School-to-Work for the College Bound.

This report makes the case for school-to-work as a college preparatory strategy by presenting relevant evidence and by suggesting policies that will facilitate the college preparatory potential of school-to-work. The report begins by explaining why parents, students, and educators should care whether school-to-work can successfully prepare students for college. Then, the report describes the basic characteristics of school-to-work, emphasizing how these characteristics differ from other more school-based reform efforts. It discusses these three basic elements of school-to-work: "learner centered" or "authentic" teaching; guided educational experiences outside the traditional classroom, particularly in the workplace; and a structured approach to help youth begin to form ideas about their future aspirations and how to achieve them. The next section presents empirical evidence that school-to-work programs have been successful in teaching academic skills and preparing students for college. Also discussed is the college admissions process and strategies that reformers are using to help school-to-work students gain access to selective colleges, such as accommodation of the school-to-work program within the existing college admissions system; the communication between individual schools and colleges; and attempts at broad change in assessment and college admissions procedures. Contains 55 references. (YLB)