The school‐to‐work movement in the United States: policies, problems and possibilities

Abstract

AbstractThe school‐to‐work movement is best understood as part of a broader educational reform initiative aimed at providing workers with the necessary skills to place the US in a position of international economic competitiveness. The school‐to‐work movement grew out of the educational reforms of the 1980s and 1990s and is defined largely by the School‐to‐Work Opportunities Act of 1994. The reforms of this period also influenced a paradigm shift in vocational education in the US. Although key premises of the school‐to‐work movement are invalid and the reforms have failed to build upon past efforts, the rediscovery of progressive vocational education practices holds promise for the improvement of public schooling in the US. The comprehensive high school is considered the setting logistically conducive for school‐to‐work activities.