[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 30 (Thursday, March 17, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             SALUTE TO THE VENTURA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

                                 ______


                          HON. ELTON GALLEGLY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 1994

  Mr. GALLEGLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Ventura Unified 
School District in Ventura, CA, for its innovative continuing education 
program that has been recognized as a model program by the U.S. 
Department of Education.
  Over 5 years ago, citizens and educators in Ventura recognized that 
its vocational training system was not serving the needs of students or 
businesses. To solve the problem, school officials went out into the 
workplace, found out what employers needed, and met that challenge by 
developing a new program providing individualized, competency-based 
vocational training in high-technology industries for adults with 
disabilities. Their success in helping handicapped young adults in the 
workplace led to an expansion of the program, which now includes adult 
and secondary vocational training.
  Using students' goals as a starting point, a committee of teachers 
interviews and assesses their skills and weaknesses, then designs a 
specialized program to help students become competitive in the job 
market. They learn advanced technical vocational skills using the 
latest in computer technology. But the program does much more than 
that. Emphasizing life skills and critical thinking, the program works 
on the total student, including personal hygiene, language and social 
skills, and the success rate is nearly 100 percent.
  The program now offers 140 different classes in such areas as medical 
technology, computer-aided drafting, electronic office occupations, 
animation and electronic repair. And because the program is tailored to 
the individual, it can be designed to meet specific goals and needs. 
The program, which is supported by payments from businesses, student 
fees, insurance carriers, and some State and Federal funding, serves 
about 300 students.
  Because the program has been so successful, it was included in the 
America 2000 Community Notebook as an ideal program to meet goal 5 of 
the program, which states that every adult American will be literate 
and possess the skills necessary to compete in a global economy.
  Mr. Speaker, as a longtime supporter of vocational education, I am 
proud to recognize the innovative educators and community leaders who 
developed and implemented this outstanding program. I ask my colleagues 
to join me in saluting the Ventura Unified School District, and in 
encouraging schools around the country to take a closer look at this 
successful approach.

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