Key Findings
1. STW works for students.
- The overwhelming majority of
participants (84% cross-cutting; 81% employer/labor) said
that benefits to students involved in STW met or exceeded
their expectations.
- Eighty-one percent (81%) of
cross-cutting participants agreed that STW experiences help
students to meet challenging state academic standards.
- Ninety-seven percent (97%) of
employer/labor representatives agreed that STW broadens
students’ career options.
- Ninety-seven percent (97%) of
employer/labor representatives agreed that STW experiences
are beneficial for students who plan to attend college, and
96% of cross-cutting participants agreed that STW helps
students to be better prepared for college.
2. STW works for business and communities.
- Nearly three-quarters of
participants (74% employer/labor; 73% cross-cutting)
reported that benefits to their organizations as a result of
STW involvement met or exceeded their expectations.
- The majority of participants
(66% cross-cutting; 60% employer/labor) said that benefits
to their communities as a result of STW involvement met or
exceeded their expectations.
- Ninety-seven percent (97%) of
employer/labor representatives agreed that STW is a good
strategy for building a competitive workforce for the
future.
- Employer/labor representatives
reported that STW has opened an unprecedented dialogue among
business, education, and other community partners.
3. STW initiatives have been widely
embraced.
A significant majority of
participants (90% employer/labor; 80% cross-cutting) said they
will remain involved in STW initiatives over the next five
years.
The overwhelming majority of
participants (98% cross-cutting; 95% employer/labor) believe
it is important for schools to provide opportunities for
students to learn in workplaces or other community settings.
Ninety-seven percent (97%) of
both employer/labor and cross-cutting participants believe it
is a good idea for high school students to participate in
internships.
Most participants (89%
cross-cutting; 83% employer/labor) support the development of
career majors* for high school students.
4. STW is a valuable initiative,
worthy of expanded commitment and continued investment.
A majority of participants in
both regional and national sessions believe that STW
initiatives have not had enough time to fulfill their
potential and that communities need more time and resources to
fully develop and sustain their STW partnerships and system
infrastructure.
Most employer/labor and
cross-cutting participants ranked continued funding,
especially for intermediary** activities, as a top
priority to expand and strengthen STW initiatives.
The majority of participants in
both regional and national sessions deemed work-based
learning, professional development (especially teacher
externships in the workplace), and partnerships***
as the STW initiatives most worthy of future investment.
Participants in both regional
and national sessions concluded that if information on STW and
its benefits were more widely known, many more students,
parents, employers, and other individuals in the community
would want to get involved.
* Career majors are programs
of study that link academic and occupational instruction with a
related workplace learning experience in a broad career area.
** An intermediary is an organization that acts as a liaison
between schools and workplaces and/or other community resources
to improve young people's academic and career-related learning
experiences.
*** Partnerships are collaborative relationships among parents,
students, educators, business, labor, and other community
stakeholders.
Purpose
Perspectives on Progress: The School-to-Work National Customer
Dialogues were
conducted by The Public Forum Institute and hosted by the
National School-to-Work Office, which is jointly administered by
the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor. The sessions
gathered customer feedback – both quantitative and anecdotal
– on the accomplishments, impacts, and future of initiatives
that began and/or gained momentum with the passage of the
federal School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994.
This report is designed to
provide information for national, state, and local policymakers
as they decide on future initiatives and new investments in
education and workforce development for America’s youth when
the federal STW legislation sunsets on October 1, 2001.
Participants
Participants in the Dialogues
were STW customers and stakeholders – individuals who have
developed, implemented, or participated in STW initiatives and
programs. Groups represented were:
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- Postsecondary
institutions
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- Labor union
representatives
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- Intermediary
organizations
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- Community-based
organizations
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- State and local
policymakers
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Regional dialogue sessions were held
in six cities across the country:
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- San Francisco,
California
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- Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania
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In addition, two Dialogue
sessions were held in Washington, D.C., one for state STW
directors and the other for national employer and labor
organization representatives.
Methodology
To obtain a balance of
quantitative and anecdotal information, the Dialogues employed a
variety of formats:
- Interactive polling sessions
,
using anonymous voting devices, invited participants to
express their candid views on a wide range of STW issues and
topics. Employers and labor representatives participated in
the morning, and a "cross-cutting" group of STW
stakeholders participated in the afternoon.
- Listening sessions
invited
students, parents, teachers, and employers to provide feedback
on how STW involvement has made a difference in their lives.
- A customer feedback web site
was
open for public comment on STW while the series of regional
and national discussions were being held.
Composition of Dialogue
Participants
The regional interactive polling
sessions drew a total of 479 participants, representing local
communities in 33 states:
Of these, 199 individuals
participated the morning employer/labor sessions. They reported
their primary STW affiliation as:
- Employers (66%)
- Organized labor (11%)
- Other (e.g., educators,
college or university staff, community-based organizations,
parents, and national, state, or local policymakers) (24%)
The other 280 individuals
attended the afternoon cross-cutting sessions. Representing a
broad range of perspectives on education, workforce development,
and economic development, they reported their primary STW
affiliation as:
- Educators (34%)
- Employers or employer
intermediaries (21%)
- National, state, or local
policymakers (11%)
- College or university staff
(9%)
- Community-based organizations
(8%)
- Students (5%)
- Organized labor (3%)
- Parents (3%)
- Other (6%)
Participants in both sessions
reported considerable prior involvement in STW. Over one-third
of all participants (37%) represented organizations that had
been involved In STW partnerships for two to four years. The
next largest percentage of attendees (28% cross-cutting; 27%
employer/labor) had been involved five to seven years.
The listening sessions drew over
250 individuals* from communities in and
around Miami, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis. During these
sessions, 51 parents, students, educators, and employers
described how STW made a difference in their lives.
The customer feedback web site
received input from more than 100 individuals across the nation.
At the State STW Directors
Dialogue, perspectives were gathered from 40 STW Directors or
their designees in 37 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands:
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
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- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- Montana
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
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- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
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Finally, the National Employer and Organized Labor Dialogue drew
38 individuals from across the country.
Unless otherwise noted, this
report presents data and anecdotal comments from participants at
the regional polling sessions. Due to time constraints, some
questions were not asked of all participants at all sessions.
The information is supplemented by feedback offered during the
listening sessions and national Dialogue sessions, as well as
through the customer feedback web site.
* These individuals were not
calculated into the total number of Dialogue participants
reported in the Executive Summary because they did not provide
oral or written feedback as part of the formal record of
Dialogue proceedings.
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Finding #1: STW Works
for Students
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The federal School-to-Work
Opportunities Act envisioned many results for students, such as
exposing them to a number of broad career areas and helping them
to gain the academic and technical skills required for success
in both college and careers. Based on firsthand experience in
implementing STW initiatives, participants were asked for
feedback on results they have observed for students involved in
STW. Participants also were asked for their perspectives on the
extent to which STW involvement benefited their organizations
and communities.
Exceeding Expectations
From Dialogue to Dialogue, from
region to region, participants consistently stated that benefits
to students involved in STW achieved their expectations. As
indicated in Figure 1, 84% of cross-cutting participants
and 81% of employer/labor representatives said that benefits to
students had either met or exceeded their expectations.
Figure 1. Percentages of participants
who said benefits to students involved in STW had exceeded, met,
or fallen below their expectations.
Percentages of participants –
broken down by session – who felt that student benefits met or
exceeded their expectations.
Where benefits to students fell
below expectations, participants frequently indicated that
intensive STW experiences, such as internships and mentoring,
had not been available in sufficient quantity for all the
students who sought them. These experiences, which are of longer
duration and connected to students’ academic coursework in
school, are typically necessary to produce measurable results
for students.
A Dallas Dialogue participant
suggested that intensive STW experiences "tend to grow more
slowly because they take significantly more time and resources
to establish and maintain."
Moreover, participants commented
that, while some student benefits – such as more scholarships
and higher college acceptance rates – are easy to quantify,
many outcomes from STW may not be so easily measured or even
defined.
Nonetheless, participants in both
sessions observed many clear and diverse benefits for students
who take part in STW. Among the most commonly noted were (in
order):
- More awareness about career
options and better decision-making about these options
- Improved attitude, motivation,
and self-confidence
- Better life and work skills
(taking responsibility, decision-making, and time
management)
- Better understanding of the
relationship between academics and careers
- Better understanding of
employability skills
- Increased high school
completion, and increased participation/success in
post-secondary education and training
A Life-Changing Experience
According to many stakeholders,
STW involvement not only has a formative effect on young people,
but often a transforming one as well. An educator at the Miami
Dialogue captured this view: "I have seen students with
little direction discover their niche in as little as one
trimester. They learn to believe in themselves, love what they
are learning, and excel."
"Through
this program, I excelled in vital classes that I
otherwise probably would have struggled with."
– Student |
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Proof Positive
In her keynote address at
the Boston Dialogue, Cathy E. Minehan, President of the
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, described how
Massachusetts has been preparing for the withdrawal of
federal School-to-Career (STC)* funds. To
garner support for local and state funding, she said,
"Massachusetts had to prove that STC is effective;
that students in [comprehensive] STC programs do better
than would be expected otherwise and better than their
peers in programs without STC."
And prove it
Massachusetts did – using an intensive effort to
gather data from schools and employers. Their
conclusion, according to Ms. Minehan: "STC in its
full implementation does produce better students who
stay in school, get better grades, and go on to two- and
four-year postsecondary programs at much better rates
than their peers."
*Term used in Massachusetts for their STW initiatives.
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Many stakeholders said that the
boost in self-confidence so often observed in participating
students leads to a subsequent increase in their academic
engagement and success. The mother of a high school senior
shared her daughter’s success story: "Her grades have
jumped tremendously. She’s built a lot of self-confidence and
she’s seen that this is something she can do. She’s also
learned skills that have helped in her academics."
Students likewise have recognized
the positive influence of STW involvement on their studies.
"STW made me achieve higher and work harder," remarked
a recent graduate from Philadelphia who has participated in STW
initiatives since ninth grade and is starting college this year.
An Indianapolis-area student who
participated in summer career camps and six-week internships had
a similar experience: "Through this program, I excelled in
vital classes that I otherwise probably would have struggled
with."
It’s Academic
In case after case, educators and
parents said students who participated in STW initiatives
displayed new enthusiasm for their academic studies. "Time
after time," one educator summarized, "with every
student, their academics improve, their grades improve, and they
become a much better student."
At the Indianapolis listening
session, an educator described how, since taking on STW
coordinator responsibilities, she has come to hear a new, now
familiar, refrain from parents: "I have seen such a change
in my children. They’re really excited about their
education."
Asked about the relationship
between STW involvement and academic achievement, cross-cutting
participants agreed, to some or a great extent, that STW
experiences have led students to:
- Feel more motivated to learn
(99%)
- Have a clearer focus for their
education (99%)
- Stay in school when they
otherwise might have dropped out (91%)
- Earn better grades in their
academic courses (88%)
In addition, 81% of cross-cutting
participants agreed that STW experiences help students to meet
challenging state academic standards, and 89% disagreed that STW
interferes with students’ taking more rigorous academic
courses required for graduation. A significant majority (73%)
also said that STW is not synonymous with traditional vocational
education.
"I
have seen such a change in my children. They’re really
excited about their education."
– Parent |
In fact, participants often
attested that more students embrace challenging courses as a
result of their STW experiences. One teacher shared how his
students took more advanced math courses, like geometry, as a
direct result of their STW engineering internships. "Before
their internships," he said, "they never had a clue
they would ever take these courses."
According to participants at the
STW State Directors Dialogue, STW has also had an impact on the
higher standards movement currently driving education in
America. They ranked STW’s greatest contributions to education
as (in order):
- Promoting business/education
partnerships
- Providing relevance for
rigorous academic standards for all students
- Improving classroom
instruction
- Providing resources to
implement comprehensive Kindergarten through adult education
reform
- Supporting the integration of
academic and occupational standards
Bound for College
Based on participant’s
observations, the influence of STW extends beyond high school.
Participants reported that students who take part in STW have
greater enthusiasm for pursuing postsecondary education – and
a greater chance at succeeding.
As illustrated in Figure 2,
the overwhelming majority (96%) of cross-cutting participants
agreed that STW experiences help students to be better prepared
for college. A similarly high majority (97%) of employer/labor
participants agreed that STW experiences are beneficial for
students who plan to attend college.
Figure 2. Percentages of
participants who agreed that STW experiences have a positive
impact on college attendance.
Percentage of cross-cutting participants who agreed that STW
experiences help students to be better prepared for college, and
percentage of employer session that agree STW is beneficial for
students who plan to attend college.
"There were students who
didn’t even think about going on to college before they
took part in STW, and now they’re in college," one
educator observed. "Once they get out there, they realize
there are so many things they can grab on to and experience. It
gives them motivation to go on to college."
An employer described feedback
she had received from other employers at a school advisory
council meeting. After following up on student interns,
employers reported, "Their increased degree of
responsibility and ‘real world’ perspectives made them
better college students."
Finally, one employer pointed out
a practical advantage to students' career exposure through STW:
"It saves the students time and the parents money. There
are so many students in college who don't have a clue why
they're studying what they are. There is a tremendous need for
career education."
Making "the Lights Come
On"
Dialogue participants indicated
that STW is an ideal vehicle to make learning relevant for
students. One educator at the San Francisco Dialogue summarized,
"Many students are, for the first time, able to see the
connection between classroom studies and future
employment."
An educator at the Indianapolis
Dialogue elicited nods of agreement from many participants when
he said, "The challenge we face in high schools is to make
learning relevant. Until we make that connection, the lights
don’t really come on. Focusing on a career really makes the
lights come on for students."
Further emphasizing this point,
cross-cutting participants agreed unanimously that STW has led
students to see the relevance of their academic studies for
their future careers.* A majority (96%) of
employer/labor representatives agreed that STW experiences help
students in this area.
* Due to time constraints,
participants in fewer than half of the dialogue sessions
responded to this question.
Understanding the relevancy of
education was thought to have a beneficial impact on students,
regardless of whether they planned to pursue postsecondary
education or training. "Kids who aren’t high academic
achievers but who get internships ... return to school with a
gleam in their eye for academic subjects," an educator at
the Boston Dialogue explained. "They’ve seen that math
and English skills are required in the workplace to do what they
want to do."
An employer at the Dallas
Dialogue summarized, "One of the primary benefits of STW is
that it helps kids see the relevance of what they are learning.
If they see the importance of communicating well in the
workplace, it gives their English class more relevance."
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A Story of Success
One Midwestern teacher
described the experience of a high school junior who had
been struggling to succeed in school.
"His capabilities
were never a problem, but his attitude was really bad.
He didn’t come to school, because he didn’t see the
relevance of what he was doing. His grades were
horrible."
Remarkably, after just a
couple of visits to an "Academy of Finance"
class and interaction with employers who came into the
classroom, "something struck him," the teacher
said. "He finished that year with perfect
attendance and straight A’s. ‘Now I see why I’m
here,’ he told me. And that is exactly the kind of
thing we hear from all our students."
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"There
were students who didn’t even think about going on to
college before they took part in STW, and now they’re in
college. Once they get out there, they realize there are so many
things they can grab on to and experience. It gives them
motivation to go on to college."
– Educator
Focused on Careers
Of all student benefits discussed
in the Dialogue sessions, participants most frequently cited
those related to students’ understanding of careers.
Participants noted that, through STW, students become more aware
of their career options, are better prepared for the career
market, and are more realistic about career prospects.
"STW experiences provide a
roadmap to success and satisfaction," an educator remarked,
reflecting the experiences of many participants. "Career
opportunities are so vast that students need tools to explore
their options and make informed decisions. STW provides the
framework that students require to navigate successfully."
Reinforcing this notion,
cross-cutting participants unanimously agreed that STW
experiences:
- Broaden students’ career
options (100%)
- Help students better prepare
for careers (100%)
Attendees of employer/labor
sessions voiced 97% agreement that STW experiences broaden
students’ career options.
Participants also saw the
development of career awareness as an important influence on
students’ academic success. A parent described how her son
took more science classes after deciding to pursue his interest
in chemical engineering. She said he immediately understood what
it would require to meet his career goals: "‘It’s not
important enough that I just take the classes. I’ve also got
to do well in them.’"
Students were especially
enthusiastic about the career guidance they gained from their
STW experiences. "It helps you get insight into what you
think you might want to do. If you still love it, that equals
success! If you don’t, that too equals success," said a
Champaign, Illinois, student.
A Dallas student summed up the
benefits of STW involvement, stating, "STW is all about
finding something in life you love so much you’d do it for
free, but you learn to do it so well you get paid for it."
"STW is
all about finding something in life you love so much you’d do
it for free, but you learn to do it so well you get paid for
it." – Student
Reaching All Students
Reflecting the views of many
participants, one STW coordinator noted, "STW has had the
most impact of any educational program on addressing the career
development needs of all students." A representative
of a community-based organization added, "We have all kinds
of programs for young people with special needs, gifted
students, disadvantaged students. STW has truly been a ray of
hope for all students."
One employer noted that among the
many students who benefited from their STW involvement in his
organization were economically disadvantaged students.
"These programs give these students a vision of the
future," he said. "Students gain a new sense of the
value of learning."
Parents of special education
students also affirmed STW’s positive impact on their
childrens' career outlook. In Philadelphia, the father of a
young woman receiving special education services shared his
family’s experience: "Before this [STW] program, my wife
and I didn’t know which way to turn. Since our daughter has
joined STW, she has become responsible. She’s very positive
about where she wants to go in life." His wife added,
"My daughter has come a long way. As a result of her STW
program, she has goals. She wants to do something [for]
society."
Increasing Involvement
In Dialogues across the country,
participants noted that, despite the overwhelming benefits to
STW participation, there remains a tension between STW and the
push for higher academic standards and standardized testing for
students. "Currently, in my state, the only things people
talk about are the state academic standards test and the ACT
48," stated one STW coordinator. "We are doing what we
can locally to sustain the [STW] initiative, but with no money
and no state focus, our work from here on out will be minimally
recognized," she said.
Another STW coordinator made a
similar observation: "Right now, in a large high school,
there is a great divide. Students do not have time or places in
their schedules to do work-based learning. It is perceived that
academics must come first because that is what colleges want. We
need to overcome this barrier," he continued, "we need
to understand that STW is for all students." Participants
roundly agreed that the role of work-based learning in
increasing academic achievement needed to be better
communicated.
Participants concluded that, with
increased recognition that STW leads students to be more
motivated, more interested in their studies, and, ultimately, to
become higher academic achievers, many more students would
become involved.
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Finding #2: STW Works for
Business and Communities
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The federal STW legislation
intended to build upon and strengthen partnerships among
business, education, and communities, in order to make STW
opportunities available to all students who want them.
Participants were asked their views on the benefits to their
organizations for involvement in STW, as well as barriers – if
any – that need to be addressed.
Benefiting Business
Students clearly are not the only
beneficiaries of STW involvement. For the vast majority of
Dialogue participants, STW yielded positive outcomes for their
organizations and communities. Three-quarters of all
participants (74% employer/labor; 73% cross-cutting) reported
that the benefits to their organization for involvement in STW
met or exceeded their expectations.
STW also exceeded the majority of
participants’ expectations for benefits to their communities.
Sixty-six percent (66%) of cross-cutting participants and 60% of
employer/labor representatives said that benefits to their
community for involvement in STW met or exceeded their
expectations. Where benefits fell below expectations,
participants frequently cited the relatively short duration of
community-wide involvement. One employer concluded, "What
we’re [trying to implement] is a very long-term vision and I
don’t think we can expect communities to see results that
quickly. It’s just something that takes time."
Returns on Investment
Participants of both sessions
were asked to consider the most commonly observed benefits to
their organizations for STW involvement. They most often cited
the following (in order):
- Increased involvement in
education, resulting in employers having the opportunity to
communicate skills required in the workplace
- Workforce development –
better-skilled employees coming into the workplace
- Future employee recruitment
- Enhanced community relations
For many employers, the most
significant benefit of STW participation was the door it opened
to partnerships with educators. "STW has enabled a dialogue
between business, education, parents, government, and students
that is unprecedented," said a Sacramento employer and
training director. A school board member who is a local employer
agreed: "This program has opened dialogue between educators
and businesses that did not exist." Another employer added
that these new relationships went beyond the immediate impact of
enhanced communications. "As an employer," she said,
"we're building trust in the community with STW."
Another employer observed that
STW "gives employers a chance to communicate what
competencies and skills are needed for people coming through our
gate." Moreover, employers repeatedly stated that through
STW they were giving back to their communities.
Educators said that they find
their partnerships with employers equally beneficial.
"There used to be a lot of finger-pointing about the cause
of poorly trained workers," one STW coordinator said.
"Now we work together between businesses and schools to
solve problems."
Post-secondary educators noted
that these new relationships went beyond the immediate impact of
enhanced communication. In her keynote address at the San
Francisco Dialogue, Norma Rees, President of California State
University at Hayward, noted: "K-12 educators,
postsecondary educators, employers … we're all in the same
business. What we're all doing in one way or another is
promoting the quality of life in our community…for the people
who live in it and work in it."
"K-12
educators, postsecondary educators, employers … we're all in
the same business. What we're all doing in one way or another is
promoting the quality of life in our community … for the
people who live in it and work in it."
- University President
"This
program has opened dialogue between educators and businesses
that did not exist."
- School Board Member
Boosting Skills, Loyalty, and
Morale
A benefit that participants
frequently cited for students – improved work skills – was
commonly noted as helpful to employers as well. "When we
have people coming in who have participated in STW programs like
internships and mentorships, we know... that, in most cases,
they will have more and better developed skills," an
employer explained. "That’s the carrot for employers to
be involved in a program like this. And, for the students, it
puts them on a faster career path."
"When we
have people coming in who have participated in STW programs,
like internships and mentorships, we know ... that, in most
cases, they will have more and better-developed skills."
– Employer
In the experiences of many
employers, STW students who come aboard after completing their
education tend to be among the most loyal employees. An employer
reported, "We’re finding that new hires coming from STW
are staying, whereas normally, new hires show a 50%
drop-off rate."
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Proof Positive
In his keynote address at
the Miami Dialogue, Robert Crook, Director of Business
Development for Lucent Technologies – Gulf States
Division, and Chair of Florida's STW Leadership Team,
presented results from an assessment study of Florida's
28 STW partnerships. Among the study's findings, Crook
reported, "We have pockets in the state where the
culture has changed – where there has been systemic
change in what and how education is being delivered to
our children." In addition, [the study] identified
over 34,000 active business partners and found that
"business is receiving solid return on their
investments, with better-quality workers."
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Frequently cited as an unexpected
but important benefit of STW participation was the influence it
had on the morale of incumbent employees. An employer at the
Miami Dialogue described the effect of his company’s student
internship program: "I told all my employees, ‘What this
kid sees you do may affect him for the rest of his life.’ I
cannot tell you what an effect that had on my employees. Our
employees now look at our company in a different light. Not only
are we for-profit, but we invest in our community."
Similarly, a hospital
administrator involved with student internships said of her
workplace: "There’s a new excitement about the work
you’re doing – and it’s contagious." Numerous
employers reported that the increase in morale has led to a
lower attrition rate among their participating employees.
Reflecting their views on the
impact of STW in the workplace, employer/labor
representatives agreed almost unanimously (97%) that STW is a
good strategy for building a competitive workforce for the
future. Likewise, participants at the STW State Directors
Dialogue found that STW made significant contributions to both
workforce and economic development, especially in the following
areas (in order):
- Developing strong
business/education partnerships
- Increasing understanding by
the entire education community of the needs of the workplace
- Increasing awareness of the
vital role of comprehensive K-12 career development
- Connecting standards required
of all individuals in the workplace with standards in the
academic content areas
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A Story of Success
An educator described how
students in her school in rural Iowa responded to their
STW experiences: "Students are usually shocked to
find out that there are opportunities in small town
Iowa, and that they do have the option to come back home
to work and earn a decent living," the educator
said. "Now many of them... want to give back to
their community. We have seven fairly new businesses in
town whose owners are recent [STW] graduates."
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Overcoming Barriers
Where benefits to STW involvement
for their organizations fell below expectations, employer/labor
representatives most frequently cited the following reasons:
- Too limited a time of
involvement, leading to a reluctance to evaluate the
program’s effectiveness
- A perceived lack of
cooperation from the school system, or inability to work
with the school system
- Frustration at the slow pace
of change
- Initial expectations were too
high
Employer/labor participants
agreed almost unanimously (97%) that STW is a good strategy for
building a competitive workforce for the future.
One employer, reflecting the
views of many organizations, claimed, "The STW effort was
for a five-year period. This is in no way a long enough period
of time to develop the systems needed to support such a
comprehensive program."
Other organizations felt that
their original expectations evolved over the course of their
participation in STW. "For those of us in the first
few years," one employer explained, "you could be
achieving benefits, but not realizing your expectations yet.
It’s not that we haven’t made progress – we have,
especially in terms of forging partnerships – but those
aren’t necessarily our expected end results."
Indeed, the longer participants
were involved, the more likely they were to respond that the
benefits to STW involvement for their organization had met or
exceeded their expectations. While 56% of participants who had
been involved for one year or less said STW met or exceeded
their expectations in that area, the percentage jumped to 77%
for those who had been involved for 10 or more years.
From the educators’ standpoint,
some said that they expected more employers to be on board, and
that they had difficulty attracting employers. Others found that
employer-to-employer recruitment and community public outreach
significantly increased employer involvement in STW. Across the
board, they agreed that more business people would be interested
in participating in STW if they knew about the initiative or its
proven benefits to industry.
Participants at the National
Employer and Labor Organization Dialogue reached similar
conclusions when asked to consider the greatest challenges to
developing and maintaining STW partnerships. They cited the
following (in order):
- Contrasting cultures (business
vs. education)
- Going to scale and achieving
sustainability
- Patience in dealing with the
bureaucratic complexity of the school system
- Getting buy-in from all
stakeholders
- Lack of mutual trust
Yet, of all these challenges,
only lack of mutual trust was cited as a strong enough reason
for employers to drop out of partnerships. Indeed, employers by
and large felt that their challenges can be overcome, and
offered suggestions on strategies for doing so.
Notably, among participants who
said benefits to their organizations fell below their
expectations, none reported that they would not remain
involved in STW initiatives over the next five years.
"This is
in no way a long enough period of time to develop the systems
needed to support such a comprehensive program."
– Employer
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Finding #3: STW
Initiatives Have Been Widely Embraced
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When the federal STW legislation
was passed in 1994, many concepts and ideas were introduced
and/or advanced regarding the best ways to prepare students for
both college and careers. After many years of experience in
implementing STW initiatives, participants were asked their
views on the acceptance of these approaches in their
communities.
Staying Involved
The vast majority of participants
are interested in maintaining their involvement in STW. Ninety
percent (90%) of employer/labor representatives and 80% of
cross-cutting participants indicated that they will stay
involved in STW initiatives over the next five years.
Educators reported that, provided
an opportunity to learn about STW and its benefits, parents,
too, would want their children to become involved. "Parents
want help with career development for their children," an
educator concluded, after 650 parents showed up at her
school’s first-ever "Career Pathway Night," a STW
orientation for parents.
Among participants who reported
that they would not stay involved in STW initiatives, over half
(53%) cited lack of funding as the primary cause.
Initiatives in Demand
When asked about STW initiatives
that have had the greatest impact on students, many participants
replied that it was the STW movement as a whole – rather than
any one initiative in isolation. One employer remarked, "It
truly should be a seamless system in which a variety of things
are happening to impact the students."
At the same time, participants in
both sessions were able to isolate specific initiatives that
were particularly effective in producing beneficial results for
students. Among those repeatedly earning the highest percentage
of recognition were (in order):
- Work-based learning
opportunities for students, especially internships
- Business/education
partnerships
- Professional development for
teachers, leading to the integration of workplace skills and
competencies into the curriculum
According to participants, STW
has made workplace learning experiences available to large
numbers of students who would otherwise not have had the
opportunity to learn outside the classroom. A STW coordinator
reported, "When we started, there were no job shadowing
opportunities at all. Now there’s hardly a single middle
school student who hasn’t had at least one such experience –
and that’s over 18 school districts."
Participants further noted that,
while such short-term initiatives as job shadowing and career
fairs may reach many more students and provide broad exposure to
career fields, more intense opportunities – such as
internships tied to a student’s coursework – offer more
meaningful experiences. "Career fairs are wonderful, "
one parent noted, "but … we’ve got to have a way for
teachers in the classroom to explain what the connection is
between careers and what they are teaching." Internships,
she and other participants reported, are the most effective way
to accomplish this.
Yet, according to many
participants, internships have not been available for all
students who want them. Numerous teachers and STW coordinators
stated that – due to the lack of participating employers and
available positions – they had to limit the number of students
who participated in more in-depth opportunities, and actually
had to turn interested students away.
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A Story of Success
One parent’s experience
with internships was typical of many: "Each of my
three children had important internships while in
college (these opportunities were not available when
they were in high school). In each case, the work
experience shaped their career interests and actually
helped them get their first full-time employment
positions."
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Concepts That Resonate
The vast majority of Dialogue
participants (97% cross-cutting; 96% employer/labor) believe
that it is a good idea for high school students to complete an
internship. However, over half of these participants (57%
cross-cutting; 55% employer/labor) stated that internships
should remain voluntary.
For many participants,
internships are proving to be an important link between classes
and the workplace. An Indianapolis participant explained,
"It used to be that kids entering school were
experience-rich and information-poor. Nowadays, they come in
information-rich and experience-poor." Internships
are seen by many as an ideal means to bridge this gap.
One employer elicited applause
from the Indianapolis Dialogue participants when he suggested
that, to better align education with modern realities,
"internships should be a natural part of learning and
teaching. They should not even be noticed as a separate,
stand-alone program."
Participants also overwhelmingly
favored career majors – programs of study that link academic
and occupational instruction with a related workplace learning
experience in broad career areas. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of
cross-cutting participants and 83% of employer/labor
representatives supported the idea of career majors. Many
participants (63% employer/labor and 51% cross-cutting) felt
that students should be required to select one. When asked about
the earliest grade level that students should select a career
major, cross-cutting participants were nearly evenly divided:
23% favored selection of career majors prior to ninth grade, 27%
at ninth grade, and 27% at 10th grade.
In support of these STW
initiatives, 89% of the participants at the State STW Directors
Dialogue indicated that, by the end of their federal grant
period, their states will have – or are likely to have –
developed career majors, clusters, or pathways in at least one
broad career area. In addition, the majority said they will have
– or are likely to have – implemented state standards that
support career awareness (97%) and workplace readiness skills
(88%).
Other educational priorities that
Dialogue participants rated as somewhat or very important for
schools to provide:
- Exposing students to a variety
of careers (98% employer/labor; 99% cross-cutting)
- Offering classes that
integrate academic and occupational learning (97%
employer/labor; 98% cross-cutting)
- Providing opportunities for
students to learn in workplaces or other community settings
(95% employer/labor; 98% cross-cutting)
- Helping students focus their
education on a broad career goal (92% employer/labor; 95%
cross-cutting)
Finally, over three-fourths (77%)
of employer/labor representatives said that developing portable
skill certificates documenting student attainment of
industry-recognized technical skills would be important to their
organizations.
"Internships
should be a natural part of learning and teaching. They should
not even be noticed as a separate, stand-alone program."
– Employer
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Finding #4:
STW is a Valuable
Initiative, Worthy of Expanded Commitment and Continued
Investment
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The federal School-to-Work
legislation offered states and communities up to five years of
venture capital funding to develop and implement STW
initiatives. In preparation for the sunset of the federal STW
legislation on October 1, 2001, participants were asked to
consider ways that communities could sustain and expand STW
initiatives, thus ensuring access to STW opportunities for all
students who want them in the future.
Enhancing Employer Involvement
While many participants reported
that they have employers knocking down their doors to
participate in STW initiatives, others reported they had not yet
achieved an optimal level of employer involvement. Yet, all
agreed that to make STW opportunities available to more students
in the future, communities must find ways to make it easier and
more inviting for additional employers to become involved.
Participants offered a variety of
situations that prevent more employers from becoming involved
with STW initiatives. "Where does a business that wants to
get involved turn to?" one employer asked. Another added,
"Very often, HR [Human Resources] doesn’t know how to go
to high schools and get that opportunity."
"A critical issue at the
community level," another employer explained, "is how
STW and related programs fit into the Workforce Investment
Act/Workforce Investment Boards and other federal or
state-sponsored programs." Employers cannot understand the
"alphabet soup" of programs, he explained, and need a
resource where they can get direction.
Finally, some employers reported
that they are interested in becoming more involved in STW, but
have not been able to secure the needed support from
intermediary organizations. As one employer remarked,
"Industry is very willing to help by providing the
internship sites and providing financial support. But industry
cannot do it alone."
To engage more employers in STW,
employer/labor representatives suggested the following steps (in
order):
- Raise community awareness
about the goals and benefits of STW
- Further develop the number and
capacity of intermediary organizations
- Build partnerships among
business, education, and the community
- Offer financial incentives for
employer participation*
- Increase employer-to-employer
recruitment
*Although this approach to increasing employer involvement
received majority support, a significant number of participants
at many Dialogue sessions expressed opposition to the idea.
One employer commented on
employer-to-employer recruitment stating, "Peers must
interest their peers in getting involved, instead of placing the
burden on schools." Another employer noted that talking to
other employers about the benefits of STW participation has
already proven successful and is used extensively in the San
Francisco Bay area.
Participants suggested additional
strategies for supporting and promoting further employer
involvement in STW. "What about a one-stop shop in each
community – something of an information clearinghouse, where
businesses and schools can share information and
opportunities?" an employer offered.
Sharing Success
Many participants felt that one
of the largest obstacles to increased involvement is the
misperceptions about STW that exist among parents, educators,
and employers.
A STW coordinator explained, "One
of my biggest challenges is countering the perception that STW
participation limits students to certain tracks, or puts
artificial barriers on their options. In reality, the opposite
is true. This program opens students’ eyes to opportunities
they otherwise might never experience or even be aware of."
A Boston Dialogue participant
concurred: "It’s a myth that this program tracks students
into particular careers."
A teacher described another
common barrier to greater community involvement: "Some of
the more academically oriented students have a hard time
convincing their parents to let them participate." Often,
he explained, parents believe that STW is only for students who
are not going on to college, and not appropriate for their
college-bound children.
To counter these misperceptions,
participants believe it is important to publicize STW success
stories in every community. As a group, they were convinced that
students, parents, and other individuals in the community would
want to get involved when they learned more about STW and the
advantages of participation.
The experience of one educator
bore this out. "As a school superintendent, I continually
talked to people on the school board about STW," he said.
"But I never got through to them. Finally, a board member
approached me and said, ‘my son went out for job shadowing and
it really changed him. He has a new focus.’" The parent,
this educator continued, "found out that STW helps kids
sort out their lives and their futures."
Taking Next Steps
In Dialogue sessions across the
country, participants offered ideas to ensure that STW
opportunities would remain available for all students in the
future. They identified and prioritized steps that might be
taken both nationally and in their communities. Among the most
frequently cited steps were (in order):
- Continue funding, especially
for intermediary activities
- Raise awareness among
legislators, parents, and educators about the goals and
benefits of STW
- Earn the buy-in of the whole
community, to include financial investment from schools and
employers
- Make STW part of the education
system nationally and integrate it into other education
funding streams
- Involve all stakeholders in
planning, through a strategic planning committee or other
vehicle
One educator spoke for many
participants when she explained, "We try to implement
programs that cost nothing or very little to maintain. However,
without the funding for at least a coordinator, STW will not
make it. The teachers are already overworked and cannot take on
additional responsibilities. With a coordinator, we can at least
maintain most of the programs that we do now."
Summarizing how the vast majority
of participants felt about a future public investment in STW, an
employer asked, "Why drop the ball now and start financing
another program when you have one that is working?"
Further, an employer at the San
Francisco Dialogue remarked on the importance of making STW a
part of the educational system nationally stating, "We need
to focus on systemic change instead of a program here and
a program there." Added another employer: "One of the
problems is that there are a zillion different funding streams;
these should be aligned."
Finally, an employer at the
Philadelphia Dialogue suggested that "a model memorandum of
understanding of STW’s role in relation to [other federal]
programs would contribute significantly to the success of
STW."
Investing in the Future
When asked to consider which
initiatives they considered worthy of future investment using
taxpayer dollars, Dialogue participants frequently echoed the
initiatives they identified as being most effective in
delivering student benefits. Among the most frequently cited
were (in order):
- Work-based learning,
especially activities that connect curriculum and careers
- Ongoing professional
development for teachers, especially intern/externships for
teachers
- Continuing to build
partnerships among schools, employers, and community groups
to strengthen the infrastructure of STW
- Intermediary organizations or
individuals that connect student learning in workplaces and
schools
Participants stressed that the
core building blocks of STW initiatives – partnerships between
employers and educators – were worthy of continued investment.
"If we have more time, we can get more support from our
business partners," one educator predicted. "Some of
our business partners are just now getting interested, and we
have the potential to increase the number 500%."
Participants at the State STW
Directors Dialogue cited similar initiatives as worthy of future
investment. Among their most highly rated investments were (in
order):
- Professional development for
all partners
- Including STW principles in
teacher education programs
- Business-education
partnerships
- State administration and
technical assistance
Teachers in the Workplace
Employers and educators agreed on
the need for professional development opportunities for
teachers. "Until teachers have the experience and training
they need to fully integrate [STW] into their curriculum,"
one employer said, "the program won’t be as effective as
it could be."
Teachers who have had an
opportunity to participate in externships during school breaks
provided some of the most convincing testimony of their
effectiveness: "Teachers have returned from these
experiences with a profound change in their assumptions about
preparing their students for success," said one educator.
"A few weeks spent in the field is an invaluable and
necessary experience for those who have our country’s future
in their hands."
A teacher in Philadelphia agreed:
"We need this experience to make all of our experiences
whole and to fit all of the educational pieces together."
Describing the result of her two summer internships at
attorneys’ offices, she explained, "After my internships,
I made significant changes to my curriculum. I developed more
hands-on experiences for my students."
Participants felt that
professional development opportunities, such as teacher
externships, had, in the words of one participant, an
"exponential effect" on student learning.
"Teacher externships have a big impact because they change
the way teachers teach; they offer tremendous bang for the buck.
Teacher experiences ultimately affect many students," a
Dallas Dialogue participant summed up.
States too have recognized the
importance of teacher worksite experiences. The overwhelming
majority (83%) of participants at the State STW Directors
Dialogue indicated that – by the end of their federal grant
period – their states will or are likely to award continuing
education credit to teachers who complete workplace internships.
"After my
internships, I made significant changes to my curriculum. I
developed more hands-on experiences for my students."
– Teacher
Connecting Through Intermediaries
Another investment that a
majority of stakeholders considered important for the continued
success of their STW efforts was the "intermediary"
– an organization that acts as a liaison between schools and
workplaces and/or other community resources to improve young
people’s academic and career-related learning experiences.
These organizations were considered critical to ensuring that
students’ workplace activities support their academic
achievements in school.
A labor participant reinforced
this view: "A key element in every successful
implementation of STW has been the intermediary organization. It
takes a third party just to broker the supply and demand of
resources necessary to make STW happen."
"We need
to focus on systemic change, instead of a program here
and a program there."
– Employer
Participants at the National
Employer and Labor Organization Dialogue found that a lack of
effective intermediaries to connect business and labor with
schools was the greatest challenge to working with students. In
regional Dialogues, educators reached the same conclusion.
"Our businesses want to be involved with schools, but
without dedicated facilitators to coordinate activities and act
as a resource for employers, STW involvement is nearly
impossible," stated one educator.
"A key
element to successful implementation of STW is the intermediary
organization. It takes a third party to broker the supply and
demand of resources necessary to make STW happen."
– Labor Representative
Future State Support
Findings from the State STW
Directors Dialogue suggest that additional investments and
support may be needed to expand and strengthen STW initiatives
in local communities when the federal STW legislation sunsets.
Only half (56%) of the State STW Directors indicated that their
STW office would likely continue to operate in either the same
or another location. Most predicted that their office’s
functions (55%) and staffing (67%) would likely decrease. Where
function and staffing reductions were likely, participants
primarily attributed the changes to lack of funding. One State
STW Director noted that reductions were likely to occur in her
state because work had been completed to achieve their end goal –
fully integrating STW into their education, workforce
development, and economic development systems.
Further, although half (50%) of
State STW Directors said that, by the end of their federal grant
period, they will have – or are likely to have –
state appropriations that support STW, they reported that
funding for local partnerships would likely be reduced (36%) or
not offered (48%). Several STW Directors commented that, as a
result, local communities would be required to weave together
other federal, state, and/or local resources to support their
STW initiatives in the future.
Finally, when asked about the
continuation of state STW services they have provided for their
regional and local partnerships over the past several years,
State STW Directors predicted that some services were likely to
continue at the same level, while many others were likely to be
reduced:
- Operating a STW web site (49%
same level; 24% reduced level)
- Operating clearinghouses with
information and resources for STW implementation (48% same
level; 24% reduced level)
- Promoting and coordinating
Groundhog Job Shadow Day events and activities (33% same
level; 42% reduced level)
- Training for work-based
learning mentors (31% same level; 44% reduced level)
- Professional development on
STW for stakeholders and practitioners (26% same level; 68%
reduced level)
- Conducting research and
evaluation studies on the results (20% same level; 68%
reduced level)
When All Is Said and Done
As one educator stated,
"Establishing the methods to develop a strong and globally
competitive workforce, with well-prepared educators and
students, is even more important today than in 1994 when [STW]
was enacted." According to participants in both regional
and national Dialogues, STW has had an important role to play in
this effort, fundamentally changing and revitalizing the
nation’s education and workforce development efforts.
Moreover, according to
participants, STW has had a profound influence on the lives of
all individuals involved. For students, one teacher explained,
"There is a growing realization that school is not just
about getting ready for college, or getting ready for a career.
They begin to see that it’s all part of a journey of lifelong
learning."
For other STW stakeholders, one
educator summed up the impact: "The community benefits by
gaining students who obtain a variety of transferable skills.
Parents are thrilled by their change in attitude and interest in
academics. Industry benefits in multiple areas: positive public
relations and media; heightened interest in [their] industry for
careers; motivated employees; increased skills in the labor
pool, to name a few. STW provides so many benefits – we’ve
just begun to reap the results."
The open question now is what
future role STW will have in education and workforce development
efforts in states and local communities across the nation. No
question is more important or more immediate to ensure that the
end goal of the federal STW legislation is achieved: preparing
all young people for college, careers, and productive futures.
"Why drop
the ball now and start financing another program when you have
one that is working?"
– Employer
About The Public Forum Institute
The Public Forum Institute is an
independent, nonpartisan organization committed to developing
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of an informed public.
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