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School-to-Work Transition Initiative - United States
Source: Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board of the Washington State
The state of Washington has made improving the education of its youth a top priority in the 1990s. School-to-Work Transition is an education strategy designed to help students gain a strong academic foundation, empower them to discover what careers might interest them, and help them plan for continued education and the career of their choice.
The School-to-Work Transition initiative builds upon the state's current education reform efforts. The Education Reform Act of 1993 (ESHB 1209) established four goals for improving student achievement. The fourth goal calls for students to "Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities."
Establishing a School-to-Work Transition initiative primarily is the responsibility of the local community. Most of the state's 296 school districts have established partnerships or started School-to-Work Transition initiatives.
Five state-level organizations are helping communities with their School-to-Work Transition initiatives - the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the Association of Washington Businesses and the Washington State Labor Council.
Elements of the School-to-Work Transition
School-to-Work Transition is based on the premise that most individuals learn best by doing, and by relating what they learn in school to real-world experiences.
School-to-Work Transition initiative typically will have three elements.
School-to-Work Transition envisions a system of well-marked, flexible pathways that all students follow as they move from school to college and to eventual employment. A pathway is a cluster of classes within a broad subject area (such as arts and communications, health, or science and technology) that equips a student for an eventual career within that subject area. Pathways make learning relevant by allowing students to practice what they are learning in the classroom in real-world settings, and by infusing career-related information into academic studies. Most schools use five to seven pathways, and students choose a pathway based on their individual interest. Students may change pathways should their interests change.
Implementation of the School-to-Work Transition
Washington State has made improving the education of its youth a top priority in the 1990s. The School-to-Work Transition initiative builds upon the state's current education reform efforts. Recent state laws establish goals for improving student achievement, laying the groundwork for creating a performance-based education system in the public schools, and expanding School-to-Work Transition initiatives state-wide.
The Education Reform Act of 1993 (ESHB 1209) established four goals for improving student achievement. The fourth goal calls for students to "Understand the importance of work and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities." Other legislation provided seed money for a limited number of school districts to develop model School-to-Work Transition initiatives.
In 1994, a council appointed by then-Governor Lowry made recommendations about what the state's School-to-Work Transition initiative should look like. The recommendations encouraged schools, parents, employers, workers and community leaders to work together to develop an education system that best meets the needs of their youth.
Nationally, the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 provides venture capital for states to develop a School-to-Work Transition system. In 1995, Washington State was awarded a five-year, $27 million federal grant to enable local communities to create School-to-Work Transition initiatives, and for state-level partners to assist with system-building activities.
Establishing a School-to-Work Transition initiative primarily is the responsibility of the local community. About 200 of the state's 296 school districts have established partnerships or started School-to-Work Transition initiatives. During the 1996-97 school year, these districts received more than $5 million in state and federal funds to help them get started. This year districts will receive $3.2 million. The goal is to have these initiatives in place in all schools statewide by the year 2000.
Public Support to School-to-Work Transition
A recent survey of adults in Washington State found widespread support for students to receive career preparation in school, and for School-to-Work Transition to be part of local school curriculum.
In the survey, 74 percent said careers and the skills necessary to succeed at work should be introduced to students before high school, and 87 percent said high schools should provide career preparation to every student before they graduate. Nearly everyone, 96 percent, said an education system that includes School-to-Work Transition is "highly desirable" or "desirable." (School-to-Work Transition was described as providing a strong academic foundation for every student; giving every student hands on learning experience; and providing an opportunity for every student to practice what they have learned in a work- based setting.)
Also, a 1996 summer survey of youths in Seattle also showed widespread support among students of all grade levels for job-related experience connected to their education, and for School-to-Work Transition.
Partnership in the School-to-Work Transition
The Governor's School-to-Work Task Force directs the activities of the state's public and private partners to ensure they support local initiatives, and connect local partnerships and initiatives into a statewide system.
Five state-level organizations are supporting local School-to-Work initiatives. They are the:
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