Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to describe and assess the extent to which five school-based enterprise programs have implemented the eleven components of the California School-to-Career legislation. The second purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which three learning strategies have been implemented in these five programs. The third purpose of this study was to assess the degree to which six outcomes have been achieved by students in these five programs. Methodolgy. A descriptive case study of five school-based enterprise programs was conducted. Survey data were sent to 150 students, teachers, and Program Managers; 82 percent were returned. The Program Managers were interviewed face-to-face. Quantitative data from surveys and archival data were used to create mean scores, frequencies, and to conduct t-tests. Quantitative data from interviews provided specific examples of changes in students' progress. Findings. All five school-based enterprise programs had implemented the eleven program components and three learning strategies and achieved the six student outcomes assessed in this study to come extent. The greatest barrier to the implementation of these programs was the time it takes to plan course content, meet with postsecondary colleagues to articulate programs, create work-based learning experiences, and meet consistently with staff to assess the program and monitor student achievement. Conclusion. School-based enterprise programs: (1) provide a viable curricular design that supports the implementation of the components of the California School-to-Career Plan; (2) are more likely to be fully implemented after three or more years of operation; and (3) are more likely to implement components of the California School-to-Career Plan when they are embedded within the structure of another program such as a Partnership Academy. Recommendations. Future research studies should assess vocations programs such as Tech Prep and Career magnet Programs to determine if they provide support for the California School-to-Career Plan. Schools should maintain computerized student data systems t track student outcomes beginning in the ninth grade.