    Vocational Education: Changes at High School Level After Amendments to
    Perkins Act (Letter Report, 07/12/95, GAO/HEHS-95-144).

    Pursuant to a legislative requirement, GAO compared student
    participation and program features in high school vocational education
    programs in school year 1993 through 1994 with student participation
    levels in school year 1990 through 1991, focusing on the: (1) changes
    that have taken place in vocational education programs, availability of
    support services, and college attendance and employment following
    graduation; and (2) extent to which schools have adopted recommended
    approaches to enhance the quality of vocational education programs.

    GAO found that: (1) between 40 and 50 percent of students in special
    population groups participated in vocational education programs in 1990
    through 1994, despite the removal of the set-aside requirement; (2)
    schools continued to offer all students access to support services at
    the same or greater levels in 1993 than in 1990 through 1991; (3) among
    all student groups participating in vocational education, there was no
    significant changes in the proportion of students who attended college,
    went directly to work, or were unemployed; (4) the percentage of schools
    offering tech-prep programs increased from 27 to 45 percent between 1990
    and 1991 and 1993 and 1994 and the percentage of students participating
    in the programs rose from 9 to 16 percent, while more traditional
    school-to-work transition programs showed no major change; (5) teacher
    training in integrating vocational and academic instruction also
    increased, but most of the schools surveyed did not use integrated
    learning concepts in the classroom; (6) some school districts reported
    increased use of quality indicators in their self-assessment processes,
    however, the number of vocational education programs that require
    graduates to meet competency standards has remained stable; and (7) many
    of the program features associated with high-quality vocational
    education still affect a relatively small percentage of students and
    many more students will need to be exposed to these features before they
    become a standard part of vocational education.

    --------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------

     REPORTNUM:  HEHS-95-144
         TITLE:  Vocational Education: Changes at High School Level After
                 Amendments to Perkins Act
          DATE:  07/12/95
       SUBJECT:  Vocational education
                 Education or training
                 Secondary school students
                 Public schools
                 Disadvantaged persons
                 Work-study programs
                 Education program evaluation
                 Employment or training programs
                 Data collection operations

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    Cover
    ================================================================ COVER

    Report to Congressional Committees

    July 1995

    VOCATIONAL EDUCATION - CHANGES AT
    HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AFTER AMENDMENTS
    TO PERKINS ACT

    GAO/HEHS-95-144

    High School Vocational Education

    Abbreviations
    =============================================================== ABBREV

      NAVE - National Assessment of Vocational Education
      ABC - Test

    Letter
    =============================================================== LETTER

    B-255714

    July 12, 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

    Several changes affecting the U.S.  economy over the past two
    decades--the decline in prominence of the manufacturing sector, the
    strength of international competition, and the accelerating
    improvements in information technology--have heightened the
    importance of a skilled labor force.  In this context, vocational
    education remains an especially important tool for ensuring that
    entry-level workers are fully prepared for the labor market.

    The Carl D.  Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984
    (P.L.  98-524) provides federal support for vocational education at
    both the secondary (high school) and postsecondary levels.  In 1990,
    the Congress amended the Perkins Act to realign national priorities
    for vocational education.  In these amendments, the Congress
    encouraged several types of vocational education approaches that are
    designed to provide students with a better understanding of how
    schoolwork relates to job requirements.  In addition, the amendments
    removed a requirement that 57 percent of Perkins funding be set aside
    for services to students from special populations--including students
    with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, and students
    with limited English proficiency.\1 The amendments do require that
    states' vocational education plans provide special population
    students with equal access to vocational education programs and
    services; in addition, the amendments direct districts to allocate
    Perkins funds so as to give priority to sites or programs that have
    higher concentrations of special population students.  Nonetheless,
    some individuals were concerned that removal of the set-aside
    requirement would reduce special population students' access to
    vocational education.

    In response to a mandate in the amendments, we compared student
    participation and program features in high school (secondary level)
    vocational education programs in school year 1993-94\2 (after
    enactment of the amendments) with 1990-91 (before enactment of the
    amendments).  A companion report will address changes at the
    postsecondary level.\3,4

    Specifically, this report addresses the following questions:

      For students from special population groups, what changes have
         taken place in (1) participation in vocational education,
         including participation in innovative programs; (2) availability
         of support services; and (3) college attendance and employment
         following graduation?

      For vocational education programs, to what extent have schools and
         school districts adopted recommended approaches to enhance
         quality--such as (1) school-to-work transition activities, (2)
         integration of academic and vocational learning, (3) development
         of competency standards for students, and (4) increased use of
         quality indicators for program assessment?\5

    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 nationally representative sample of public
    secondary schools and their associated central district offices.  For
    the schools and districts that responded to both surveys, we
    determined what changes had taken place (1) among students from
    special populations and (2) in vocational education programs.  To
    supplement our survey data, we visited four school districts.
    (Details on our scope and methodology are in app.  I, and detailed
    information about our results is in app.  II.  Apps.  III and IV
    contain the aggregate responses to the two surveys.)

    --------------------
    \1 The amendments define "special population students" to include
    three groups of students who may require special assistance to
    succeed in a vocational education program--students with disabilities
    due to certain physical or mental conditions; students disadvantaged
    because of economic or academic disadvantages; and students with
    limited English proficiency, that is, difficulty speaking, reading,
    writing, or understanding English because of the predominance of
    another language in their environment.

    \2 In this report, all hyphenated years are school years.

    \3 See Vocational Education:  2-Year Colleges Improve Programs,
    Maintain Access for Special Populations (GAO/HEHS-95-163).

    \4 This report updates the preliminary findings of our study, which
    we reported in 1993.  See Vocational Education:  Status in School
    Year 1990-91 and Early Signs of Change at Secondary Level
    (GAO/HRD-93-71, July 13, 1993) and Vocational Education:  Status in
    2-Year Colleges in 1990-91 and Early Signs of Change (GAO/HRD-93-89,
    Aug.  16, 1993).

    \5 In our previous study, we also examined the concentration of
    Perkins funds across schools.  The data were insufficient to allow us
    to address that issue in this report.

       RESULTS IN BRIEF
    ------------------------------------------------------------ Letter :1

    The initial concerns about the effects of the Perkins amendments did
    not materialize.  Removal of the set-aside requirement for students
    from special population groups did not inhibit their participation,
    limit the availability of services, or affect their postgraduation
    status.  Between 40 and 50 percent of these students participated in
    vocational education in 1993-94--percentages that remained virtually
    unchanged from 1990-91.  These students also continued to participate
    in the full range of vocational education, including school-to-work
    activities.  Schools continued to offer all students--including those
    from special populations--access to support services at the same or
    greater levels in 1993-94 than in 1990-91.  Student activities
    following graduation were also generally unchanged between 1993-94
    and 1990-91.  In all student groups, we observed no significant
    changes in the proportion of students who attended college, went
    directly to work, or were unemployed.

    There are both signs of progress and room for improvement as
    secondary schools and school districts have acted to modernize and
    enhance their vocational education programs.  Schools have moved
    aggressively to apply some approaches, but have been slower to adopt
    other changes.  For example, the percentage of schools offering
    tech-prep programs\6

    increased significantly (from 27 to 45 percent) between 1990-91 and
    1993-94, and the percentage of students participating in tech-prep
    rose from 9 to 16 percent.  However, more traditional school-to-work
    transition programs like work-study and apprenticeships have shown no
    significant change.\7 Teacher training in integrating vocational and
    academic instruction also increased, but the majority of schools in
    our survey did not employ several practices (team teaching, for
    example) that bring integrated learning concepts into the classroom.
    School districts also reported increased use of quality indicators
    (such as placement data) in their self-assessment processes, despite
    the difficulties many of them encounter in gathering this kind of
    information.\8 However, the number of vocational education programs
    that require graduates to meet competency standards has remained
    virtually unchanged.  Moreover, many of the program features
    associated with high-quality vocational education still affect a
    relatively small percentage of students.  For example, although 74
    percent of schools offer work-study programs, only about 16 percent
    of vocational education students participated in work study in
    1993-94.  Many more students will need to be exposed to these
    approaches before they become a standard part of vocational
    education.

    --------------------
    \6 Tech-prep programs use a coordinated curriculum, typically with 2
    years in high school and 2 years in community college, to prepare
    students for technical careers.

    \7 Work-study and apprenticeship programs provide a structured
    learning experience in a workplace setting.

    \8 For example, schools may have difficulty gathering reliable
    placement information because of insufficient student response.

       BACKGROUND
    ------------------------------------------------------------ Letter :2

    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.\9

    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.\10

    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.\11

    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.

    --------------------
    \9 This definition of vocational education can be found in the
    Perkins Act.  Researchers and education experts have used a variety
    of different definitions for vocational education.

    \10 A similar funding threshold is set at $50,000 for the
    postsecondary level.

    \11 Tech-prep programs may require that students meet certain
    competency standards for completion, but many schools impose
    competency standards on programs other than tech-prep.  For example,
    one of the schools we visited required its auto technology students
    to demonstrate specific skills like testing engine coolant,
    disassembling an engine, and replacing an alternator.

       REMOVAL OF SET-ASIDE
       REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPEAR TO
       HAVE HURT SPECIAL POPULATION
       STUDENTS
    ------------------------------------------------------------ Letter :3

    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.\12

    This decline in overall participation was reflected in small,
    statistically insignificant\13 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.)

       Figure 1:  Percentage of
       Vocational Education Students,
       by Type of Student, 1990-91 and
       1993-94

       (See figure in printed
       edition.)

    Note:  Students from special population groups may be included in
    more than one category.

    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.)

    --------------------
    \12 This finding is consistent with results reported by the National
    Assessment of Vocational Education (NAVE).  Using four different
    definitions of vocational education, NAVE's researchers found that
    between 1982 and 1992 there was a steady decline in the percentage of
    high school graduates who could be considered vocational education
    students.  See NAVE, Final Report to Congress, Vol.  II,
    Participation in and Quality of Vocational Education (Washington,
    D.C.:  U.S.  Department of Education, 1994), p.  12.

    \13 Because the figures in this report are estimates derived from a
    survey, they may differ from the values that we would have obtained
    had we been able to get information from all the schools in the
    United States.  The difference between two estimates--such as the
    difference between estimated enrollment in 1990-91 and in 1993-94--is
    said to be statistically significant if we can be 95 percent sure
    that the difference is not merely due to chance or coincidence.  If
    the estimates are close enough that we cannot be sure the difference
    is meaningful, the difference is said to be statistically
    insignificant.

          AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT
          SERVICES INCREASED FOR ALL
          STUDENTS, INCLUDING STUDENTS
          FROM SPECIAL POPULATIONS
    ---------------------------------------------------------- Letter :3.1

    From 1990-91 to 1993-94, the percentage of schools that offered
    support services to students, including those from special population
    groups, generally increased.\14 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.\15

    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.)

       Figure 2:  Percentage of
       Schools Offering Selected
       Support Services, by Group,
       1993-94

       (See figure in printed
       edition.)

    Note:  Students from special population groups may be included in
    more than one category.

    --------------------
    \14 We asked schools about the availability of 15 distinct support
    services for students.  (See table II.5 for more information on these
    services.)

    \15 Fewer schools reported whether they offered services to students
    with limited English proficiency.  Therefore, estimates of services
    for these students are less precise.

          COLLEGE ATTENDANCE AND
          EMPLOYMENT WERE GENERALLY
          UNCHANGED
    ---------------------------------------------------------- Letter :3.2

    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.\16 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.)

    --------------------
    \16 Sixty-three percent of all graduating seniors in our survey
    expected to attend either a 4- or 2-year college.  This is consistent
    with Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that indicate about 62
    percent of recent high school graduates enrolled in colleges or
    universities in the fall of 1992.  See Proportion of 1992 High School
    Graduates Enrolled in College, U.S.  Department of Labor, Publication
    No.  93-153 (Washington, D.C.:  June 22, 1993).

       EFFORTS TO IMPROVE QUALITY
       SHOWED PROGRESS, BUT
       RECOMMENDED APPROACHES HAVE YET
       TO REACH MANY CLASSROOMS
    ------------------------------------------------------------ Letter :4

    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
    ---------------------------------------------------------- Letter :4.1

    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).\17

    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.

       Figure 3:  Teacher Training in
       Academic and Vocational
       Education Integration, 1990-91
       and 1993-94

       (See figure in printed
       edition.)

    Note:  Percentages indicate schools reporting that "To a great
    extent" or "To a very great extent" they are participating in these
    teacher training activities designed to integrate academics with
    vocational education.

       Figure 4:  Percentage of
       Schools With Certain
       School-to-Work Transition
       Activities, 1990-91 and 1993-94

       (See figure in printed
       edition.)

    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.\18 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.\19

    --------------------
    \17 The growth in tech-prep programs masks the fact that tech-prep
    programs across the country are still in transition.  Because
    tech-prep programs are still quite new, relatively few students have
    made the transition from high school to college.  In addition, among
    many schools there is lack of agreement about what constitutes
    tech-prep.  Because our survey data are based on schools' reports and
    on their interpretations of what constitutes a tech-prep program, the
    survey information may not adequately characterize the enormous
    variation in the size and strength of tech-prep programs nationwide.

    \18 These activities include team teaching, programs in which
    academic teachers teach their subjects in vocational classes, and
    programs in which each course within the vocational education program
    concentrates on academics.

    \19 In 1990-91 schools reported an average of 5.11 vocational
    programs in which such standards or competencies applied.  In 1993-94
    the average number of programs for which standards or competencies
    applied was 5.35; the difference between the 2 years is statistically
    insignificant.  Similarly, the difference between the percentage of
    schools issuing certificates in 1990-91 (25 percent) and in 1993-94
    (33 percent) is statistically insignificant.

          DISTRICTS REPORT USING MORE
          QUALITY INDICATORS FOR
          SELF-ASSESSMENT
    ---------------------------------------------------------- Letter :4.2

    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
    ------------------------------------------------------------ Letter :5

    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.\20 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.

    --------------------
    \20 The law specifies that 75 percent of the within state allocations
    shall be available for basic programs under Part C of title II.  The
    general authority for the use of funds in Part C, section 235,
    requires that recipients give priority in assistance to sites or
    programs that serve the highest concentrations of the special
    populations.

    ---------------------------------------------------------- Letter :5.1

    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.

    Linda G.  Morra
    Director, Education and
     Employment Issues

    SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY
    =========================================================== Appendix I

    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
    ------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:0.1

    To address these objectives, we used panel data\21 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.\22 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.\23 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.\24 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.

    --------------------
    \21 A panel is a fixed, cross-section sample of subjects that is
    measured more than once and permits direct comparisons of the
    subjects over two or more time periods.  The data covered the status
    of students and programs for the school year 1990-91, before the
    amendments went into effect, and the school year 1993-94, after the
    amendments.

    \22 These strata include comprehensive urban, comprehensive suburban,
    comprehensive rural, vocational urban, vocational suburban, and
    vocational rural schools, as well as schools for the disabled and
    alternative schools.

    \23 See Gilbert A.  Churchill, Marketing Research Methodological
    Foundations, 5th ed., (Chicago:  Dryden Press, 1991), p.  152, and
    William H.  Green, Econometric Analysis, 2nd ed., (New York:
    Macmillan Press, 1993), pp.  464-470.

    \24 Incomplete data from a sample survey (nonresponse) are assumed to
    be biased (nonrepresentative) unless there is strong evidence that
    this is not true.  Statistical functions, such as means, variances,
    and covariances, are likely to be biased and have distributions
    affected by nonresponse.  Therefore, the use of a pooled sample is
    another type of nonrepresentativeness of the population parameters.

          WEIGHTS WERE USED FOR THE
          SCHOOL BUT NOT THE DISTRICT
          DATA
    ------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:0.2

    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.

                                        Table I.1

                           Universe, Samples, and Responses of
                                    Secondary Schools

                              Baseli  Follow  Baseli  Follow
                                  ne     -up      ne     -up  Baseli  Follow    Both
                              adjust  adjust  adjust  adjust      ne     -up  survey
    Type/location of school       ed      ed      ed      ed  survey  survey       s
    ------------------------  ------  ------  ------  ------  ------  ------  ------
    Comprehensive urban        2,135   2,061     346     334     325     283     259
    Comprehensive suburban     2,826   2,796     284     281     244     229     204
    Comprehensive             10,617  10,427     336     330     277     242     208
     rural
    Vocational urban             246     239     177     172     168     150     131
    Vocational suburban          184     171     144     134     135     106      94
    Vocational rural             526     519     237     234     226     190     172
    School for disabled          591     491     130     108      83      52      42
    Alternative                  942     846     284     255     180     140     123
    ================================================================================
    Total                     18,067  17,550   1,938   1,848   1,638   1,392   1,233
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

          SEVERAL COMPARISONS WERE
          MADE
    ------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:0.3

    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):

       Figure I.1:  Comparisons Used
       in GAO's Analysis

       (See figure in printed
       edition.)

      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
    ------------------------------------------------------- Appendix I:0.4

    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
    ========================================================== Appendix II

    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
    -------------------------------------------------------- Appendix II:1

          OVERALL SECONDARY SCHOOL
          ENROLLMENT
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:1.1

    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.)

                              Table II.1

               Estimated Number of Students per School,
                by Student Group, 1990-91 and 1993-94

                                                          Percen
                                           1990-   1993-    tage
    Category                                  91      94  change
    ------------------------------------  ------  ------  ------
    Total                                    603     640     6.1
    Nonspecial population                    397     417     5.0
                                          (65.4%  (65.8%
                                               )       )
    Disabled                                  43      53    23.3
                                           (9.0)  (10.1)
    Disadvantaged                            158     189    19.6
                                          (30.3)  (31.6)
    Limited English proficiency               23      33    43.5
                                           (2.5)   (3.1)
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Notes:  The changes from 1990-91 to 1993-94 in the percentage of
    students were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

    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
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:1.2

    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.)

                              Table II.2

                   Estimated Number of Vocational-
               Technical Education Students per School,
                by Student Group, 1990-91 and 1993-94

                                                          Percen
                                           1990-   1993-    tage
    Category                                  91      94  change
    ------------------------------------  ------  ------  ------
    Total                                    330     336     1.8
    Nonspecial population                    186     190     2.2
                                          (59.5%  (58.1%
                                               )       )
    Disabled                                  28      32    14.3
                                          (10.0)  (11.8)
    Disadvantaged                            108     120    11.1
                                          (31.9)  (35.6)
    Limited English proficiency               11      13    18.2
                                           (2.0)   (2.7)
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Notes:  The changes from 1990-91 to 1993-94 in the percentages of
    students were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

    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.)

                              Table II.3

                 Estimated Students Participating in
                  Vocational-Technical Education, by
                  Student Group, 1990-91 and 1993-94

                                                          Percen
                                           1990-   1993-    tage
    Category                                  91      94  change
    ------------------------------------  ------  ------  ------
    Total                                   45.3    41.7    -7.9
    Nonspecial population                   42.6    39.7    -6.8
    Disabled                                48.2    47.0    -2.5
    Disadvantaged                           52.6    49.8    -5.3
    Limited English proficiency             35.6    38.3     7.6
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Note:  The changes from 1990-91 to 1993-94 in the percentages of
    students were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

          ACCESS TO SCHOOL-TO-WORK
          ACTIVITIES
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:1.3

    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.)

                              Table II.4

                Mean Percentage of Vocational Students
               in Each School That Are Participating in
                Specific School-to-Work Activities, by
                  Student Group, 1990-91 and 1993-94

                                                   1990-   1993-
                                                      91      94
    --------------------------------------------  ------  ------
    Tech-Prep
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    All students                                     8.9    15.6
    Nonspecial population                            9.2    16.0
    Disabled                                         6.3    13.0
    Disadvantaged                                    9.5    16.8
    Limited English proficiency                     11.0    12.8

    Work-Study
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    All students                                    16.5    16.4
    Nonspecial population                           15.9    16.1
    Disabled                                        15.8    17.4
    Disadvantaged                                   18.2    15.3
    Limited English proficiency                     16.1    16.6

    Apprenticeship
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    All students                                     0.6     0.4
    Nonspecial population                            0.5     0.3
    Disabled                                         0.1     0.3
    Disadvantaged                                    0.8     0.2
    Limited English proficiency                      1.8     0.2
    ------------------------------------------------------------
    Note:  The changes from 1990-91 to 1993-94 in the percentages of
    students were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level.

       AVAILABILITY OF SUPPORT
       SERVICES
    -------------------------------------------------------- Appendix II:2

    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.)

                                        Table II.5

                          Schools Offering Support Services, by
                          Group and Type of Service, 1990-91 and
                                         1993-94

              1990-    1993-    1990-    1993-    1990-    1993-    1990-
               91       94       91       94       91       94       91     1993-94
    -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  -------  --------
    Teacher   27.6     29.7     49.9    64.5\a    43.8     45.6     54.8      65.3
     aide
    Interpr    5.2     11.0     16.2     21.1      7.9     10.5     45.6      54.4
     eter
     servic
     e
    Reader     3.7      5.4     11.5     19.4      3.8      5.3      8.7      3.4
     service
    Counsel   93.1     96.8     88.5     94.4     90.6     94.9     90.1      93.9
     ing/
     guidan
     ce
    Tutorin   51.5    66.1\a    62.0    75.2\a    59.3    74.9\a    63.2      78.2
     g
    Day        8.8     12.0     10.5     13.8     12.8     16.2     16.0      17.7
     care
    Curricu   40.8     45.3     70.7    87.7\a    58.8     65.3     59.1      65.0
     lum
     modifi
     cation
    Exposur   71.1     73.4     67.5     73.0     70.5     70.2     72.7      76.3
     e to
     paid
     jobs
    Exposur   42.0     49.9     49.5     61.9     47.1     52.4     50.1      56.5
     e to
     unpaid
     or
     subsid
     ized
     jobs
    Life      65.5     73.1     75.0    87.1\a    72.9     76.6     71.0      78.0
     skills
     traini
     ng
    Evaluat   73.7    83.4\a    84.1     90.6     81.6     86.5     80.5      87.9
     ion/
     assess
     ment
    Special   63.0     69.6     69.3     75.3     66.8     70.7     71.2      73.2
     recrui
     tment
    Transpo   50.6     60.0     59.2    73.6\a    53.8     61.8     46.3      52.6
     rtation
     servic
     es
    Special   17.5     15.2     48.1     53.5     26.3     27.9     27.2      22.6
     or
     modifi
     ed
     equipm
     ent
    Waiver    15.7     17.5     18.9     21.4     25.5     30.3     23.8      22.2
     of
     tuitio
     n/
     fees
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \a The change from 1990-91 to 1993-94 was statistically significant
    at the 0.05 level.

       STUDENT PLACEMENT OUTCOMES
    -------------------------------------------------------- Appendix II:3

    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.\25

    (See table II.6.)

                                   Table II.6

                      Postgraduation Status of Vocational
                      Education Students, by Student Group

                                                                   Limited
                         All  Nonspecial                           English
                      studen  population  Disadvantage  Disabl  proficienc
                          ts           s             d      ed           y
    ----------------  ------  ----------  ------------  ------  ----------
    Outcomes reported in baseline survey
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Attending           24.1        29.2          14.3    14.5        33.5
     4-year college
    Attending           27.5        28.9          29.9    30.9        36.2
     2-year college
    Working             31.0        26.4          36.5    37.6        19.8
    In military          5.5         4.3           6.1     2.1         0.2
    Unemployed           5.1         5.1           5.6     9.5         2.1
    Unknown              7.0         6.1           7.6     5.6         8.2

    Outcomes reported in follow-up survey
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Attending           22.4        26.7          13.2    11.1        20.0
     4-year college
    Attending           28.2        30.6          26.8    22.1        36.8
     2-year college
    Working             29.4        28.0          33.6    46.3        25.8
    In military          7.0         5.8           6.0     3.0       3.4\a
    Unemployed           5.8         3.7           8.8     9.4         4.6
    Unknown              7.4         5.3          11.6     8.2         9.2
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Notes:  Data represent the most recently graduated senior class for
    which information was available.

    Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.

    \a The change from 1990-91 to 1993-94 was statistically significant
    at the 0.05 level.

    --------------------
    \25 There was one exception to this pattern:  a very small, but
    statistically significant, increase in the number of students with
    limited English proficiency who joined the military.

       SCHOOLS' EFFORTS TO IMPROVE
       VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS
    -------------------------------------------------------- Appendix II:4

    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
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:4.1

    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.)

                                 Table II.7

                   Schools Reporting That They Conducted
                  Integrated Learning Activities in One or
                   More Vocational Education Programs, by
                    Subject Matter, 1990-91 and 1993-94

                         1990-   1993-   1990-   1993-   1990-   1993-
                            91      94      91      94      91      94
    ------------------  ------  ------  ------  ------  ------  ------
    Team teaching         11.7  26.2\a    12.5  28.1\a    10.1  26.1\a
     (where academic
     and vocational
     education
     teachers work
     together)
    Programs in which      9.3  19.7\a     9.7    17.2     6.8  15.5\a
     academic teacher
     does academic
     teaching in
     vocational
     education class
    Programs in which     54.1    62.0    52.6    61.1    48.1    51.8
     vocational
     education teacher
     does academic
     teaching in
     vocational
     education class
    Programs in which     24.0  40.2\a    23.4  39.8\a    21.3  35.0\a
     each course
     within vocational
     program
     concentrates on
     academics
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    \a The change from 1990-91 to 1993-94 was statistically significant
    at the 0.05 level.

          STRENGTHENING TIES TO
          BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:4.2

    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.)

                                  Table II.8

                       Schools Reporting Changes in the
                   Contributions of the Local Community in
                    1993-94 Compared With 1990-91, by Type
                               of Contribution

    Type of
    contribution by      "Much More"                 "Somewhat
    business or         or "Somewhat   "About As      Less" or    "Don't
    organization               More"       Much"   "Much Less"     Know"
    ------------------  ------------  ----------  ------------  --------
    Teachers work in            18.9        54.8           3.6      22.8
     local industry
     for professional
     development
    Industry people             21.0        54.3           2.8      21.9
     teach in the
     school
    Helps to develop            36.1        46.9           2.6      14.4
     or modify
     curriculum
    Consults with               50.0        36.1           2.5      11.5
     school about
     skills needed by
     students in
     workplace
    Donates money to            15.1        54.5           5.2      25.3
     vocational
     education program
    Donates material,           25.1        48.4           6.9      19.5
     supplies, or
     equipment to
     vocational
     education program
    Makes facilities            20.7        53.1           2.7      23.5
     available to
     students (other
     than through co-
     ops)
    Provides positions          33.2        51.1           2.7      13.0
     for work-study,
     co-ops, or
     apprenticeships
    Helps evaluate              24.7        53.7           1.3      20.2
     students for
     competency
     attainment
    Helps develop               32.2        47.7           2.0      18.1
     competency
     standards
    Provides mentor             30.9        46.5           2.8      19.8
     programs or job
     shadowing
    --------------------------------------------------------------------

          SCHOOLS MOVE TO USE
          ADDITIONAL DATA IN QUALITY
          ASSESSMENT
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:4.3

    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.)

                              Table II.9

               Indicators Used by Districts We Surveyed
                to Assess Vocational Programs, 1990-91
                             and 1993-94

                                                   1990-   1993-
    Possible quality indicator                        91      94
    --------------------------------------------  ------  ------
    Number of students in vocational education      91.2    94.2
     programs
    Number of "high technology" programs            59.9    68.3
    Number of students participating in "high       59.3    67.1
     technology" programs
    Use of occupational competency standards        68.2    84.8
    Use of certificates of competency               49.2    62.4
    Graduation rates                                72.3    83.2
    Placement rates (additional education,          77.1    86.3
     training, employment, or military service)
    Program completion rates                        82.1    91.4
    Qualifications of vocational teachers           82.2    88.5
    Career counseling or assistance                 80.8    86.2
    Linkage with postsecondary vocational           66.8    85.1
     education programs
    Linkage with business or labor                  78.7    85.7
    Integration of academics with vocational        55.6    87.8
     curriculum
    Coherent sequence of courses leading to an      77.8    91.3
     occupational skill
    Location of program (e.g., local high           62.5    58.0
     school, area vocational school, community
     college)
    Use of modern equipment/facilities              88.3    93.0
    Participation in programs and services          85.4    90.4
     designed to eliminate sex bias and
     stereotyping in vocational education
    ------------------------------------------------------------

          MANY DISTRICT OFFICIALS
          BELIEVED THAT PERKINS
          AMENDMENTS HAVE HAD POSITIVE
          IMPACT
    ------------------------------------------------------ Appendix II:4.4

    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"    "Neither  "Decreased
                                    or   Increased        " or
                            "Increased         nor    "Greatly    "Don't
                                     "  Decreased"  Decreased"     Know"
    ----------------------  ----------  ----------  ----------  --------
    Your district's               52.6        30.7        14.8       2.0
     ability to purchase
     state-of-the-art
     equipment
    Your district's               54.7        19.1        23.8       2.3
     ability to spend
     Perkins funds where
     needed most
    Your district's               52.9        31.3        13.6       2.3
     ability to plan
     vocational programs
     and use Perkins funds
    Equity with which             31.1        37.1        15.9      15.9
     Perkins funding is
     allocated among
     districts
    Amount of record              67.3        21.3         4.0       7.4
     keeping required by
     state to meet Perkins
     requirements
    Extent of services            66.6        27.6         4.2       1.5
     your district offered
     to vocational-
     technical students in
     special populations
    Extent of services            52.5        36.6         9.1       1.8
     your district offered
     to vocational-
     technical students in
     general
    Access special                56.4        40.7         1.4       1.4
     population students
     have to vocational-
     technical programs
    Tutoring and                  43.7        50.9         2.7       2.7
     remediation for
     vocational-technical
     students in general
    Quality of vocational-        67.3        26.4         4.3       2.0
     technical programs
    Your district's               70.6        23.2         4.5       1.6
     program improvement
     efforts
    Technical education           50.3        45.3         1.2       3.2
     standards that
     students must achieve
    Academic education            51.0        45.3         0.7       3.1
     standards that
     students must achieve
    Use of applied                68.5        28.5         0.9       2.1
     curricula in
     vocational-technical
     courses
    Use of integration of         71.9        25.3         0.8       2.0
     academic and
     vocational-technical
     courses
    Application of                59.9        36.8         0.6       2.7
     measures and
     standards to evaluate
     the effectiveness of
     programs
    Development of tech-          67.9        29.1         0.7       2.3
     prep programs
    Professional                  63.4        32.2         2.5       1.8
     development
     opportunities for
     instructors and
     administrators
    --------------------------------------------------------------------

    (See figure in printed edition.)Appendix III
    AGGREGATED RESPONSES TO SURVEY OF
    PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS
    ========================================================== Appendix II

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    (See figure in printed edition.)Appendix IV
    AGGREGATED RESPONSES TO SURVEY OF
    SCHOOL DISTRICTS
    ========================================================== Appendix II

    (See figure in printed edition.)

    (See figure in printed edition.)

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    (See figure in printed edition.)Appendix V
    COMMENTS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
    EDUCATION
    ========================================================== Appendix II

    (See figure in printed edition.)

    GAO CONTACTS AND STAFF
    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    ========================================================== Appendix VI

    GAO CONTACTS

    Henry Felder, Assistant Director, (202) 512-7005
    Sarah L.  Glavin, Project Manager, (202) 512-7180

    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.