Search

This two-part paper attempts to establish the facts about, and to debate the merits of, using individual earnings information collected quarterly by states from employers as a source for vocational education performance assessment. The first part of the paper explores three topics: (1) who wants to know about the earnings of vocational education program leavers and why do they want to know? (2) what problems are encountered in using other available data sources that are not found in working with wage-records data? and (3) what specific data items does the quarterly wage-record source offer? The second part of the paper then examines process issues that are encountered in using the wage-record data. Brief mention is made of complementary data sources that enhance the usefulness of the wage-record data. The paper concludes that it is only a matter of time before the wage-record data are used and that procedures must be worked out for the most effective and efficient use of the data. A 31-item bibliography is included. (KC)