We have now developed the largest tech prep program in New York State. Teachers Empowering teachers is one of the basic principles of the current educational reform movement. With this in mind, the Summer Institute has been designed so that attendees will be active participants. Highlights of the Summer Institute will be provided in the fall CenterWork. Yet exemplary schools do exist.
Exemplary schools have lower dropout rates.
They have a higher percentage of students learning skills useful to themselves and society. In exemplary schools, an increased number of students are linked to productive jobs, postsecondary education, or both. One way to create an exemplary program is for academic and vocational teachers to work together, creating curricula and programs that cross traditional boundaries. The members of the Urban Schools Network and the Hands and Minds Collaborative include academic and vocational educators, counselors, and administrators, all representatives of either high schools or postsecondary institutions. All have a common goal of educational reform, yet each brings an individual viewpoint and set of skills to the collaborative process.