Vocational Education: Changes at High School Level After Amendments to Perkins Act
Released: 1995-07-12T00:00:00

Letter

Background

Vocational education prepares students for an increasingly demanding labor market through an organized sequence of courses that are directly related to preparing students for employment in jobs that do not require a bachelor’s degree. For example, one school district offers high school students the opportunity to acquire the technical skills needed for careers in fields like automobile repair, medical assisting, or electronics.

Vocational education programs are funded at the federal, state, and local levels. Funding provided under the 1984 Perkins Act is the federal government’s primary form of assistance for vocational education. Although federal financing accounts for only a small percentage of expenditures on vocational education, the Perkins Act provided about $1.4 billion in 1993-94, compared with approximately $1 billion in 1990-91.

In addition to eliminating the set-aside requirement for special populations, the Perkins Act amendments included several provisions intended to improve the quality of vocational education. To help ensure that programs are of sufficient size and scope to be effective, the amendments set minimum funding thresholds at the secondary school level. School districts that would have received funding allocations of less than $15,000 under the original Perkins Act are now generally ineligible for funds unless they join other districts in a consortium in which the total funding meets the $15,000 minimum.

The amendments also encourage several approaches to vocational education that smooth the transition from school to work. In 1993-94, Perkins funding included $104 million for tech-prep programs, which link secondary vocational education programs to postsecondary institutions in a coordinated program leading to an associate’s degree or certificate. For example, one school district operates a tech-prep program in allied health services that prepares students for a career as a Medical Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, or Surgical Technologist.

The Perkins amendments also encourage schools and districts to integrate vocational and academic instruction, so that vocational students can develop a better appreciation of how academic learning is related to job requirements. In addition, the amendments require recipients (schools and districts) to evaluate the effectiveness of their vocational education programs and in particular to evaluate the progress of special population students. For example, placement data on high school graduates can indicate whether students have continued their education or obtained employment in their field.

Removal of Set-Aside Requirement Does Not Appear to Have Hurt Special Population Students

Despite widespread concern, removal of the set-aside requirement has apparently had no adverse impact on special population students. Specifically, neither student participation nor the availability of support services has declined following the implementation of the Perkins amendments. Furthermore, employment and educational outcomes for special population students—relative to vocational education students as a whole—were unchanged.

Participation in Vocational Education Was Virtually Unchanged

We found no significant changes in the rate at which special population students participated in vocational education. In 1993-94, 42 percent of all students participated in vocational education, compared with 45 percent in 1990-91. This decline in overall participation was reflected in small, statistically insignificant declines in participation among students with disabilities (from 48 to 47 percent) and among students who were disadvantaged (from 53 to 50 percent). (See fig. 1.)

Not only did students from special populations continue to participate in vocational education, but these students could be found in the full range of vocational education activities, including school-to-work transition activities. Since the implementation of the amendments, more schools have offered tech-prep programs; schools have also continued to offer work-study and apprenticeship opportunities. When comparing students from special populations with other students, we observed no significant differences in participation in these activities either before or after the amendments. For example, in 1993-94, 16.8 percent of disadvantaged students—and 16 percent of students who did not belong to special population groups—participated in tech-prep. However, because many schools were unable to provide this information, our estimates of participation in these activities are somewhat imprecise. (For more information about participation in vocational education programs, see app. II.)

Availability of Support Services Increased for All Students, Including Students From Special Populations

From 1990-91 to 1993-94, the percentage of schools that offered support services to students, including those from special population groups, generally increased. For example, the percentage of schools that offered transportation services to students with disabilities increased dramatically (from 59 to 74 percent). These students’ access to teacher aides, tutoring, and life skills training also rose significantly. For students not in special population groups, there was a significant increase in the percentage of schools offering tutoring (from 52 to 66 percent).

In some support areas, special population students were more likely to be offered additional services than students who did not belong to these groups (see fig. 2). For example, in 1993-94 students from any of the three special population groups were significantly more likely to be offered teacher aides than students who did not come from any of these groups. However, for many of the remaining support services, the differences between the various groups of students were small and statistically insignificant. Across all student groups, in 1993-94 schools were most likely to offer counseling or guidance, tutoring, evaluation or assessment, life skills training, and special recruitment; over two-thirds of schools offered these services. Day care was offered less frequently (by less than one-sixth of schools). (For more detailed information on the percentage of schools offering support services, see app. II.)

College Attendance and Employment Were Generally Unchanged

Historically, vocational education graduates who have disabilities or are economically disadvantaged have been less likely to attend college and more likely to go directly to work than other students. This pattern is evident in both our 1990-91 and 1993-94 surveys. In general, these differences neither widened nor narrowed over time. For example, the proportion of disadvantaged vocational students who expected to attend a 4-year college was 14 percent in 1990-91 and 13 percent in 1993-94—a statistically insignificant change. However, many schools were unable to provide placement information, and this low response rate limited our ability to observe changes in postgraduation status. (For more information about changes in outcomes for vocational students who are members of special populations, see app. II.)

Efforts to Improve Quality Showed Progress, but Recommended Approaches Have Yet to Reach Many Classrooms

The Perkins amendments directed recipients to adopt a number of strategies to enhance the quality of vocational education—most specifically, tech-prep programs, integrated learning approaches, and the development of standards by which schools and districts can better evaluate their vocational programs. The sponsors of the Perkins amendments believed that these approaches would improve the quality of vocational education by easing the transition from school to work and by ensuring that students apply cognitive skills in a vocational education environment. For similar reasons, vocational education experts have advised schools and districts to emphasize school-to-work transition activities. We observed many schools and districts moving aggressively to implement several of these approaches. However, other recommendations (such as using academic teachers in vocational classes) have been slower to gain acceptance. Many of the attributes associated with quality programs still affect only a small percentage of vocational education students. Similarly, although districts have increased their use of quality indicators for self-assessment, many districts have not yet developed standards to guide these assessments.

Schools and Districts Increased Use of Quality Approaches, but Relatively Few Students Were Served

Schools have moved aggressively to increase several of the approaches to vocational education associated with quality—such as integrated learning and tech-prep programs. For example, in 1993-94 35 percent of all schools reported that to a “great” or “very great” extent they were participating in teacher training activities designed to integrate academics into vocational education, compared with 20 percent or less in 1990-91 (see fig. 3). Even more dramatically, the percentage of schools offering tech-prep programs increased significantly in just 2 years: in 1990-91 only 27 percent of schools offered tech-prep, but by 1993-94 that figure had jumped to 45 percent (see fig. 4). For example, when we visited one district in 1990, officials were planning their tech-prep program. In 1991-92, they formed a tech-prep consortium, including 10 school districts. When we visited again in 1993-94, two more districts had joined the consortium and the first tech-prep program was under way. The consortium hopes to have 200 tech-prep students entering affiliated postsecondary institutions by September 1996.

Acceptance of the integrated learning and tech-prep concepts has grown substantially. However, many more students will need to be exposed to these approaches before they become a standard part of vocational education. Less than half of the schools we surveyed employed several practices, such as team teaching, that bring integrated learning into the classroom. In one school we visited, informal cooperation among teachers facilitated integration—for example, the teacher of a course in computer-aided design invited the physics teacher into his classroom to explain some of the physics elements in computer-aided design. However, another district we visited was unable to implement the integrated learning concept to the extent that its administrators would have liked. These officials told us that teacher credentialing requirements at the state level prevented vocational teachers from teaching academic subjects, and contracting arrangements limited teachers’ incentives to participate in summer training.

Similarly, despite sizable increases in the number of schools and students participating in tech-prep programs, only 16 percent of vocational students in 1993-94 were participating in tech-prep. In addition, other methods for improving the school-to-work transition—such as work study and apprenticeships—have not grown significantly since the Perkins amendments were implemented (see fig. 4). These programs also reach only a small number of students; only 16 percent of vocational students participated in work-study programs in 1993-94, although 74 percent of schools reported that they offer a work-study program.

In addition to integrated learning and school-to-work activities, experts in vocational education have urged schools to develop certificates of competency and to require students to meet minimum standards or competencies to complete the program. These initiatives have been slow to develop since the Perkins amendments; both the percentage of schools that reported issuing certificates and the number of programs that required competencies remained roughly constant between 1990-91 and 1993-94.

Districts Report Using More Quality Indicators for Self-Assessment

School districts reported an increase in the use of various measures in their self-assessment process. For example, we observed substantial increases in the proportion of school districts that reported using graduation rates (from 72 to 83 percent) and placement rates (from 77 to 86 percent) as part of their self-assessments. The schools we visited, however, reported that it was difficult and time consuming to gather this type of information. For example, one school district attempted to contact recent graduates by mail but received only a 25-percent response rate. In addition, despite this increased use of information for self-assessment, many schools have yet to develop standards to guide these assessments. For example, 71 percent of schools used measures of students’ academic gains as an input into their assessment process. However, only 69 percent of the schools that used this measure had developed standards that would allow them to determine if students’ academic progress was satisfactory. (For more information about school progress in quality, assessment, and standards development, see app. II.)

Agency Comments

The Department of Education commented on a draft of this report. The Department believed that the draft did not make clear that the Perkins amendments contained a new requirement for local recipients to give priority in the use of title II funds to the special populations. However, the law requires only that recipients give priority to sites or programs that serve higher concentrations of special population students; there is no legislative requirement that special population students as a group be given priority over other students. We revised the report to more strongly emphasize that the amendments required such priority.

The Department also believed that it would help to see a comparison of the extent to which the special populations are participating in educational improvements and services compared with the general student population. These comparisons are in table II.4 for programs and in table II.5 for support services. Department officials also made technical comments, which we discussed with them, and we made clarifications to the report as appropriate. The Department’s comments appear in full in appendix V.

We did our work between November 1993 and May 1995 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.

Please call me on (202) 512-7014 if you or your staffs have any questions. GAO contacts and staff acknowledgments for this report are listed in appendix VI.

Scope and Methodology

The Congress mandated that we conduct a 3-year study, using representative samples, to determine the effects of the amendments to the Perkins Act on access to and participation in vocational education for students who are disadvantaged, have disabilities, or have limited proficiency in English. The act specified that Perkins funds were to be used to improve vocational education programs and that the state was to provide assurance that members of special populations would have continued access to these programs. Consequently, we compared the status of special population students and vocational education programs before the amendments with their status after the amendments. Specifically, we measured the extent to which changes have occurred for students, in participation in vocational education, including participation in innovative programs; availability of special services; and college attendance and employment following graduation; for vocational education programs, in schools’ and districts’ use of formal coordination of high school and college courses; integration of academic and vocational learning; and development of competency standards for students.

Average Differences Across Schools Were Used to Measure Changes

To address these objectives, we used panel data from two surveys administered to a nationally representative, stratified, randomly selected set of schools and their associated districts. The eight strata represent the major groups of secondary schools. After we adjusted the sample to remove inappropriate schools (for example, schools with no grades higher than 9), our sample included 1,938 schools in the first (or baseline) survey, and 1,844 schools in the second (or follow-up) survey. One thousand two hundred thirty-three schools responded to both surveys (for a 67-percent overall response rate). The item response rate varied with each item.

The data from the two surveys were pooled—that is, we created a file consisting of those schools that had answered both questionnaires. For our analysis, we made direct comparisons of the reported status (such as the percentage of students who were in vocational education or the number of tech-prep programs) using data only when the school had answered the specific item in both surveys. The findings were then averaged across all schools that had responded to that item. The advantage of this approach is that small changes in the variables of interest are more easily identified than if separate studies were made using two or more independent samples. In addition, by comparing the data for just those schools that responded, we are able to report the average responses without concern that the averages are contaminated by changes in the composition of the respondents.

The major disadvantage of the panel approach is that when nonresponse occurs, the data are no longer representative of national averages. The requirement that a school must have answered both surveys gives us a smaller response rate than had we used the mean values from both surveys independently. What we are reporting on are the estimated population means for those schools that would have answered both surveys, and the specific item in each survey, had they been given the chance. As a result, we cannot say that the responses represent all schools in the population from which the samples were drawn.

Weights Were Used for the School but Not the District Data

Each observation from the school surveys was weighted (1) to adjust for the probability of being selected in the strata from which the sample was drawn and (2) to account for the pooled response rate from both surveys. Item response varied according to item, but the data were not weighted for item response. Because we used data only when the school responded to an item in both the baseline and follow-up surveys, the number responding may vary for each separate comparison. District data were not weighted, as it was not possible to adequately account for the probability of being selected from a pooled sample. The universe from which the samples were drawn, the sample sizes, and the number responding to the secondary school surveys are reported in table I.1.

As part of our analysis of the survey data, we compared schools’ responses for different types of students and over time (see fig. I.1): School Year 1990-91 vs. School Year 1993-94 Special Population Students vs. All Students in the School Special Population Students vs. Nonspecial Population Students Vocational Education Program Students vs. All Students in the School

School year comparisons. We compared data from each school for 1990-91 with the same data item in 1993-94. These values were then averaged across schools that responded to the item. School year comparisons were made throughout and directly address whether or not changes have occurred over time.

Special population and all students. For some analyses, we compared the mean values for the special population students with the mean values for all students, including the special populations. This comparison permits determination of whether mean values for the special populations differ from those for all students. For example, we compared the percentage of vocational education students in the overall student body with the percentage of vocational education students from among the special populations to get information on the overall participation rate in vocational education.

Special population and nonspecial population students. For some analyses, we compared the special populations with students who were not part of the special populations. This comparison permits assessment of whether special population students are participating in services and programs in proportion to their enrollment in vocational education and at levels comparable to the nonspecial population students.

Vocational students and all students. For some analyses, it is useful to know how vocational students compare with all students in the school. For example, we used this comparison to determine the general direction of average school attendance. We found that although the average number of vocational students was rising, the average number of all students was rising faster. This puts the increase in vocational students in proper perspective.

Site Visits Supplemented Survey Data

To supplement the information obtained from our follow-up survey, during 1993-94 we visited four school districts in Oakland, Michigan; San Francisco, California; Delaware County, Pennsylvania; and New Castle County, Delaware. During these visits, we interviewed school and district officials to obtain information on vocational education programs, services to special populations, and assessment and improvement efforts.

Supplementary Tables

This appendix contains supplementary tables and more detailed information about changes in student participation, the availability of support services, student placement outcomes, and vocational education programs between 1990-91 and 1993-94. The data presented in the following sections compare changes in student and program characteristics only for those schools that responded to both surveys (that is, for 1990-91 and 1993-94). Thus, the numbers and percentages cited differ somewhat from those in our 1993 interim report, which reported on all schools that responded to our first survey.

Participation in Vocational-Technical Programs

Overall Secondary School Enrollment

For the schools we surveyed, the average number of students per high school increased by about 6 percent between 1990-91 and 1993-94 (from 603 to 640 students per school). For the average school, the percentage increases were greatest for students from special population groups; however, the number of these students was often small. The proportion of students who were not part of special population groups remained constant at about 65 percent, while some of the special population groups grew. This may be accounted for, in part, by more students being defined as belonging to special populations. In addition, our definition permitted students to be classified in more than one special population category. (See table II.1.) body) (65.4%) (65.8%) (9.0) (10.1) (30.3) (31.6) (2.5) (3.1)

The sum of the percentages in each school year exceeds 100 because students may be included in more than one special population category. Similarly, the sum of the number of students in each population group will exceed the total number of students.

The percentages of the student body represent the average percentages reported by the schools responding to both surveys; they are not, for example, the average number of disabled students divided by the average number of total students.

Vocational-Technical Enrollment

Vocational-technical enrollment also increased, but more slowly than overall enrollment. On average, there were 330 vocational students per school in 1990-91, and this number did not increase significantly. Again, the increase for students in special population groups was larger than for other students, but for many schools there were few students in some of these categories. (See table II.2.) body) (59.5%) (58.1%) (10.0) (11.8) (31.9) (35.6) (2.0) (2.7)

The sum of the percentages in each school year exceeds 100 because students may be included in more than one special population category. Similarly, the sum of the number of students in each population group exceeds the total number of students.

The percentages of the student body represent the average percentages reported by the schools responding to both surveys; they are not, for example, the average number of disabled students divided by the average number of total students.

Because average per-school vocational-technical enrollment grew only 1.8 percent over this period (compared with 6.1 percent growth in the overall student population), the percentage of students participating in vocational-technical education declined relative to overall enrollments. Across all groups, except for those with limited English proficiency, a smaller percentage of students participated in vocational education. Although the rate of decline for students in special population groups was less than for other students, the changes were not statistically significant for any group. (See table II.3.)

Access to School-To-Work Activities

As shown in figure 4 (see p.11), the percentage of schools reporting that they have tech-prep programs increased dramatically (from 27 to 45 percent) between 1990-91 and 1993-94, while the percentage of schools reporting the use of work-study and apprenticeship programs remained about the same (at roughly 75 and 7 percent, respectively). Participation in such programs by students from special population groups over the 3-year period generally mirrored changes (or the lack of change) that occurred at the school level. There were no statistically significant differences in participation among student groups. However, because many schools were unable to report this information, our participation estimates are somewhat less precise. (See table II.4.)

Availability of Support Services

In both 1990-91 and 1993-94, schools offered a wide variety of services to their vocational-technical education students. Generally, the percentage of schools offering each service remained about the same or increased over the 3-year period for both special population students and students who did not belong to these groups.

Most schools offered general services which were available to special population students about as often as to other students. For example, about 90 percent of schools offered counseling/guidance to all student groups in 1990-91, increasing to about 95 percent in 1993-94. In addition, schools often provided more specialized support services at higher rates to special population students than to other students. For example, about 54 percent of schools in 1993-94 reported offering special or modified equipment to students with disabilities; only about 18 percent of schools offered this service to students who were not members of special populations. (See table II.5.)

We asked the schools we surveyed to estimate the postgraduation status of the most recent senior class for which they had employment or education information. Because many of the schools we surveyed did not gather placement information at this level of detail, our estimates are less precise. We observed no significant differences in employment or education outcomes for special population students before and after the Perkins amendments. (See table II.6.)

Outcomes reported in baseline survey Outcomes reported in follow-up survey Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.

Schools’ Efforts to Improve Vocational Education Programs

We found signs that many of the schools we surveyed were making considerable efforts to improve the quality of their vocational education programs, although many of these efforts have yet to reach the majority of students. More schools are focusing on integrating academic and vocational instruction, creating or strengthening linkages to the business community, and gathering and using more information for self-assessment.

Integrating Vocational and Academic Instruction

As shown in figure 3 (see p.10), we observed an increase in the percentage of schools that reported participating to a “great” or “very great” extent in teacher training activities to integrate vocational and academic learning. Although schools appear to be moving toward integrating academic and vocational learning, many of the schools we surveyed had not yet applied integrated learning to one or more vocational programs. For example, less than 30 percent of the schools reported using team teaching in mathematics, English, or science. (See table II.7.)

Team teaching (where academic and vocational education teachers work together)

Strengthening Ties to Business and Community

We also found that the schools we surveyed were trying to improve their ties to the local community. Compared with 1990-91, in 1993-94 schools reported greater contributions from the local community in a number of areas. For example, 21 percent of schools reported that more industry people teach in the school, 19 percent reported that more teachers work in local industries for professional development, and 31 percent reported that more outside organizations provide mentor programs or job shadowing. (See table II.8.)

Type of contribution by business or organization “Much More” or “Somewhat More” “About As Much” “Somewhat Less” or “Much Less” “Don’t Know”

Teachers work in local industry for professional development Industry people teach in the school Helps to develop or modify curriculum Consults with school about skills needed by students in workplace Donates money to vocational education program Donates material, supplies, or equipment to vocational education program Makes facilities available to students (other than through co-ops)

Schools Move to Use Additional Data in Quality Assessment

By amending the Perkins Act to require states and school districts to continuously assess the performance of vocational-technical education programs, the Congress sent a clear message that it places importance on accountability and outcomes. However, the ability to evaluate program improvement is heavily dependent on the availability of data. Of the districts we surveyed, more are taking steps to use various indicators to assess their vocational-technical education programs in 1993-94 than in 1990-91. For example, the percentage of districts that used occupational competency standards in their program assessments increased from 68 percent to 85 percent. (See table II.9.)

Number of students in vocational education programs Number of “high technology” programs Number of students participating in “high technology” programs Use of occupational competency standards Use of certificates of competency Placement rates (additional education, training, employment, or military service)

Linkage with postsecondary vocational education programs Linkage with business or labor Integration of academics with vocational curriculum Coherent sequence of courses leading to an occupational skill Location of program (e.g., local high school, area vocational school, community college)

Many District Officials Believed That Perkins Amendments Have Had Positive Impact

Many of the districts we surveyed believed that the Perkins amendments have had a positive impact on their ability to improve their vocational education programs and services. Others believed that the Perkins amendments made little difference one way or another; but few reported the amendments adversely affected their ability to improve programs and services. Table II.10 provides specific information on districts’ views.

Table II.10: Views of the Districts We Surveyed on the Perkins Amendments’ Effect on Their Ability to Produce Quality Programs “Greatly Increased” or “Increased” “Neither Increased nor Decreased” “Decreased” or “Greatly Decreased” “Don’t Know”

Your district’s ability to purchase state-of-the-art equipment Your district’s ability to spend Perkins funds where needed most Your district’s ability to plan vocational programs and use Perkins funds Equity with which Perkins funding is allocated among districts Amount of record keeping required by state to meet Perkins requirements Extent of services your district offered to vocational-technical students in special populations Extent of services your district offered to vocational-technical students in general Access special population students have to vocational-technical programs Tutoring and remediation for vocational-technical students in general Your district’s program improvement efforts Technical education standards that students must achieve Academic education standards that students must achieve Use of applied curricula in vocational-technical courses Use of integration of academic and vocational-technical courses (continued) “Greatly Increased” or “Increased” “Neither Increased nor Decreased” “Decreased” or “Greatly Decreased” “Don’t Know”

Aggregated Responses to Survey of Public Secondary Schools

Aggregated Responses to Survey of School Districts

Comments From the Department of Education

GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments

GAO Contacts

Staff Acknowledgments

Elsie Picyk, Senior Computer Science Analyst, was responsible for computer programming and data analysis. Thomas Hubbs, Senior Evaluator, provided direction to the project at its earlier stages. Thomas Hungerford, Senior Economist, commented on drafts and assisted with the data analysis. Laurel Rabin, Communications Analyst, provided editing and writing assistance.

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