69% 2% 20% 5% 69% 5%

6. Expanded content in existing

program(s) (n=374)

28% 72% 0% 23% 10% 64% 2%

7. Expanded existing service(s) for

special populations (n=377)

22% 78% 4% 43% 18% 34% 1%

8. Reduced existing program(s) (n=368) 80% 20% 1% 7% 3% 87% 1%

9. Reduced existing service(s) for special

populations (n=371)

94% 6% 22% 48% 26% 4% 0%

10. Used Perkins funding to support

programs formerly supported with

other funds (n=371)

92% 8% 7% 50% 27% 13% 3%

11. Used other funding to support

programs formerly supported with

Perkins funds (n=368)

58% 42% 13% 32% 24% 30% 1%

12. Purchased equipment to accommodate

special populations (n=372)

26% 74% 2% 35% 24% 38% 2%

13. Purchased equipment for any students

(not limited to special populations)

(n=371)

30% 70% 3% 28% 13% 54% 2%

14. Upgraded skills of faculty (n=374) 18% 82% 2% 25% 14% 58% 1%

15. Improved curriculum (n=376) 11% 89% 2% 23% 16% 57% 1%

16. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=16) 38% 62% 8% 25% 8% 42% 17%

Page 26 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

9. During the 1993-1994 academic year, did your

postsecondary institution offer vocational-technical

programs (sequenced courses leading to an

occupational skill) providing other than a

baccalaureate or advanced degree, directly related to

the preparation of individuals for paid or unpaid

employment? (CHECK ONE) (n=384)

100% Yes

0% No--> GO TO QUESTION 55

10. During the 1993-1994 academic year, how many

vocational-technical programs (sequenced courses

leading to an occupational skill) did your

postsecondary institution offer? (ENTER

NUMBERS) (n=382)

27 (mean) Programs in the 1993-1994

academic year

11. Consider all of your vocational-technical programs.

During the 1993-1994 academic year, to how many

of these programs did you allocate any of your

Perkins basic grant? (ENTER NUMBER OF

PROGRAMS; IN NONE, ENTER "0") (n=368)

9 (mean) Programs in 1993-1994 academic

year

Page 27 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

QUALITY MEASURES AND STANDARDS

12. Institutions might have measures of quality for one or more of their vocational-technical programs and have standards

associated with those measures that are to be met by the programs. For example, a quality measure might be the

placement rate of students who have completed the program, while the standard that the institution might use for that

measure is a specified percentage of the program completers that should be placed.

Listed below are items that could be considered measures of quality in vocational-technical programs. Please indicate

(A) whether or not your institution will use each measure to assess any vocational-technical programs in the 1993-1994

academic year, and (B) whether or not your institution has a standard associated with each measure in 1993-1994.

(CHECK "YES" OR "NO" FOR EACH MEASURE AND STANDARD ASSOCIATED WITH THAT MEASURE)

Will use in a 93-94

self-assessment?

(A)

Is there a standard in

1993-1994?

(B)

Possible quality measures No Yes--> No Yes

1. Placement rates (employment, military service, or additional

training/education) (n=381)

10% 90% 36% 64%

2. Program completion or graduation rates (n=381) 7% 93% 37% 63%

3. Program retention rates (n=379) 17% 83% 47% 53%

4. Starting salary of those who complete a program (n=377) 48% 52% 72% 28%

5. Increase in wages over 1-year period (n=373) 92% 8% 74% 26%

6. Length of time to gain employment after program completion

(n=373)

73% 27% 60% 40%

7. Pretest-posttest for occupational competency gains (n=375) 67% 33% 28% 72%

8. Pretest-posttest for academic competency gains (n=375) 52% 48% 31% 69%

9. Percent of vocational-technical students going to 4-year institutions

(n=375)

48% 52% 72% 28%

10. Results of state licensing exams (n=375) 16% 84% 34% 66%

11. Employer satisfaction with those who complete a program (n=377) 22% 78% 58% 42%

12. Student satisfaction with vocational-technical education received

(n=377)

13% 87% 58% 42%

13. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=26) 0% 100% 36% 64%

Page 28 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

13. Listed below are the same items that could be considered measures of quality in vocational-technical programs. Please

indicate whether or not (A) your State required the use of each measure to assess any of your vocational-technical

programs in the 1993-1994 academic year, and, if "yes," (B) whether or not your State had a standard (or goal) associated

with that measure for the 1993-1994 academic year. (CHECK "YES" OR "NO" FOR EACH MEASURE, AND IF

"YES," INDICATE IF A STANDARD WAS REQUIRED BY THE STATE)

Did state require

measure in 1993-1994?

(A)

Did state require

standard in 1993-1994?

(B)

Possible quality measures No Yes

------>

No Yes

1. Placement rates (employment, military service, or additional

training/education) (n=377)

32% 68% 28% 72%

2. Program completion or graduation rates (n=377) 27% 73% 34% 66%

3. Program retention rates (n=375) 48% 52% 44% 56%

4. Starting salary of those who complete a program (n=374) 74% 26% 64% 36%

5. Increase in wages over 1-year period (n=373) 96% 4% 73% 27%

6. Length of time to gain employment after program completion

(n=375)

86% 14% 44% 56%

7. Pretest-posttest for occupational competency gains (n=370) 78% 22% 32% 68%

8. Pretest-posttest for academic competency gains (n=372) 69% 31% 32% 68%

9. Percent of vocational-technical students going to 4-year institutions

(n=372)

73% 27% 67% 33%

10. Results of state licensing exams (n=368) 50% 50% 34% 66%

11. Employer satisfaction with those who complete a program (n=373) 64% 36% 45% 55%

12. Student satisfaction with vocational-technical education received

(n=370)

65% 35% 50% 50%

13. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=20) 10% 90% 21% 79%

Page 29 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

14. For the 1993-1994 academic year, for about how

many vocational-technical programs does your

institution apply a standard to assess the quality of

that program? (ENTER NUMBER; ENTER "0" IF

NONE) (n=368)

16 (mean) Vocational-technical programs will

be assessed using standards in the

1993-1994 academic year

15. For the 1993-1994 academic year, for about how

many vocational-technical programs that were

allocated any of your Perkins basic grant does your

institution apply a standard? (ENTER NUMBER;

ENTER "0" IF NONE) (n=352)

8 (mean) Perkins-funded vocationaltechnical programs will be

assessed using standards in the

1993-1994 academic year

RECRUITING SPECIAL POPULATIONS

16. In the 1993-1994 academic year, did (or will) your

institution target recruitment efforts for vocationaltechnical programs specifically toward members of

special populations? (CHECK ONE) (n=383)

88% Yes

12% No---> GO TO QUESTION 18

17. In the 1993-1994 academic year, where or how did (or

will) representatives of your institution attempt to recruit

special population students? (CHECK ALL THAT

APPLY) (n=336)

1993-94

1. Area comprehensive

high school 94%

2. Special schools for

students

at risk 42%

3. Special schools for

students with

disabilities 24%

4. Area vocational

technical

institutions 51%

5. Social service

agencies 82%

6. Vocational

rehabilitation

agencies 82%

7. Community-based

organizations 76%

8. Religious

organizations 26%

9. JTPA program 82%

10. College fair 84%

11. Through print,

radio, TV, and

other media

advertising 90%

12. Other (SPECIFY) 12%

Page 30 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

POST-COMPLETION PLACEMENT INFORMATION

18. Does your institution have any placement

information on students who have completed their

programs of study? Completers are those receiving

degree, certificate, diploma, or other formal

recognition of completion. (CHECK ONE) (n=377)

89% Yes

11% No ---> GO TO QUESTION 24

19. What is the most recent completing class for which

you have post-graduation/ completion employment

or education information? (ENTER YEAR) (n=332)

Completing class of 1993 (median)

20. How many students were in this class? (ENTER

NUMBER) (n=324)

740 (mean) students

21. About what percent of these students do you have

information for? (ENTER PERCENT) (n=305)

69 (mean) percent

22. Consider the students in the most recent class of completers for which you collected information. Please estimate (A) the

number of these completers who were doing each of the following and (B) the number of these completers in each case

who were vocational-technical students. Please do not double count. If a student is working while taking classes, that

student should be counted as taking classes. (ENTER NUMBERS; ENTER "0" IF NONE)

Total number of

completers

(A)

(mean)

Number of vocationaltechnical completers

(B)

(mean)

1. Were in a 4-year college 99 (n=257) 26 (n=295)

2. Were in another program at this institution 15 (n=255) 13 (n=294)

3. Were working in the area of training 142 (n=256) 183 (n=294)

4. Were working outside the area of training 30 (n=255) 26 (n=294)

5. Were working but job relationship to training unknown 16 (n=255) 11 (n=294)

6. Were in the military 2 (n=255) 1 (n=294)

7. Were unemployed 21 (n=255) 23 (n=294)

8. Status was unknown at the time (including those that did not

respond)

124 (n=255) 66 (n=294)

9. TOTAL 416 (n=262) 279 (n=297)

Page 31 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

23. Is completer placement information readily available for vocational-technical students who are members of the following

special populations? (CHECK "YES" OR "NO" FOR EACH SPECIAL POPULATION)

YES NO

63% 37% Students with disabilities (n=329)

66% 34% Economically disadvantaged (Pell grant recipients) (n=332)

56% 44% Limited English proficient (LEP) (n=325)

COMPETENCY-BASED PROGRAMS

24. Competency-based programs are those that have a minimum set of occupational "competencies" or "standards," formally

incorporated into the curriculum that are beyond standard course requirements, and that students must master in order to

complete the program in which they are enrolled. Consider only vocational-technical programs at this institution in the

1993-1994 academic year. Were any of these programs competency-based? (CHECK ONE) (n=374)

72% Yes

28% No----> GO TO QUESTION 28

25. Consider only the vocational-technical programs at this institution in the 1993-1994 academic year. Please enter (A) the

total number of programs that are competency-based in the 1993-1994 academic year, and (B) the number of these

competency-based programs, if any, that are at least partially Perkins-funded. (ENTER NUMBER; IF NONE, ENTER

"0")

1993-1994 academic Year

(mean)

A. Total number of competency-based programs (n=276) 16

B Number of Perkins-funded competency-based programs

(n=266)

7

Page 32 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

26. Please enter the number of your institution’s vocational-technical programs, if any, that used competency-based standards

primarily derived from one of the following sources for the 1993-1994 academic year. (ENTER NUMBER; IF NONE,

ENTER "0")

Primary source of competency standard

Number of programs

with competencybased standards in

1993-1994

(mean)

1. Federal licensing requirements (Federal Aviation Administration, etc.)

(n=275)

0

2. Commercial source or educational organization (n=275) 1

3. National trade, industrial, health, or professional organization (n=275) 2

4. Regional accrediting organization (n=275) 1

5. State licensing requirements (n=275) 2

6. State-wide trade, industrial, health, or professional organization (n=275) 1

7. State government (n=275) 2

8. Local business or industry (n=275) 5

9. This institution alone (n=275) 2

10. Don’t know source (n=275) 0

11. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=275) 1

12. TOTAL (Total number should equal total number of programs in

question 25A.) (n=276)

14

27. For the 1993-1994 academic year, please enter the

number of vocational-technical programs, if any,

that apart from an associate degree or a certificate

of completion, issued (or will issue) competency

certificates to students which listed the specific

occupational skills that students mastered. Also

enter the number of these programs, if any, that

were at least partially Perkins-funded. (ENTER

NUMBER; IF NONE, ENTER "0")

3 (mean) Total number of programs with

competency certificates (n=271)

1 (mean) Number of Perkins-funded

programs with competency

certificates (n=257)

28. For the 1993-1994 academic year, did (or will) this

institution offer to retrain, at its own expense, any

graduates/completers that did not have the minimum

skills needed to perform the work for which they

were trained? (CHECK ONE) (n=376)

26% Yes

74% No

Page 33 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

29. Listed below are ways that community organizations, businesses, agencies, or groups can help vocational-technical

programs. For the 1993-1994 academic year, (A) please indicate if any organizations made each type of contribution and,

if yes, (B) the extent of each type of contribution that these organizations made to vocational-technical programs. (FOR

COLUMN A, CHECK "YES" OR "NO"; FOR COLUMN B, CHECK ONE BOX)

Contribution

made?

(A)

Extent of contribution

by organizations

(B)

Contribution No Yes--> Very great

extent

Great

extent

Moderate

extent

Some

extent

Little

extent

1. Faculty worked at local industry for their

professional development (n=376)

39% 61% 7% 17% 37% 31% 7%

2. Industry people taught in the institution

(n=379)

14% 86% 10% 23% 39% 23% 5%

3. Helped develop/modify curriculum (n=381) 5% 95% 13% 32% 34% 17% 3%

4. Advised students on skills needed in workplace (n=382)11% 89% 6% 24% 37% 27% 5%

5. Donated money to a vocational-technical

program (n=374)

38% 62% 9% 13% 36% 28% 14%

6. Donated material, supplies, or equipment to

a vocational-technical program (n=377)

15% 85% 6% 20% 36% 31% 8%

7. Provided work-study/cooperative education/

apprenticeship positions (n=381)

13% 87% 9% 28% 38% 20% 3%

8. Provided other forms of work based

learning (n=373)

48% 52% 7% 25% 33% 24% 12%

8. Made facilities available to other than

cooperative education students (n=375)

38% 62% 6% 22% 29% 33% 10%

9. Evaluated students for competency

attainment (n=374)

51% 49% 9% 20% 38% 26% 8%

10. Helped develop competency standards

(n=375)

29% 71% 10% 26% 32% 26% 5%

11. Assessed vocational-technical program

quality (n=377)

15% 85% 8% 25% 40% 24% 4%

12. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=9) 22% 78% 43% 14% 0% 43% 0%

Page 34 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

30. Listed below are support services that might be offered to vocational-technical special population students. For each

service, please indicate (A) whether, during the 1993-1994 academic year, it was not available, available but not used, or

available and used by special population students at your institution, and (B) for the students who needed each service,

the extent to which their needs were met. (ANSWER ONE FOR (A) AND ONE FOR (B))

Support services

Service availability to special

populations in the 1993-1994

academic year

(A)

For the special population students who needed

each service, to what extent were their needs met

in the 1993-1994 academic year?

(B)

Not

available

Available

but not

used

Available

and used

Very great

or great

extent

Moderate

extent

Some or

little extent

N/A -

not needed

1. Curriculum/course modification for

students with disabilities (n=379)

14% 18% 68% 24% 34% 27% 15%

2. Testing/assessment (n=384) 2% 3% 96% 52% 25% 12% 11%

3. Remediation of basic academic skills

(n=384)

2% 1% 97% 66% 20% 4% 10%

4. Instructional aides (n=375) 11% 5% 84% 42% 29% 18% 11%

5. Tutoring (n=382) 4% 2% 94% 54% 27% 11% 9%

6. English as second language courses

(n=379)

33% 12% 55% 35% 18% 21% 26%

7. Interpreter service for the hearing

impaired (n=380)

19% 27% 54% 30% 17% 23% 31%

8. Reader for vision impaired (n=378) 16% 27% 57% 25% 23% 25% 28%

9. Personal care attendant (n=370) 70% 15% 15% 17% 9% 14% 60%

10. Special/modified equipment to

accommodate disabilities (n=382)

12% 16% 72% 24% 27% 31% 18%

11. Removal of physical barriers (n=376) 4% 10% 86% 34% 33% 20% 12%

12. Transportation services for students

with disabilities (n=376)

61% 9% 30% 16% 20% 20% 43%

13. Liaison with social service agencies

(n=379)

3% 4% 93% 42% 35% 14% 9%

14. Day care for children of students

(n=382)

37% 2% 62% 36% 28% 19% 18%

15. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=27) 0% 4% 96% 50% 32% 4% 14%

Page 35 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

31. Listed below are job placement services that might be offered to vocational-technical special population students. For

each service, please indicate (A) whether, during the 1993-1994 academic year, it was not available, available but not

used, or available and used by special population students at your institution and (B) for the special population students

who needed each service, the extent to which their needs were met. (ANSWER ONE FOR (A) AND ONE FOR (B))

Job placement services

Service availability to special

populations in the 1993-1994

academic year

(A)

For the special population students who needed

each service, to what extent were their needs

met in the 1993-1994 academic year?

(B)

Not

available

Available

but not

used

Available

and used

Very great or

great extent

Moderate

extent

Some or

little

extent

N/A - not

needed

1. Career counseling (n=385) 1% 2% 97% 44% 38% 10% 9%

2. Career assessment (n=383) 3% 3% 94% 33% 46% 13% 8%

3. Career exploration (n=385) 2% 4% 94% 30% 45% 18% 7%

4. Mock job interviewing (n=380) 12% 11% 77% 19% 41% 30% 10%

5. Job list or bank (n=383) 6% 1% 93% 36% 39% 17% 8%

6. Job development (n=377) 31% 4% 64% 23% 36% 24% 16%

7. Job coaching (n=376) 45% 5% 50% 18% 31% 28% 24%

8. Job mentoring (n=377) 58% 7% 34% 16% 26% 26% 32%

9. Job support groups (n=372) 71% 7% 22% 14% 17% 25% 44%

10. Interview scheduling (n=379) 27% 5% 67% 22% 38% 28% 11%

11. Transportation to interviews

(n=375)

85% 6% 8% 13% 11% 14% 62%

12. Preparation of resumes (n=382) 5% 3% 92% 40% 35% 17% 9%

13. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=31) 0% 3% 97% 63% 27% 3% 7%

Page 36 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

32. During the 1993-1994 academic year, to what extent, if any, did programs in your institution use each of the following

methods to integrate academic and vocational-technical education? (CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX FOR EACH

METHOD)

The extent to which programs used the following methods

during the 1993-1994 academic year

Methods

Very great

extent

Great

extent

Moderate

extent

Some

extent

Little or no

extent

1. Academic skills were taught in required academic

classes (n=385)

56% 22% 8% 4% 10%

2. Academic curricula formally incorporated

occupational concepts (writing assignments focused on

occupational topics, etc.) (n=384)

14% 20% 34% 25% 8%

3. Academic skills instruction was formally incorporated

into vocational-technical class curricula (n=382)

16% 25% 30% 21% 8%

4. Special academic classes were designed specifically

for vocational-technical programs (math for

electronics students, etc.) (n=384)

14% 16% 25% 22% 23%

5. Academic and vocational-technical faculty taught in

teams (n=382)

10% 6% 11% 18% 55%

6. Other methods of teaching academic skills to

vocational-technical students (PLEASE SPECIFY)

(n=57)

21% 10% 30% 18% 21%

33. Overall, is there more, about as much or less integration of academic curricula and instruction with vocational-technical

education in the 1993-94 academic year, than there was in the 1990-1991 academic year? (CHECK ONE) (n=383)

18% Much more in 1993-94 than in 1990-91

52% Somewhat more in 1993-94 than in 1990-91

30% About as much in 1993-94 as in 1990-91

0% Somewhat less in 1993-94 than in 1990-91

0% Much less in 1993-94 than in 1990-91

0% N/A - institution didn’t have vocational-technical programs in either year

Page 37 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

34. Does your institution have, or is it developing, any

tech-prep programs? (CHECK ONE) (n=374)

85% Yes

15% No---> GO TO QUESTION 43

35. Listed below are various categories of tech-prep programs. Enter the number of each that your institution has, or is

developing in the 1993-1994 academic year. (ENTER NUMBERS; IF NONE, ENTER "0")

1993-1994 academic year

(mean)

1. Total number of tech-prep programs 5 (n=302)

2. Total number of tech-prep programs that were being developed 4 (n=306)

3. Number of tech-prep programs at least partially Perkins-funded 3 (n=295)

4. Number of tech-prep programs at least partially Perkins-funded

that were being developed

3 (n=289)

36. Do any of your tech-prep programs have a

curriculum that is linked to high school in a formal

2 + 2 type arrangement? (CHECK ONE) (n=324)

79% Yes

21% No

37. Do any of your tech-prep programs have courses

that are articulated so that postsecondary institution

credit is given for certain courses that are

completed in high school? (CHECK ONE) (n=326)

80% Yes

20% No

38. Do any of your tech-prep programs have a

curriculum that includes applied academic courses?

(CHECK ONE) (n=325)

79% Yes

21% No

39. Do any of your tech-prep programs have courses

that integrate academic and vocational instruction?

(CHECK ONE) (n=326)

79% Yes

21% No

40. Do any of your tech-prep programs involve hightech courses? (CHECK ONE) (n=324)

74% Yes

26% No

41. Do any of your tech-prep programs have a workbased component, such as apprenticeships, co-ops,

internships or other job experience? (CHECK ONE)

(n=324)

60% Yes

40% No

Page 38 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

42. Please indicate if your institution received a Perkins competitive grant for tech-prep programs for the 1993-1994 academic

year, and if so, enter the amount of the grant. (CHECK ONE; IF "YES" ENTER AMOUNT) (n=316)

NO YES

1993-1994 academic year 46% 54% -----> enter amount $ 117,545 (mean)

43. During the 1993-1994 academic year, did your

institution participate in a tech-prep effort with

another entity that received a Perkins competitive

grant for that year? (CHECK ONE) (n=381)

56% Yes

44% No

44. How many apprenticeship positions were filled by

vocational technical students in your institution in

the 1993-1994 academic year? (ENTER NUMBER

OF STUDENTS; IF NONE, ENTER 0) (n=362)

26 (mean) apprenticeship positions

45. How many cooperative education or intern positions

were filled by vocational technical students in your

institution in the 1993-1994 academic year?

(ENTER NUMBER OF STUDENTS; IF NONE,

ENTER 0) (n=359)

57 (mean) cooperative or intern positions

46. How many other work based learning program

positions that involve employers teaching students

in the workplace (other than apprenticeships, and

co-ops) were filled by vocational technical students

in the 1993-1994 academic year? (ENTER

NUMBER OF STUDENTS; IF NONE, ENTER 0)

(n=358)

37 (mean) students

47. Listed below are credentials or qualifications that vocational-technical faculty might have. For the 1993-1994 academic

year, please estimate the number of vocational-technical faculty in your institution with each credential/qualification.

(ENTER THE NUMBER OF FACULTY FOR EACH)

Types of credential/qualifications

Number of vocational-technical

faculty with each in 1993-1994

(mean)

1. Vocational-technical teaching certificate for specific field (n=301) 27

2. Professional license or certification (n=342) 18

3. Continuing education credits for vocational-technical faculty in any education

area (n=267)

23

4. Continuing education credits for vocational-technical faculty in their technical

field (n=272)

20

5. Continuing exposure to related industry or field of expertise (n=322) 34

Page 39 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

48. Listed below are degrees that vocational-technical faculty might have. For the 1993-1994 academic year, please estimate

the number of vocational-technical faculty in your institution with each as their highest level of education. (ENTER

NUMBER OF FACULTY FOR EACH; IF NONE, ENTER "0") (n=382)

Highest level of education

Number of vocational-technical

faculty with each in this

institution in

1993-1994

(mean)

1. High school diploma/GED certificate 3

2. AA/AS degree 5

3. BA/BS degree 14

4. MA/MS degree 30

5. PhD or EdD degree 4

6. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) 2

7. TOTAL NUMBER OF VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL FACULTY ------> 53

STUDENTS IN THIS INSTITUTION

49. Consider the students in your institution who were taking courses for credit during the fall semester of the 1992-1993 and

1993-1994 academic years. Please enter the total number of full time and part time students and, of these, the number in

vocational-technical programs during each fall semester. (ENTER NUMBER IN EACH CATEGORY; IF NONE,

ENTER "0")

Fall 1992 enrollment

(mean)

Fall 1993 enrollment

(mean)

Total Vocational-technical Total Vocational-technical

All students 4,924 (n=366) 2,159 (n=366) 4,838 (n=370) 2,100 (n=370)

50. Consider the special population students--that is, students with disabilities, Pell grant recipients, and students with limited

English proficiency (LEP)--in your institution who were taking courses for credit during the fall semester of the 1992-

1993 and 1993-1994 academic years. Please enter the total number of full time and part time students in each special

population listed below and, of these, the number in vocational-technical programs during each fall semester. Double

count where appropriate. (ENTER NUMBER IN EACH CATEGORY; IF NONE, ENTER "0")

Fall 1992 enrollment

(mean)

Fall 1993 Enrollment

(mean)

Total Vocational-technical Total Vocational-technical

1. Students with

disabilities

261 (n=324) 132 (n=322) 271 (n=329) 130 (n=323)

2. Students who receive

a Pell grant

934 (n=337) 493 (n=314) 925 (n=340) 485 (n=320)

Page 40 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

3. LEP students 250 (n=294) 117 (n=295) 265 (n=300) 111 (n=297)

51. Consider the full time and part time students in your institution during the fall semester of the 1992-1993 and 1993-1994

academic years who were not members of any of the special populations listed above. Please enter the total number of

these students (both full time and part time), and the number who were in vocational-technical programs during each fall

semester. (ENTER NUMBER IN EACH CATEGORY; IF NONE, ENTER "0")

Fall 1992 enrollment

(mean)

Fall 1993 enrollment

(mean)

Total Vocational-technical Total Vocational-technical

Students who

were not members

of any special

population

3,728 (n=312) 1,528 (n=311) 3,621 (n=312) 1,431 (n=312)

52. We would like to know how you learned about students who belong to special populations during the 1993-1994

academic year. Please estimate the percentage of (A) students with disabilities and (B) limited English proficient (LEP)

students who were identified in each of the following ways. (ENTER PERCENTAGE ESTIMATES FOR EACH

SPECIAL POPULATION; COLUMNS SHOULD ADD TO 100%)

Students with disabilities

(A)

(mean)

LEP students

(B)

(mean)

1. They volunteered this information on the

application form

31 %

(n=348)

30 %

(n=239)

2. They were identified through requests for

services

31 %

(n=305)

23 %

(n=239)

3. They were identified by faculty 7 %

(n=305)

7 %

(n=239)

4. They were identified from high school

records

4 %

(n=305)

2 %

(n=239)

5. They were identified through assessment,

evaluation, or testing of students

17 %

(n=305)

31 %

(n=239)

6. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) 8 %

(n=305)

7 %

(n=245)

7. TOTAL -----------------> 100% 100%

Page 41 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

53. Did the Perkins Act amendments of 1990 result in an increase, decrease, or neither an increase nor decrease of each of

the following? (CHECK ONE BOX FOR EACH ITEM)

Greatly

increased Increased

Neither

increased

nor decreased

Decreased

Greatly

decreased

Don’t

know

1. Your institution’s ability to purchase state of the art

equipment (n=375)

16% 30% 27% 11% 12% 4%

2. Your institution’s ability to spend Perkins funds

where needed most (n=374)

12% 30% 25% 18% 10% 4%

3. Your institution’s ability to plan vocational

programs and use Perkins funds (n=374)

11% 28% 35% 13% 9% 4%

4. The equity with which Perkins funding is allocated

among institutions (n=372)

6% 23% 34% 14% 11% 12%

5. The amount of record keeping required by state to

meet Perkins requirements (n=374)

32% 34% 15% 5% 4% 10%

6. The extent of services your institution offers

vocational-technical students in special populations

(n=375)

12% 48% 24% 5% 7% 4%

7. The extent of services your institution offers

vocational-technical students in general (n=373)

5% 39% 36% 12% 6% 3%

8. The access special population students have to

vocational-technical programs (n=373)

4% 45% 36% 5% 7% 4%

9. Tutoring and remediation for vocational-technical

students in general (n=374)

10% 38% 36% 6% 6% 4%

10. Quality of vocational-technical programs (n=373) 5% 45% 34% 5% 8% 3%

11. Your institution’s program improvement efforts

(n=375)

8% 47% 28% 6% 8% 4%

12. Technical education standards that students must

achieve (n=371)

2% 30% 53% 8% 4% 4%

13. Academic education standards that students must

achieve (n=373)

1% 26% 59% 9% 3% 3%

14. Use of applied curricula in vocational-technical

courses (n=371)

2% 33% 50% 5% 6% 4%

15. Use of integration of academic and vocationaltechnical courses (n=371)3% 38% 46% 6% 5% 3%

16. Application of measures and standards to evaluate

the effectiveness of programs (n=372)

8% 41% 37% 4% 6% 4%

17. Development of tech-prep (2+2) programs (n=372) 23% 37% 26% 2% 6% 6%

18. Professional development opportunities for

instructors and administrators (n=375)

7% 37% 40% 6% 6% 3%

19. Other (PLEASE SPECIFY) (n=9) 22% 11% 22% 0% 11% 33%

Page 42 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

54. In your opinion, what specific provisions of the Perkins Act, if any, should be modified? (WRITE IN BELOW)

155 responses received

55. Thank you for taking part in this survey. If you wish to add any comments about this questionnaire or about vocationaltechnical education, please write them below.

92 responses received

HEHS/JGS/1/11/94

Page 43 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix III 

Aggregated Responses to Survey of

Postsecondary Institutions

GLOSSARY

Disadvantaged: Individuals (other than individuals with disabilities) who have economic or academic disadvantages and who

require special services and assistance to succeed in vocational-technical education programs.

Disabled: Individuals who are mentally retarded, hard of hearing, deaf, speech impaired, visually impaired, seriously disturbed,

orthopedically impaired, other health impaired, deaf-blind, or have multiple disabilities, or specific learning disabilities, who

because of these impairments, need special education and related services and cannot succeed in the regular vocational-technical

program without special education assistance.

Limited English proficient: Individuals who were not born in the United States or whose native language is other than English;

who come from environments where a language other than English is dominant or had a significant impact on their level of

English language proficiency; and as a result, have sufficient difficulty speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English

language to deny the opportunity to learn successfully in classrooms where English is the language used for instruction.

Special populations: Includes individuals with disabilities, disadvantaged individuals, and individuals of limited English

proficiency.

Vocational-technical education: Organized educational programs offering a sequence of courses that are directly related to the

preparation of individuals in paid or unpaid employment in current or emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate

or advanced degree. For example, a program in technical drafting might consist of a sequence of courses, such as fundamentals of

drafting and design, technical illustration/rendering, electrical-electronic drafting, technical drafting I and II, hydraulics and

pneumatics, and machine shop practices I and II.

Page 44 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix IV 

Comments From the Department of

Education

Page 45 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Appendix V 

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contacts Henry E. Felder, Assistant Director, (202) 512-7005

Thomas L. Hungerford, Senior Economist, (202) 512-7028

Staff

Acknowledgments

Sarah Glavin, Senior Economist, commented on earlier drafts and assisted

with data analysis. Joan K. Vogel, Social Science Analyst, and Leonard J.

Hamilton, Social Science Analyst, were responsible for computer

programming and data analysis. Richard A. McGeary, Senior Evaluator,

provided direction to the project at its earlier stages.

(104763) Page 46 GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education
Ordering Information

The first copy of each GAO report and testimony is free.

Additional copies are $2 each. Orders should be sent to the

following address, accompanied by a check or money order

made out to the Superintendent of Documents, when

necessary. Orders for 100 or more copies to be mailed to a

single address are discounted 25 percent.

Orders by mail:

U.S. General Accounting Office

P.O. Box 6015

Gaithersburg, MD 20884-6015

or visit:

Room 1100

700 4th St. NW (corner of 4th and G Sts. NW)

U.S. General Accounting Office

Washington, DC

Orders may also be placed by calling (202) 512-6000 

or by using fax number (301) 258-4066, or TDD (301) 413-0006.

Each day, GAO issues a list of newly available reports and

testimony. To receive facsimile copies of the daily list or any

list from the past 30 days, please call (301) 258-4097 using a

touchtone phone. A recorded menu will provide information on

how to obtain these lists.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
United States

General Accounting Office

Washington, D.C. 20548-0001

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

Address Correction Requested

Bulk Mail

Postage & Fees Paid

GAO

Permit No. G100
GAO/HEHS-95-163 Postsecondary Vocational Education