School-to-career programs in middle Tennessee
Abstract
The Tennessee State Departments of Education and Labor have collaborated to plan, to develop, and to implement a statewide School-to-Career program. A priority of these departments is to provide the students of Tennessee a comprehensive educational program that includes the necessary academic and technical knowledge required for the 21st century. Little was known about the School-to-Career activities, programs, or both of Middle Tennessee schools even though School-to-Work programs have existed since 1994. This study investigated the existence and extent of School to Career activities, programs, or both in public secondary schools in the Middle Tennessee counties of Cheatham, Houston, Stewart, Sumner, Trousdale, and Wilson. A case study design utilized selected data from surveys and questionnaires, in-depth interviews, site visits, and observations to determine if School-to-Career activities, programs, or both existed, which activities, programs, or both could be models for replication or modification, and what were perceived barriers to implementation of School-to-Career programs in the schools. Findings indicated School-to-Career activities, programs, or both existed in all schools in the study. Even though the extent varied among the schools, some activities, programs, or both were not defined as such. Schools found to meet component requirements of the Tennessee School-to-Career program plan were Houston County High School, White House High School and Mt. Juliet High School. All three schools had active business and industry partnerships, a component other schools in the study lacked. Barriers to the implementation of School-to-Career programs in the school included money, time, industry availability, communication, state requirements, and stigma of vocational programs.
Subject Area
Secondary education|Vocational education|Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
Deborah Lindsey Steen,
"School-to-career programs in middle Tennessee"
(1998).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI9821872.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI9821872