CEC's DCDT FAST FACTS: Vocational Education
CEC's DCDT FAST FACTS: Vocational Education Prepared by the DCDT Publications Committee The National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center has identified evidence-based predictors of post-school success for students with disabilities based on a systematic correlational literature review (Test et al., 2009). Findings indicated that students who participated in vocational education and received vocational education credits in high school, were more likely to be engaged in post-school education (Baer et al., 2003; Halpern et al., 1995; Harvey, 2002; Leonard et al., 1999). Recently, Rowe et al. (2013) conducted a Delphi study to add specificity to the existing predictor definitions identified by Test et al. (2009) and operationally defined the predictors so local educators understand the components necessary to develop, implement, and evaluate secondary transition programs based on predictor research. Vocational education has been operationally defined as “a sequence of courses that prepares students for a specific job or career at various levels from trade or craft positions to technical, business, or professional careers” (Rowe et al., 2013). Vocational education should include the following essential program characteristics as identified by Rowe et al., 2013: • Provide a sequence of entry level and advanced integrated academic and vocational courses designed to improve students’ reasoning and problem-solving skills, academic knowledge, work attitudes, specific occupational and/or technical skills, and general skills needed for employment. * • Provide a combination of in-school and community-based academic, competency-based applied, and hands-on learning experiences in the career pathways based on the local labor market. • Provide connection to postsecondary education and/or employment through site visits and connections with support services (e.g., vocational rehabilitation, disability support services). • Provide opportunities to earn certificates in certain career areas (e.g., Certified Nursing Assistant, Welding, Food Handlers Certification). • Develop business partnerships to ensure a relevant curriculum. • Provide career counseling and guidance to assist students in career planning and development aligned with the students’ preferences, interests, needs, and skills. • Provide instruction in career development through volunteer work, job shadowing, workstudy, apprenticeships, or internships. • Provide accommodation and supports in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses to ensure student access and mastery of content. • Provide instruction in soft skills (e.g., problem solving, communicating with authority figures, responding to feedback, promptness) and occupational specific skills (e.g., clerical, machine operation).
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Measure achievement in soft skills (e.g., problem solving, communicating with authority figures, responding to feedback, promptness) and occupational specific skills (e.g., clerical, machine operation).
Application to Teachers • Evaluate vocational education training and programs for students to ensure essential program characteristics are included. • Familiarize yourself with CTE resources available. For example, use the assessments the CTE teachers have administered with students while transition planning. • Collaborate with CTE teachers and coordinators to understand the training opportunities available to students. • Familiarize yourself with the States’ Career Clusters Initiative established by the National Career Technical Education Foundation to identify Career Clusters as a tool to provide technical skills needed across 16 career clusters. These clusters include key knowledge and skills statements that represent content students need to be a successful employee in the specific career area. For more information see: www.careerclusters.org Application to Administrators • Use the Predictor Self-Assessment to evaluate vocational education coursework and experiences located here: http://psocenter.org/content_page_assets/content_page_3/Predictor_SelfAssessment.final_06_24_13.pdf • The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) is part of Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s (OVAE) strategy to assist states and local education agencies in identifying and implementing effective career and technical education programs. For more information see: www.nccte.org Application to Families • Look for choices in CTE and vocational education available in your district and how those classes align with your child’s postsecondary goals Where to go for Additional Information Websites Association for Career Technical Education (2010). CTE initiatives. Retrieved from http://www.acteonline.org Association for Career Technical Education (2010). What is Career Ready? Retrieved from http://www.acteonline.org National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (2009). Predictor of Post-School Success. Retrieved from http://www.nsttac.org/ebp/PredictorResources.aspx States’ Career Cluster Initiative (2002). Career clusters. Retrieved from http://www.careerclusters.org
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United States Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (1991). What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for America 2000. Retrieved from http://www.academicinnovations.com/report.html Books, Newsletters, and Research Articles Kochar-Bryant, C. A., & Bassett, D. S. (2002). Aligning transition and standards-based education: Issues and strategies. Arlington,VA: Council for Exceptional Children. Rowe, D. A., Alverson, C. Y., Unruh, D., Fowler, C., Kellems, R., & Test, D. W. (2013). Operationalizing evidence-based predictors in secondary transition: A Delphi study. Manuscript in preparation. Test, D. W., Mazzotti, V. L., Mustian, A. L., Fowler, C. H., Kortering, L. J., & Kohler, P. H. (2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32, 160-181. Doi: 10.1177/0885728809346960 While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Career Development and Transition Publications Committee (DCDT: January, 2012). Fast Facts: Vocational Education.
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Measure achievement in soft skills (e.g., problem solving, communicating with authority figures, responding to feedback, promptness) and occupational specific skills (e.g., clerical, machine operation).
Application to Teachers • Evaluate vocational education training and programs for students to ensure essential program characteristics are included. • Familiarize yourself with CTE resources available. For example, use the assessments the CTE teachers have administered with students while transition planning. • Collaborate with CTE teachers and coordinators to understand the training opportunities available to students. • Familiarize yourself with the States’ Career Clusters Initiative established by the National Career Technical Education Foundation to identify Career Clusters as a tool to provide technical skills needed across 16 career clusters. These clusters include key knowledge and skills statements that represent content students need to be a successful employee in the specific career area. For more information see: www.careerclusters.org Application to Administrators • Use the Predictor Self-Assessment to evaluate vocational education coursework and experiences located here: http://psocenter.org/content_page_assets/content_page_3/Predictor_SelfAssessment.final_06_24_13.pdf • The National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) is part of Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s (OVAE) strategy to assist states and local education agencies in identifying and implementing effective career and technical education programs. For more information see: www.nccte.org Application to Families • Look for choices in CTE and vocational education available in your district and how those classes align with your child’s postsecondary goals Where to go for Additional Information Websites Association for Career Technical Education (2010). CTE initiatives. Retrieved from http://www.acteonline.org Association for Career Technical Education (2010). What is Career Ready? Retrieved from http://www.acteonline.org National Secondary Transition Technical Assistance Center (2009). Predictor of Post-School Success. Retrieved from http://www.nsttac.org/ebp/PredictorResources.aspx States’ Career Cluster Initiative (2002). Career clusters. Retrieved from http://www.careerclusters.org
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United States Department of Labor Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (1991). What work requires of schools: A SCANS report for America 2000. Retrieved from http://www.academicinnovations.com/report.html Books, Newsletters, and Research Articles Kochar-Bryant, C. A., & Bassett, D. S. (2002). Aligning transition and standards-based education: Issues and strategies. Arlington,VA: Council for Exceptional Children. Rowe, D. A., Alverson, C. Y., Unruh, D., Fowler, C., Kellems, R., & Test, D. W. (2013). Operationalizing evidence-based predictors in secondary transition: A Delphi study. Manuscript in preparation. Test, D. W., Mazzotti, V. L., Mustian, A. L., Fowler, C. H., Kortering, L. J., & Kohler, P. H. (2009). Evidence-based secondary transition predictors for improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. Career Development for Exceptional Individuals, 32, 160-181. Doi: 10.1177/0885728809346960 While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: Council for Exceptional Children’s Division of Career Development and Transition Publications Committee (DCDT: January, 2012). Fast Facts: Vocational Education.
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