DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 298 310 CE 050 874

TITLE Special Student Populations in Vocational andTechnical Education. Private Sector Involvement inVocational and Technical Education. Analysis ofDistribution of Funds for Secondary and PostsecondaryVocational Education.

INSTITUTION South Carolina State Council on Vocational andTechnical Education, Columbia.

PUB DATE Jun 88

NOTE 28p.; Document contains colored paper.PUB TYPE Reports Research/Technical (143)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS Advisory Committees; Educational Policy; Financial

Support; *Indvidual Needs; Policy Formation;Postsecondary Education; *Resource Allocation;*School Business Relationship; Secondary Education;XState Action; Statewide Planning; *TechnicalEducation; *Vocational Education

IDENTIFIERS Carl. D Perkins Vocational Education Act 1984; *SouthCarolina; Special Needs Students

ABSTRACTAfter analyzing the needs of special student

populations in vocational and technical education in South Carolina,private sector involvement in vocational and technical education, andthe distribution of funds for secondary and postsecondary vocationaleducation in the state, the South Carolina Council on Vocational andTechnical Education developed the following recommendations. Effortsto serve special population groups outlined by the Carl D. PerkinsVocational Education Act of 1984 should be continued. The Office ofVocational Education should analyze the declining handicappedenrollment and find ways of rectifying the situation. Greatermarketing efforts should be directed toward special populationgroups. The State Board of Education should revise its guidelines forthe involvement of advisory committees in vocational and technicaleducation and should establish some process for ensuring that activeuse is indeed made of local advisory committees and/or councils. Thecurrent ratio of expenditures of federal funds for vocationaleducation between secondary and postsecondary vocational educationprograms should be maintained at essentially the same level and inthe same manner. (MN)

)000000000000000000000000M0000000000000(********3000000000000000000(* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made X

N from the original document. M)0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000(.0000000000000000000(

AboutTheStateCouncilOn Vocational and Technical Education

The State Council on Vocational and Technical Education is aseparate state agency established under the auspices of the CarlD. Perkins Vocational Education Act of 1984 which authorizesfederal funds for vocational education in the state.

That Act, (P.L. 98-524) specifies that for a state to be eligi-ble to receive federal. funds for vocational education, amongother conditions, the state must have a State Council. TheCouncil has a responsibility to evaluate and make policy recom-mendations to the two State Boards for vocational and technicaleducation so that they might expand, improve, and modernizethe programs.

The Council's responsibility includes both secondary andpostsecondary programs although these are administered by twoseparate boards; The State Board of Education and the StateBoard- for Technical and Comprehensive Education.

The Council is mandated to offer recommendations to ensurethe availablity and quality of vocational education programs inthis State and to offer these recommendations and to reportperiodically to: U.S. Secretaries of Education and Labor, theGovernor, State Boards, the Public and other groups.

All 13 members of the State Council are appointed by theGovernor to represent the interests of business, industry, labor,education and the general public and to meet the federal re-quirements of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act.(P.!.. 98-524).

The Council's staff office is located in Columbia, SouthCarolina. Stephen A. Carter is Chairman and Robert H. Whiteis Executive Director.

1987-1988STATE COUNCIL

MIVIBEItS

Stephen. A. Carter, .ChairmanCarter Gobk,Associatps, Inc.

Columbia, S.C.

Joahn Morton, Vice-Chairman-S.C. De2artmetil plCorrec:ioris

Columbia, S.C.

Beulah BennettS.0 Electric & Gas

Charleston, S.C.

James JohnsonAFL;;C/d, CLC .

Andrews, S.0

Donald W.I.iarPerRoddey, Caiperiter & RA.

Rock Hill, S:C.

David*BurtonBurton & AssociateS, Inc.

Colurnbia,1S.C.

Frank HarlingGraribeville Company

Graniteville, S.C.

Don C. GarrisonTri-County Technical College

Pendleton, S.C..

Donald GistS.C. Department of Labor

Columbia,, S.C.

Frank M. HartMarion School District #1

Marion S.C.

Frank LanfordOconee Vocational Center

Seneca, S.C.

Linda LingleTrident Technical College

Charleston, S.C.

Dorothy MurphreePo)nor Adult' Center

Florence, S.C.

STAFF

Dr. Robert. H. WhiteExecutive Director

Susan 'JenningsExecutive Assistant,

Lib ShealyAdministrative Assistant

'3

IntroductionThis publication is presented by the South Carolina Council onVocational and Technical Education in order to fulfill certain Federal

requirements mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Act.The Act requires (among other duties) that the State Council:

". . .advise the State board and make reports . . (on) policies the

State should pursue to strengthen vocational education (with par-

ticular attention to programs for the handicapped) . . .report to the

State board on the extent to which the individuals described in sec-

tion 201 (o) are provided with equal access to quality vocational

education programs . . . .

". . .advise the State board and make reports to the Governor,the business community, and general public of the State, concern-

ing . . . initiatives and methods the private sector could undertake

to assist in the modernization of vocational education programs; .

. . submit recommendations to the State Board on the conduct of

vocational education programs conducted in the State which em-phasiz_ the use of business concerns and labor organizations; . .

. recommend procedures to the State Board to ensure and enhance

the participation of the public in the provision of vocational educa-

tion at the local le'el within the State, particularly the participation

of local employers and local labor organizations; . .

". . . analyze and report on the distribution of spending for voca-

tional education in the State and on the availability of vocational

education activities and services within the State; and . . .assess

the distribution of fmancial assistance furnished under this Act, par-

ticularly with the analysis of the distribution of financial assistance

between secondary vocational education programs and postsecon-

dary vocational education programs!"

The Council addresses these requirements in three separate reports

contained in this single publication.

June 1988SOUTH CAROLINA COUNCIL ON VOCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

2221 Devine Street Suite 420 Columbia, SC 29205803-734-9161

L1 i.

The Council recommends that the efforts to sere special population groups outlined by the Carl D. Perkins Act be continued.The Council recommends that the Office of VoLational Education analyze the &Liming handicapped enrollment and find

ways to rectify the situation. This drop in enrollment is of particular conLern since one of the OfficCs stated program expansiongoals in the 1985-86 Vocational Education PerformanLe report was to, "Increase the number of handicapped students in secon-dary vocational education programs by 33 percent:' However, 1986-87 handicapped enrollment figures showed even further decline.

The Council recommends that greater marketing efforts be directed toward special populations groups.It is an observation of the Council that the smaller amounts of monies for sta. cqutty grunts might be put to bctter use through

pilot projects which begiefit South Carolina un a statewide basis rather than tia individual, district le els.

MMENDATI

Vocational education at the secondary level has State requirements fur pnvate sector inwhement which far exceed the Federal requirements.From the limited reporting of compliance with the requirements for at sort' committees and advmor) commis, it appears that in most casesthe additional requirements are being met by the local school districts. The State Board of Education, Office of Vocational Education, iscommended for establishing these additional requirements.

The Council recommends that the State Board of Education revise a set of guidelines for the involvement of advisorycommittees. These guidelines should be written so they will be clear to others not involved in administration, and provideguidance to lay committee members in detailing the duties, expectations, and requirements for each type of advisory group.

The Council recommends that the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education update the obsolete policy#3-1-401.1.

The Council recommends that the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education establish some process forensuring that there is, indeed, active use of local advisory committees and/or councils.

1. The current ratio of expenditures offederal funds for vocational education betweensecondary and postsecondary vocational educationprograms should be maintained at essentially thesame level and in the same manner.

2. Vocational' education groups and,professional per-sonnel should be supportive of budget requests forfunds for occupational education by technicaleducation, and the technical educatiomprofessionalpersonnel and/or groups should also be supportiveof the need for state funds for vocationaleducation.

3. In some areas. coordinating groups for adult voca-tional education have been established to continuebeyond the initial two years-of the individual

area Occupational Training Advisory Committees(AOTACs). Where these committees exist, informa-tional notices of the award or distribution of fundsfor adult vocational education should be provided tothe committee any time these funds are madeavailable.

4. The State Board for Vocational Education (StateBoard of Education) should develop strategies andestablish some pilot project or projects to increasethe utilization of the vocational education facilities.This, should emphasize increased use of the areavocational education centers where there are not on-going programs of adult vocational education andadult e _cation in addition to the secondary voca-tional education programs.

2

Student Populationsin

Vocational and Technical Education Page 4

Private Sectorinvolveentin Vocational and Technical Education

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PSIS

AND POSTUCATION

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JAeciaZ

Student Populationsin

Vocational and Technical Education

Facts about South Carolina's population are well known:

South Carolina has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the nation;South Carolina has one of the highest pregnancy rates in the country;

South Carolina has one of the highest teenage rates of illiteracy in the country;

South Carolina has the lowest SAT scores in the country;South Carolina has one of the highest high school dropout rates in the nation.

For these and many other reasons, it is imperativethat South Carolina's education systems continueto focus on "at risk" groups which include thedisadvantaged, the single parent, and theincarcerated.

The National .fiance of Business' (NAB)February 1986 Report, tells of the alarming nationalgrowth rate of teenage pregnancies, "Nearly halfof all black females are pregnant by age 20 andhalf of these young mothers will not completehigh school," the Report states. The NAB estimatesthat teenage pregnancies cost about $16 billion peryear in welfare costs alone.

Also included in the February 1986 NAB reportare predictions about what will occur in the laborforce by the Year 2000. "The incidence of female

headed households will continue to *ncrease.

Women will account for two-thirds of the laborforce growth during the 1990's."

These statistics emphasize the importance ofturning expenditures toward the singleparent/homemaker programs and sex equityprograms.

In the same report, it was noted that of those whowill be employed in the year 2000, 85% are alreadyin our current workforce. According to the U.S.Census, there are 126,306 South Carolinians age18 or older who have not completed high school.Of this number, 726,230 have less than a fifth gradeeducation, 468,167 have less than a ninth gradeeducation and 457,639 have one to three years ofhigh school.

4 Special Student Populations in Vocational Gnd Technical Education, June 1988

I

Most would agree that the Carl D.Perkins Vocational Education Act

of 1984 has provided the impetus forsignificant change and improvement invocational education throughout theState of South Carolina. The Act amend-ed the Vocational Education Act of 1963and one of its major purposes was to en-sure that individuals who were previous-ly underserved by vocational educationprograms were provided with access toquality vocational education programs.

Those special population studentgroups identified in the Perkins Act in-clude individuals who are disadvantag-ed, t, ho are handicapped, men andwomen who are entering non-traditionaloccupations, adults who are in need oftraining and retraining, individuals whoare single parents or homemakers, in-dividuals with limited English proficien-cy and individuals who are in in-carcerated in correctional institutes.

One way in which the Act ensuresspecial populations access to qualityvocational education programs is tooutline the allocation of Basic StateGrant's monies to provide sere ices forthese identified special populationsgroupings. In fact, Title II, Part A of thePerkins Act specifies that 57 pLLent ofeach State's Federal vocational educa-tion basic grant must be spent on pro-grams and services for special popula-tions in the following proportions.

Handicapped 10.0 %

Disadvantaged 22.0%Adult /Postsecondary

(training-retraining) 12.0%Single Parents and

homemakers 8 5%Sex Equity Grants 3.5%Incarcerated 1.0%

Requests for information LonLerningSouth Carolina's expenditures and pro-grams for these special populationgroupings were sent by the Council tothe Office of Vocational Educationin the State Department of Educationand to the office of the State Board forTechnica; and Comprehensive EduLation on September 15, 987. This paper

examines those responses and informa-tion included in other documents suchas S(,,tth Carolina &lutetim Pe&mance Report for 1985-86 and the SouthCarolina FY 1988 Administrative Pm-visions for Likational &hteation.

HANDICAPPEDThe ten "handicapped'; then appliedto individuals, means individuals whoare mentall) retarded, hard of hearing,deaf, slyech impaired, tisuall) han-dicapped, serious!) anot:onall) distuth-ed, orthopedicall) impaired, ur whethealth impaired person, or persons withspecific learning disabilities, who b)reason thereof require special educationand related senice.s, and who, becauseof their handicapping condition, cannotsucceed in the regular tocaaonal educa-tion program without special educationassistance. (P L. 98-524, p. 2484)

K-12 Population: HandicappedBy closely examining one year's data,

a better understanding of the Lomposi-tion of this grouping is possible. Thetotal handicapped student population(K-12) in the South Carolina schoolsystem in 1985 was 66,527. Expressedas a percentage, South Carolina's 1985handicapped student population (K-12)was about II% of the total K-I2 studentpopulation. (National figures place thetotal school-age handicapped populationat about I0%.)

Vocational Education Population:Handicapped

In 1985, Vocational Education'ssecondary handicapped student popula-tion was approximately 9.9% of the totalvocational education student population(See Table 2). The 1985-86 VocationalEducation Performance Report providesa description of South Carolina's secon-dary level handicapped student popula-tion. The report states that 7,584 han-dicapped students were enrolled inseLondary vocational education pro-grams in the State during 1985-1986. Ofthat student population, about 71%

received additional services inmainstream programs, and 29%received those services in self-containedprograms.

This annual Performance Report bythe Office of Vocational Educationreveals that about 95% of the vocationaleducation handicapped student popula-tion were handicapped due to one ofthree conditions: mental retardation(3,905); a specific learning disability(2,746), or a seriously emotionallydisturbed classification (605).

Sex and race composition indicatedthat of the handicapped students in voca-tional education, 66% were males and62% were black, as compared to 49%males and 44% black for all studentsenrolled in vocational education in thestate.

Handicapped students were reportedto be enrolled in vocational Lourses inall areas, indicating equal horizontal ac-cess to vocational programs.

Since 1984-85, handicapped studentenrollment in vocational education pro-grams has shown a slight decrease inboth numbers and percentage of voca-tional education population (see TableI) dropping from 7,972 (10.1%) in1984-85 to 7,304 (9.5%) in 1986-87.

Administrative Provisions:Handicapped

The Provisions outline the notificationprocess which requires that handicap-ped students and their parents are ap-prised of vocational education programs

. . at least one year before the stu-dent enters the grade level in whichvocational education programs are firstgenerally available in the State, but inno case later than the the beginning ofthe ninth grade . . ."

Also delineated by the State are ad-ministrative requirements for eachhandicapped student who enrolls in avocational education program:

"Each eligible recipient shall provide toeach handicapped student that enrollsin a vocational education program:

'An assessment of the interests, abdums,aril spectal need.s of that student twitrespect to completing succes.sfit11) the

Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education. June 1988 5

70111.,

sot atiunal education program,

"Special services, including adaptationof curriculum, instruction, equipment,and facilities designed to meet the needsestablished under the previousparagraph;

"Guidance, counseling, and careerdevelopment activities conducted by pro-fessionally trained counselors who areassociated with the provision of suchspecial services; and

"Counseling services designed tofacilitate the transition from school topost-school employment."

(Adorn. Provisions, p. 66)

Public law 94-142, further requiresthat an Individual Education Program(IEP) be developed by each LocalEducation Agency (LEA) for each han-dicapped student.

The S.C. FY 1988 AdministrativeProvisions for Vocational Educationstates:

". . . To assure compliance with P.L.94-142 the review process includes thata designated representative of the Ofifice of Handicapped, State Departmentof Education, recommend approval ofeach local plan serving handicappedstudents... Programs, services, and ac-tivities provided shall be consistent withthese individual programs. On-siteevaluations performed by Office of Voca-tional Education staff members willmonitor these individual plans and com-pare actual programs/services/activitiesprovided with those authorized in the ap-proved local plan to assure com-pliance." (Aden. Provisions, p. 67.)

Vocational Education Expenditures:Handicapped

The new South Carolina FY 1988 Ad-ministrative Provisions for VocationalEducation outlines how Federal setasidefunds are to be used for handicappedstudents:

"Federal setaside funds used for han-dicapped individuals, to be served in a

self-contaMed um nzain.streamed invgnmzare limited to supplemental or additionalstaff, equipment, matenals, and servicesthat are not provided to other individualsin vocational education (excess cost)and that are essential for handicappedindividuals to participate in vocationaleducation." (Admn. Provisions, p. 68)

South Carolina's total expenditures ofFederal funds for Vocational Educationwere reported to be 4q1,475,923 for1984-85 and $12,140,064 for 1985-86(See Table 3). At the time of this reportfinancial data for 1986-87 was notavailable.

(Also note that the expenditure figuresprovided do not include Federal fundscarried over from the prior year - about$1.3 million each year. The 1984-85Federal expenditure of funds fell underthe 1963 Vocational Education Act, asamended. 1985-86 Federal expenditureof funds was under the Carl D. PerkinsVocational Education Act of 1984.)1984-85 expenditures for the Handicap-ped Vocational Education populationwere reported to be $1,120,736 and$1,141,734 for 1985-86. These moniesrepresent 9.8% and 9.4% (respectively)of the total basic state grant vocationaleducation expenditures for each fiscalyear. A 10.0% allocation of Federalfunds is mandated by the Perkins Act,yet due to the Tydings amendments, upto 27 months may be utilized to expend

the alluLated funds fur any given fiscalyear. And, therefore, by the end of theexpenditure period, expenditures maywell meet and/or exceed the mandatedpercentage.

Per Student Expenditure:Handicapped

Using 1984-85 expenditures of$1,120,736 Federal monies for a han-dicapped student population of 7,972, wefind the per student expenditure ofFederal monies to be $140.58. Using1985-86 figures of $1,141,734 setasidemonies spent for 7,584 handicappedvocational education students, the perstudent expenditure was approximately$150.55.

PostsecondaryThe 1985-86 Performance Report

states that, "No Handicapped Set Asidevocational funds were utilized at thepostsecondary level in 1985-86."

DISADVANTAGEDDisadvantaged means individuals (otherthan handicapped individuals) who haveeconomic or academic disadvantagesand who require special services andassistance in order to enable them tosucceed in vocational education pro-grams. The term includes individuals

TABLE 1

SPECIAL STUDENT POPULATION ENROLLMENT

1984-85 1985-86 1986-87

VOC ED TOTAL(Occupational)

79,105 76,941 77,244

Handicapped 7,972 7,584 7,304

Disadvantaged 22,529 27,442 30,950

Sex Equity -0- 19,763 21,071

Single Parents/homemakers 100 1,606 1,911

Adult 11,366 11,903 12,016

(short term) (10,302) (10,078) (10,333)

(long term) (1,064) (1,825) (1,683)

Incarcerated N/A 483 1,220

6 Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

9

who are members of economicallydisadvantaged families, mignints, uldividuals who have limited English pro-ficiency and inch' iduals who aredropouts from, or isho ate identtfied aspotential dropouts from, secondaryschool. For the purpose of this defini-tion, an indiszdual Isho scores below the25th percentile on a standardizedachievement or aptitude teat, whosesecondary school grades ate below 2.0on a 4.0 scale (acre the grade A"equals 4.0), or fails 10 attain minimalacademic competencies may be con-sidered to have an "accident& disadizin-tagement." (Adorn. Provisions p. 67)

K-U Population: DisadvantagedUsing this definition, it is wry dif-

ficult to estimate the number of disad-vantaged within South Carolina's K-I2population. The most often-usedstatistics are those based on the numberof students who qualify for reduLed orfree lunch.

A look at one year's statistics Lorkerning the number of South Carolina K-12students who qualified for reduced orfree lunch provides a better understan-ding of the total school "disadvantaged"population. In 1985, South Carolina'stotal school K-12 population numbered603,890 of which about 266,314 (or44%) students qualified for reduLed orfree lunch.

This 44% grouping does not,hoNkel,er, raw the number of studentswho were academically, but noteconomically disadvantaged (those w hohold lower than a 2.0 grade average ona 4.0 scale). Nor dues the 44',7c figurenecessarily include all those who drop-ped out or were identified as potentialdrop outs, migrants, or those individualswith limited English proficiency.

Using the above definition of "disad-vantaged', it is highly probable thatSouth Carolina's "disadvantaged" stu-dent population in the publiL sawlsystem surpasses the 50% mark.

Vocational Education Population:Disadvantaged

South Carolinas Vocational EduLationPerformance Report for the 1985-86Fiscal Year describes its economicallyand academically disadvantaged population of 27,097. "Of these, 26,817 (99%)received additional Serb ices inmainstream programs and only 280 (1%)were served in separate or elf-containedprograms."

The Report further states that thedisadvantaged student population was50% males and 67.5% black comparedto 49% males and 44% black for allstudents enrolled in oLationaleducation.

"Disadvantaged students," says theReport, "were enrolled in vocational

TABLE 2

SPECIAL POPULATION GROUPS

Expressed as a Percentage of Total Vocational Education Enrollment

1984-85 1985-86 1986-87

Handicapped 10.1% 9.9% 9.5%

Disadvantaged 28.5% 35.7% 40.1%

Sex Equity 0.0% 25.7% 27.3%

Single Parents;homemakers .1% 2.1% 2.5%

Adult 14.4% 15.5% 15.6%

(short term) (13.0%) (13.1%) (13.38%)

(long term) (1.4%) (2.4%) (2.2%)

Incarcerated N/A .6% 1.6%

courses in all program areas during1985 86, in approximately the same pro-portions as that for all vocational educa-tion students which indicates that equalaccess was pros ided disadvantagedstudents to the full range of programs of-fered in the State'

It would appear that the ntraber ofdisadvantaged students enrolled in Voca-tional EduLation programs has increaseddramatically over the last three years(See Table 1) growing from 22,529 in1984-85 to 30,950 in 1986-87. Figurespresented to the Council indicate that theVoLational Education Disadvantagedpopulation has expanded considerablysince the enactment of the Perkins Act.In 1986-87, disadvantaged vocationaleducation enrollment represented 40.1%of the total vocational education enroll-ment. In 1984. it represented only 28.5%of total vocational education enrollments.

The 40.1% share of disadvantagedstudents in vocational education now moreclosely reflects the similar proportion ofdisadvantaged students in the total K -12school population (44% to 50%+).

Administrative Guidelines:Disadvantaged

As is the case with handicappedstudents, each Local Education Agencythat receives an allocation of Federal fundsmust inform disadvantaged students andtheir parents about available vocationaleducation opportunities at least one yearbefore the students enter the grade levelin which vocational education programsare first available in the State, and no laterthan the beginning of the ninth grade.

Also outlined in the Provisions publica-tion are other administrative guidelineswhich must be followed to serve the"Disadvantaged" population:

"Each eligible recipient shall provide toeach disadvantaged student that enrollsin a vocational education program.

"An assessment of the interest, abilities,and special needs of that student withrespect to completing successfully thevocational education program;

"Special services, including adaptationof curriculum, instruction, equipment, andfacilities designed to meet the needs

Special Studeat Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 7

ccPer pupil expenditures of

setaside monies for

Disadvantaged Vocational

Education students has

declined.' '

established under (the preceding)paragraph of this section;

"Guidance, rounseling, and careerdevelopment activities conducted byprofessionally trained counselors whoare associated with the provision o f suchspecial services; and

"Counseling services designed tofacilitate the transition from school topost-school employment and career op-portunitics."(Admn. Provisions, p. 68)

Expenditures: DisadvantagedHow Federal funds may be used is

specified in the Administrative Provi-sions publication:

"Pigott' setaside fimds used for disad-vantaged individuals to be served in aself-contained or mainstreamed prop=are limited to supplemental or additionalstaff, equipment, materials, and servicesthat are not provided to other individualsin vocational education (excess costs)and that are essential for disadvantag-ed individuals to particpate in vocationaleducation....

"Federal setaside finds may be used orthe improvement of vocational educationservices and activities designed to pro-vide equal access to quality vocationaleducation to disathantaged individuals,and services and activities which applythe latest technological advances tocourses of instruction for rantag-ed individuals.

"Federal setaside fiords may be used forthe acquisition of modern machineryand tools, but only for schools at whichat least seventy -five percent of thestudents enrolled are economicallydisadvantaged."(Admn. Provisions, p. 68)

Limited English ProficientDisadvantaged

Another stipulation 'I'm the receipt ofFederal setasides for the disadvantagedconcerns limited English proficientstudents:

"Each eligible recipient must expend aminimum amount of Title II-Part ADisadvantaged Federal funds for voca-tional education services and activities

for limited English proficiency studentsenrolled in vocational education.The minimum expenditure... is based onthe proportion of limited English profi-ciency students of the total &sachem:ag-ed students enrolled in vocationaleducation in each eligible recipient forthe programs year preceding..."

(Adorn, Provisions, p. 69)

The 1985-86 Vocational EducationPerformance Report, points out that on-ly 345 (1.3%) of all disadvantaged voca-tional students in South Carolina wereindentified as disadvantaged due tolimited English proficiency. All of thispopulation received additional servicesin mainstream programs.

No Postsecondary AllocationThe Performance Report states that

"No Disadvantaged Set Aside vocationalfunds were utilized at the postsecondarylevel in 1985-86."

Per Student Expenditure:Disadvantaged

Using the available data (see Table *.7,one can see that per pupil expendituresof setaside monies for DisadvantagedVocational Education students hasdeclined. 1984-85 data shows that12,236,810 Federal monies were expend-ed for 22,529 students; resulting in a perstudent expenditure of $99.29. 1985-86data shows that $2,526,242 of Federalmonies was spent on 27,442 disadvan-taged students resulting in a per studentexpenditure of $92.C6. With increasedenrollment numbers of disadvantagedstudents in 1986-87 reported to havebeen 30,950, we can expect an evengreater reduction in per pupil expen-ditures for the vocational educationdisadvantaged population. (At the timeof this report financial figures for1986-87 were not available.)

ADULT VOCATIONALEDUCATION

Section 322. (A) of Public Law98-524 (1) describes the population thatmay benefit from the 12% setaside

8 Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

U

monies for vocational education foradult training and/or retraining:

"(i) individuals who hare graduatedfrom or left high school and who needadditional vocational education for en-try into the labor force;

(ii) unemployed individuals who requiretraining to obtain employment or in-crease their employability;

employed individuals who requireretraining to retain their jobs, or whoneed training to upgrade their skills toqualib, for higher paid or more &ven-dable employment;

(iv) displaced homemakers and singleheads of households who are enteringor reentering the labor force;

(v) employers who requite assistancebumbling, individuals for new employ-ment opportunities or in retrainingemployees in new skills required bychanges in technology, pmducts, or pm-cesses; and

(vi) workers fifty -fire and older;..."(Public Law 98-524, Sec. 322)

According to P.L. 98-524, types ofgrants eligible for these monies, includeshort-term programs "designed toupgrade or update skills in accordancewith changed work requirements..." and"education and training programsdesigned cooperatively withemployers..." or programs which aredesigned to "build more effectivelinkages between von- ional educationprograms and private sector employers".These monies may also be used incooperative education programs, en-trepreneurship training programs, cur-riculum development programs,(towards) "the costs of serving adults inother vocational education programssuch as keeping school facilities openlonger, and related instruction for ap-prentices in apprenticeship training pro-grams as well as for recruitment, jobsearch assistance, counseling andremedial services."

Adult Vocational EducationPopulation

1984-85 data (see Table 1) shows

that 11,366 adult vocational educationstudents were enrolled with 10,302enrolled in short term courses and 1,064enrolled in long term courses.

1985-86 saw a slight growth in totaladult vocational education enrollmentwith 11,903 students enrolled. Of these,10,078 were enrolled in short termcourses and 1,825 were enrolled in longterm courses.

1986-87 data reveals that of the 12,016adult vocational education studentsenrolled, 10,333 were enrolled in shortterm courses and 1,683 were enrolled inlong term courses.

These enrollments do not includeadult vocational programs under theState Board for Technical and Com-prehensive Education which also usesTitle II-A basic grant monies.

FundingThe 1988 Administrative Provisions

publication describes some fundingrequirements:

tvaltional ethwation funded withFederal monies shall be used to providejob retraining far persons unemnployedand upgrading for persons alreadyenTloyAl. First priority shall be givento training programs for personsunemployed.

".'0Qible recipients shall be required toindicate their intent to conduct eitherlong-term vocational education pro-grams (Licensed Practical Nursing,Dental Assisting, etc.) or short termvocational education prognans (job skilltraining, retraining, or upgrading) dur-ing the upcoming fiscal year.

"Eligible recipients will be required toprepare and submit a plan for conduc-ting adult vocational education pro-grams with submission no later thanAugust of the current application period.

"Eligible recipients will be required toexpend Federal fimds for adult voca-tional education programs in accor-dance with their approved applicationor release these funds no later thanMarch 31. Funds released to the StateOffice of Vocational Education will be

CC1986-87 data reveals that of the

12,016 adult vocatiortal educa-

tion students enrolled, 10,333

were enrolled in short term

courses and 1,683 were enrolled

in long term courses."

Special Student Populations in Vocational and Tccnnical Education, June 1988 9

s.2,

reallocated on the competitive basis toother eligible recipients.

"Eligible recipients eipeding less than90% of their allocation of Federal adultvocational education funds by the endof a school year will not be eligible foradult vocational education Federal Pri-ding (formula allocation) in the subse-quent school year"

(Adorn. Provisions 1988, pp. 69-70)

Matched State FundsFederal funds expended must be mat-

ched with local/state funds. Adult voca-tional education Federal funds are mat-ched with State funds appropriated forLicensed Practical Nursing programsand local/State funds for postsecondarytechnical and vocational education ex-pended by the State Board of Technicaland Comprehensive Education.

The responsibility for the expenditureof Federal funds in accordance with therequirements of the Carl D. PerkinsVocational Education Act is delegatedto the State Board for Technical andComprehensive Education. AMemorandum of Agreement betweenthe State Board of Education and theState Board for Technical and Com-prehensive Education was signed in Oc-tober of 1986 transferring this authori-ty and responsibility, and designating amechanism for developing priorities forfunding programs. This procedure hasbeen in effect, essentially for the1986-87 and the 1987-88 years.

Monitoring procedures include theuse of the vocational education data col-lection system, program evaluationsystem and annual progress report.

Per Student ExpenditureData for 1984-85 indicates that 11,366

adults were enrolled in short and longterm vocational education programswith a reported expenditure of$1,669,262. Therefore, the 1984-85 basicgrant vocational education expenditureper student enrolled in adult vocationaleducation 0,tas $146 36. 1985-86 datashows that 11,903 adults were enrolledin vocational education programs.Monies spent were reported as

$1,286,687, resulting in a per studen, ex-penditure of $108.10a decrease of$34.76 per student.

GRANT AWARDSThe Vocational Education 1988 Ad-

ministrative Provisions describes howother special population groupings areto receive allocated Title IIPart Amonies on a grant award basis:

3.5 % Elimination of Sex bias andStereotyping.(Competitive request for proposal basisfrom technical colleges and schooldistricts)

8.5 % Single Parents /HomemakersFunds shall be distributed between theState Board of Education and the StateBoard for Technical and ComprehensiveEducation as follows:

The State Board of Education 40%(Competitive Request for Proposal Basis)

State Board for Technical and Com-prehensive Education 60%(Allocated to technical colleges based onthe number of identified single parents/homemakers to be served.

1.0% IncarcceratedThese funds shall be awarded to theSouth Carolina Department of Correc-tions and Department of Youth Services

based on the number of persons servedin vocational education during the prioryear. (88 Adorn. Provisions, p. 51)

SEX EQUITYThe 1985-86 S.C. Vocational Educa-

tion Performance Report explains thatthe Sex Equity program during that year,had two major goals:

`One was the goal of eliminating sex-bias and sex-role stereotyping of voca-tional education programs while theother goal was designing programs tomeet the special needs of young women,aged 14-25 to enable them to supportthemselves and their families."(S.(: Vocational Education Performance

Report, p. 5)

According to this report, with the firstuse of these monies:

`:..30 mini grants were funded whichprovided a variety of activities in localeducational agencies. These activitiesincluded field trips to worksites of per-sons performing nontraditional jobs,development of multifaceted public rela-tions programs, implementation of ih-service training programs andworkshops for faculty, promotion of sexequity through bulletin board com-petitive events among clubs (VICA,DECA, FBLA, FHA and FFA), targeting

TABLE 3

Monies Spent on Special Populations And Monies Expressed as apercentage of Total Voc Ed Expenditures.

1984-85$Spent

% of TotalVoc EdMonies

1985-86$Spent

% of TotalVoc EdMonies

Handicapped $1,120,736 (9.8%) $1,141,734 (9.4%)Disadvantaged 2,236,810 (19.5%) 2,526,242 (20.8%)Sex Equity 0 (0.0%) 223,466 (1.8 %)

Single Parents/Homemakers 980 (0.01%) 801,365 (6.6)Adult 1,669,262 (14.6%) 1,286,687 (10.6%)Incarcerted 0 (V%) 120,393 (1.0%)*Total Voc. Ed.Expenditures $11,475,923 $12,140,064

*Expenditures do not include Federal funds carried over from prior year.

1 0 Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

the community through a parentalawareness program, sea -fair curriculadevelopment activities....

"The second program under the serequity program was designed for youngwomen, aged 14-25 and is similar to thesingle parents /homemakers program intypes of services funded. These pro-grams, however, particularly targetedthe pregnant teen and teen parent toenable their completion of high schooland continuation beyond. Provision wasmade for transportation and dependentcare services. A total of 9 programs wereimplemented during 1985-86."(S.C. Voc. Ed. Performance Report, p.6)

South Carolina's Sex Equity Consul-tant reported that there were 39 SexEquity Programs for the 1986-87 FiscalYear and 14 Model Programs for YoungWomen. The Sex Equity programs wereconducted in 11 technical colleges, 9school districts or schools, one four-yearcollege and one correctional institutionschool. The Model Programs were con-ducted in 8 technical colleges, fourschool districts and one four-yearcollege.

Impact NumbersThe data conzerning "Sex Equity"

received from the State Office ofVocational Education does not indicatethe numbers of those actually "enroll-

ed" in sex equity programs, but ratherreflects the total enrolln.mt of thoseschools where Sex Equity programswere in progress. The Department refersto these numbers as, "Estimates ofpotential impact". (See Table 1).

These impact numbers reported by theOffice of Vocational Education are19,763 in 1984-85 and 21071 in 1986-87.

SINGLE PARENT/HOMEMAKER

The tenn 'single parent' means an in-dividual who (A) is unmarried or legallyseparated from a spouse, and (B) hasa minor child or children for which theparent has either custody or jointcustody. The term 'homemaker' meansan indi'idual who (A) is an adult, and(B) has worked as an adult primarily

-without remuneration to care for thehome and family, and for that reasonhas diminished marketable skills.

(P.. L. 98-524, pp. 2484, 2486)

The South Carolina VocationalEducation Performance Report for1985-86 states that during FY 1986,1,606 students (secondary-345; post-secondary-1,261) participated in SingleParents and Homemakers programs of-fered in school districts, community-based organizations and the 16 technical

TABLE 4

Percentage of Budget Spent for Special Populations Compared to

Mandated Percentages.

% Spent Mandated % Spent Mandated1984-1985 1984-85 1985-1986 1985-1986

Handicapped 9.8 10.0 9.4 10.0

Disadvantaged 19.5 22.0 20.8 22.0

Sex Equity -0- 3.5 1.8 3.5

Single parents/homemakers .01 8.5 6.6 8.5

Adult 14.6 12.0 10.6 12.0

Incarcerated -0- 1.0 1.0 1.0

colleges throughout South Carolina.In 1986-87 the number of students

enrolled in these programs at technicalcolleges, school districts, andcommunity-based organizations increas-ed by 305 to 1,911. Program com-ponents are described:

Outreach - Publicity /Recruitment:Some program sites used communityreferral and local media promotionalcampaigns.

Counseling, Job Development, andJob Placement: Program participantswere involved in personalized life-planning. Intake, orientation and inten-sive pre-enrollment sessions focused onbuilding self esteem through group sup-port and positive self assessment. In-dividual assessments were conducted ...In many programs the targeted popula-tion made the transition to employment.

Job Skills Training: An open entry/open exit concept with performarce-based instructional criteria has been us-ed. Career exploration and/or trainingin high paying nontraditional technicaland skill trades jobs are emphasizedthroughout most programs through avariety of career fields. Funds under thiscomponent also covered some instruc-tional cost and small group/individualtutoring.

Child Care and Transportation. Childcare and transportation was provided ona contractual reimbursement basis.

INCARCERATEDThe term 'criminal offender' means anyindividual who is charged with or con-victed of any criminal offense, includinga youth offender or a juvenile offender.The tenn 'correctional institute' meansany prison jail, reformatory, work farm,detention center, or halfway house,community-based rehabilitation center,or any other similar Institution design-ed for the confinement or rehabilitationof criminal offenders.

(P.L. 98-524 pp. 2483, 2484)

Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 088 11

In 1986 the total prison populationunder the jurisdiction of the StateDepartment of Corrections was 10,755.

Incarcerated Criminal OffenderEnrollments in Vocational Education, in1985-86 totalled 483 (4.9% of the totalprison population), according to figuresfrom the Office of Vocational Educa-tior.. Of that total, 206 were enrolledfrom the S.C. Department of Youth Ser-vices and 277 were enrolled from theS.C. Department of Corrections.

In 1986-87, a total of 1,220 in-carcerated criminal offenders wereenrolled in Vocational Educationcourses. Each of the seven programsoffered had some enrollment, indicatingthat there was access to those programs.

TECHNICALEDUCATION

At the time that the Council forwardedits request to the Office of VocationalEducation, a parallel request was sentto the staff of the State Board forTechnical and Comprehensive Educa-tion. Although common usage of theterm "vocational education" would notgenerally include the technical educa-tion system, the Federal definition underthe Carl D. Perkins Act would includeboth the secondary level programs andthose programs of the technical collegesin South Carolina.

To obtain as complete a picture aspossible, the Council req :sted similardata from the state office of the Boardfor Technical and ComprehensiveEducation. The information that followsis based on the response received fromthat office. Due to different fundingsources and a different system of ac-counting, the data do not parallel thatprovided by the Office of VocationalEducation.

It does show, however, that servicesalso are being provided to the post-secondary occupational education stu-dent population for those special popula-tion categories identified by the PerkinsAct.

1

TABLE 5

Total Student Enrollment!. Occupational Technical EducationAnd Special Populations

1985 1986 1987

Total Enrollment 52,500 53,726 55,166

Adult 393.7 FTE 258.4 FTE not availableSingle Parent/

Homemaker N/A 1,261 1,372

Total enrollments and special popula-tion enrollments for occupationaltechnical education are seen in Table 5.

(FTE is a Full Time Equivalency: away of compiling enrollments at thepost-secondary level so that part-timestudent enrollments may be consideredas equivalent to full-time students.)

The "Adult" enrollments are full-timeequivalent enrollments computed bydividing total direct and indirect c,Nstper FTE student for the respectivefiscal year in the Technical EducationProgram into the Carl D. Perkinscategorical funding by area. SingleParent!Homemaker program par-ticipants are headcount enrollments byfiscal year.

Fiscal Expenditures for these twospeciai population categories served byTechnical Education are seen in Table 6.

The State Board for Technical andComprehensive Education is not fund-ed under the Carl D. Perkins Act for thespecial populations which include thehandicapped. Section 505 of theRehabilitation Act requires that all pro-grams at the technical colleges bemailable to the handicapped. TheMethods of Administration audit assuresthat all services are provided on an equaland non-discriminating basis. Each col-lege has assigned a person to workspecifically with handicapped students.

Nor is the State Board for Technicaland Comprehensive Education fundedunder the Carl D. Perkins Act for thespecial population of disadvantaged.Each college, however, participates inthe job training programs funded by theJob Training Partnership Act (JTPA).

These programs, which vary from short-term, low skill training to year-longhigh tech courses, are limited to thedisadvantaged and unemployed. Cost ofthese progranis system-wide amounts toabout $6,000,000 annually.

All of the courses offered by thetechnical colleges, both credit and non-credit, are available to studentsthroughout the state. Most of thestudents enrolled in the technical col-leges are adults with a system averagestudent age of approximately twentyeight years. The State Tech system pro-vides a comprehensive array of associatedegree, diploma and certificate pro-grams, and through state, federal, andlocal monitoring policies and proceduressuch as independent CPA audits, pro-gram evaluation, MOA compliance,local advisory council review, etc.,monitors to assure fiscal and educat'onalaccountability.

Approximately 1,200 to 1,400students participate in the SingleParentiHomemaket Program each yearthrough outreach, guidance and counsel-ing, job training, and child care ortransportation assistance. Each of thesixteen technical colleges offers this pro-gram funded under this title of the CarlD. Perkins Act, and each college isaudited annually as required under theSingle Audit concept.

The State Board for Technical andComprehensive Education receives 60%of the total fund, allocated to the StateAdult program. All accountability andmonitoring processes and proceduresfor colleges that participate in this pro -grain are administered by the

12 Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

TABLE 6

Special Expenditures, Technical Education

1984 1985 1986

Adult $1,034,949 $1,052,570 $777,134

Single Parent/Homemaker 0 0 462,143

Office of Vocational Education. In ad-dition to :ategorical funding through thePerkins Act, all colleges actively recruitfemale students in ongoing technicaleducation programs as a routine processof supporting the State's economicdevelopment efforts by pros iding highlytrained and skilled manpower.

All of the technical colleges locatednear a correctional institute offer sometraining to inmates. The nature, cost andfunding source for this training Nary dur-ing any fiscal year, but is not reportedas a discrete category. The State TechSystem is committed to serving in-carcerated persons within its fiscal limitsto provide such service.

CONCLUSIONSPopulation Changes

The data prov: the Council con-cerning these special population group-ings shows that since 1984-85 there hasbeen a marked increase in the numberof disadvantaged students reportedenrolled in South Carolina's vocationaleducation programs.

During 1984-85, 22,529 disadvantag-ed students were reported in vocationaleducation programs. In 1986-87, therewere 30,950 disadvantaged studentsenrolled in vocational education pro-grams. Disadvantaged vocational educa-tion enrollment share of the total voca-tional education population grewfrom 28.5% to 40.1% in just threeyears.

This growth, however, does not

indicate that Vocational Education hasbecome a program filled with disadsaa-taged students. In fact, the percentageof disadvantaged students enrolled inVocational Education programs (40.1%)remains less than the approximatepercentage of disadvantaged studentsenrolled in regular K-12 programs (44%to 50+%).

The vocational education handicappedpopulation has, on the other hand, ex-perience a gradual decrease in bothnumbers and enrollment share since1984-85. fruit. ',972 (10.1% of the totalvocational education enrollment) in1984-85 to 7,304 (9.5% of vocationaleducation enrollment) in 1986-87.

Vocational education handicappedenrollment expressed as a percentage oftotal vocational education enrollments,closely reflezts handicapped enrollmentin the total K-12 population. About 11%of the total K-12 school age populationin South Carolina is identified as han-dicapped while about 9.5% of vocationaleducation's enrollment is identified ashandicapped.

It is important to note, however, thatmonies for both handicapped and disad-vantaged populations are to be allocatedto "...those who because of their han-dicapping condition (or disadvantage)cannot succeed in the regular vocationaleducation program sithout specialeducation assistance." In other words,this includes only those from the han-dicapped and disadvantageed studentpopulation who are unable to suetwithout additional help.

Data concerning disadvantaged andhandicapped populations in vocational

education dispels the often held beliefthat vocational education is a dumpingground for the handicapped and thedisadvantaged. Since the Perkins Act,the percentage composition of vocationaleducation's special population groupingsmore closely reflects that of the total(K-12) school population.

There has also been a significantenrollment growth in the incarceratedcategory. (There are, of course, otheradult programs serving the in-carcerated.) Dui ;lig i;:e 1985-86 year,483 stlidents were enrollat in vocationaleducation programs, comprising 6/10 ofone percent of the total °eat lona!education enrollment. In 1986-87, 1,220incarcerated were enrolled, comprising1.6% of the total vocational educationpopulation. In just one year, this voca-tional education student population in-creased 250%.

Intent of Law MetThe purpose of the Carl D. Perkins

Vocational Education Act of 1984 is toassist states in expanding, impros ing,modernizing and developing qualityvocational education programs.

The law specifies that 57% of eachstate's basic grant money is to bedirected toward special populationgroupings, and furthermore, specifieshow that 57% is to be divided amongthe groupings. Most would agree that theoriginal intent of the law was to assurethat individuals who may have beenpreviously underserved (or unserved)are in filet, assured equal access toqualify vocationa! education programs.

The data presented to the Council, in-dicated that that is praise!) what hasoccurred in these special populationgroupings. This is evidenced by an in-crease in enrollment numbers of mostspecial population categories and an in-creased population share of specialgroupings within the total vocationaleducation population.

Fiscal ExpendituresAs mentioned earlier in this report, Title

II, Part A of the Perkins Act specifies that57% of each State's Basic grant must beallocated for special population

Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June I9'

613

"The percentage of disadvantagedstudents enrolled in Vocational

Education programs (40.1%) re-

mains less than the approximate

percentage of disadvantagedstudents enrolled in regular K-12

programs (44% to 50+%)."

groups in the prescribed proportion:

Handicapped 100%Disadvantaged 210%Adult/Postsecondary(training, retraining 12.0%Single ParentsHomemakers 8.5%Single Equity Grants 3.5%Incarcerated 1.0%

Total Vocational Education expen-ditures for 1986-87 were not available.However, expenditures for 1984-85 were$11,475,923 and, for 1985-86 were$12,140,064.

Fiscal expenditures reported for eachof the six special population groupingsfor the two most recent fiscal years areseen in Table 3. It should be mentionedthat during the 1984-85 year, thedistribution of funds, and the accounting

system, was under the previouslegislation so the expenditures did notreflect the newer population groupings.Also, expenditure reports for the1986-87 year were not available at thetime of this request.

It appears that the State's vocationaleducation expenditures of Federal fundsfor most categories in 1985-86 approx-imated the required setasides.

Due to the Tydings Amendments, upto 27 months may be utilized to expendthe allocated funds for any given fiscalyear. Accordingly, the expenditurereported for a single fiscal year may in-clude portions of funds from three dif-ferent budget years. As a result, the ex-penditures may appear to not meet theminimum percentages mandated.However, by the end of the expenditureperiod, they may well meet and/or ex-ceed the minimum percentage.

RECOMMENDATIONSThe Council recommends that the efforts to serve special popula-

tion groups outlined by the Carl D. Perkins Act be continued.The Council reconunends that the Office of Vocational Educa-

tion analyze the declining handicapped enrollment and find waysto rectify the situation. This drop in enrollment is of particular con-cern since one of the Office's stated program expansion goals inthe 1985-86 Vocational Education Performance report was to, "In-crease the number of handicapped students in secondary vocationaleducation programs by 33 percent." However, 19.86-87 handicap-ped enrollment figures showed even further dr;line.

The Council recommends that greater marketing efforts bedirected toward special populations groups.

It is an observation of the Council that the smaller amounts ofmonies for sex equity grants might be put to better use through pilotprojects which benefit Sopth Carolina on a statewide basis ratherthan at individual, district levels.

14 Special Student Populations in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 7

Private Sector

"When business,government andeducation work welltogether, economicgrowth occurs."

Involvementin Vocational and Technical Education

.---7

One of South Carolina's most often stated goals is

"economic growth", or as some call it "economicdevelopment!' Most economists agree that before successful

economic growth (or development) can occur, three groupsmust be involved and working together.

Those three groups are: business, government and educa-

tion. Most economists would agree that when these threegroups work wel! together, growth occurs. When these threegroups do not work well together, stagnation occurs.

One of the most common forms of cooperative practicebetween the private sector and vocational and technical

education is advisory committees. These, in theory, keep theschool or program informed about the changing needs of a

particular business or industry, and can provide expert ad-vice on skills that should be taught, the proper equipmentneeded for training and the related courses needed todevelop lifelong learning skills.

Vocational and technical education have at the core oftheir existence, the purpose to teach practical skills toprepare people for productive employmentto provideeducation and training beyond what is normally offered inthe academic programs of high schools, but that which doesnot require a four-year baccalaureate degree.

To not listen to the counsel of advisory groups comprisedof professionals actually employed in the businesses or in-dustries for which the vocational centers and technical col-

leges are preparing their students to enter, would defeat the

very purpose of these programs.For an educational institution to utilize the economic

influence and the political power that business and industrycouncil members can provide on behalf of educational pro-grams would be most imprudent. Business and industry im-pact any state's Governor's office and the legislature,

specifically by influencing government leaders to supportfunding for training.

Private,§er..yr Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 15I b

The Carl D. Perkins Act Section 112 outlines taskswhich the State Council on Vocational and Technical

Education is to perform in its role as advisor to the StateBoard of Education, assessing the quality and availabilityof vocational and technical education in South Carolina.

Some of these required reports deal specifically with theinvolvement of the private sector in vocational andtechnical education programs.

The Council examines both secondary and post secon-dary programs (even though this encompasses twoseparate agencies) due to the Federal definition of voca-tional education which includes both education levels.

First identified are those policies and procedures alreadyin place which assure private sector participation in SouthCarolina's vocational and technical education programsand institutions, and then presented are observations andrecommendations for the enhancement of private sectorparticipation.

PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENTSECONDARY LEVELThe South Carolina FY 1988 Administrative Provisions

for Vocational Education is a document which contains ...

"guidelines, procedures and administrative requirementsbased on the regulations, assurances, and certifications inthe Three-Year State Plan for Vocational :Technical Educa-tion as adopted by the State Board of Education..:'(1988 Admn. Provisions, Preface)

This publication's intent is to provide "an operationalbasis" for vocational education in South Carolina. Includ-ed are the various requirements for the administration ofVocational Education, whether they come from a federalrequirement, a state requirement, or a policy establishedby the Office of Vocational Education. The publication in-cludes the requirements, a section that reiterates each ofthe requirements, then establishes the criteria that will beused to determine if each of the requirements is beingmet, and also suggests what items may be used as accept-table evidence in the evaluation process.

What follows are excerpted requirements from thepublication FY 1988 Administrative Provisions, concerningthe involvement of the private sector in the planning, ad-vising, and evaluation of secondary level vocationaleducation programs.

Two Technical Committees I

(At the State Department of Education Level)The Perkins Act requires "technical committees" at the

state level which are to focus on vocational educationcurricula and carry out certain advisory functions.

What is Required?The State Board of Education, in consultation with the

State Council on Vocational and Technical Education,shall establish at least two technical committees to ad-vise the State Council on vocational and TechnicalEducation, and the State Board of Education on thedevelopment of model curricula to address State labormarket needs..."(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 14, Federal requirement)

!Local Advisory Council I

(At the Local School District Level)Each school district that receives funds for vocational

education must establish an overall local advisory council.Due to the variety of administrative patterns that exist toprovide vocational education at the local level, there arefour options, two of which have secondary options,depending on the local situation. These are:

School Districts With A Multi-District Area VocationalCenter

Option 1 - The AVC establishes one overall advisorycouncilOption 2 - Each feeder school district establishes anadvisory council and the AVC establishes an advisorycouncil representing only the AVC

Single School District With and Area Vocational CenterOption 1 - The AVC establishes one overall advisorycouncilOption 2 - The school district establishes one overalladvisory council

School District Without an Area Vocational Centerone overall advisory count,i

Post-Secondary Educational Institution-one overall advisory council representing thegeographic area

The following requirements from the 1988 Ad-ministrative Provisions apply regardless of the optionfollowed:

What is Required?"Each eligible recipient receiving financial assistancefor vocational education shall establish a local advisorycouncil to:

(1) review and recommend approval of the three-yearlocal Vocational education plan(2) advise on current job needs(3) advise on the relevancy of the courses offeredand(4) coordinate the programs, services, and activitiescontained in the local plan with training offered locallyunder the Job Training Partnership Act.

16 Private Sector Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

This advisory council shall meet no less than twiceper year... Local advisory council shall be composed ofmembers of the general public including represen-tatives of business, *ndustry and labor, with the majori-ty from the private sector. In addition, the council(s)shall include representation of both sexes, and of racialand ethnic minorities of the area served.

Minutes will be kept of each advisory councilmeeting and forwarded to the school district Superinten-dent for review and action.

Each eligible recipient shall certify in its local Three-year Plan that the local advisory council for vocationaleducation has been organized and has reviewed thelocal Three-year Plan and recommends approval aswritten.

(1988 Admn. Provisions, pp. 15-17, State Req.)

State Council Commentary

The state administration for vocational educationoutlines a formal, thorough system of monitoring thatlocal school districts comply with the state requirements.This section lists, in abbreviated form, the requirement,the criteria and the items that are acceptable as evidenceduring the evaluation.

How are the Requirements Evaluated for a SchoolDistrict?"Each local school district shall have an active Voca-tional Education Advisory council with appropriatecommunity representatives from business and industry

Criteria:The Vocational Education Advisory council is

representative of the clientele and groups that make upthe entire community: business/industry, both sexes,minorities.

The Vocational Education Advisory council adviseson: coordination with other programs and services,and/or relevance of programs and courses being offeredby the district in meeting current and projected man-power needs, and/or the development of the district'slocal plan for vocational education.

Meets at least two times per year.

Minutes of the council meetings are submitted to the(local) superintendent for review and action.

Council recommendations are implemented.

Evidence:Identification of council members, dates of councilmeetings, minutes of meetings, documentation ofrecommendations, and documentation of feedback tocouncil members."

(198b Admn. Provision, pp. 21-22)

How are the Requirements Evaluated for High Schoolor Area Vocational Center?

The following evaluation requirements apply lo an areavocational center under some conditions.

"Each local school district shall have an active Voca-tional Education Advisory Council with appropriatecommunity representatives from business and industry.

Criteria:The Vocational Education Advisory council is

representative of the clientele and groups that make. upthe entire community. business/industry, both sexes,minorities.

The vocational education advisory council adviseson: Coordination with other programs and services,and/or relevance of programs and courses being offeredby the district in meeting current and projected man-power needs, and/or the development of the district'slocal plan for vocational education.

Meets at least two times per year.

Minutes of the council meetings are submitted to the(local) superintendent for review and action.

Council recommendations are implemented.

Evidence:Identification of council members, dates of councilmeeting, minutes of meetings, documentation ofrecommendations, and documentation of feedback tocouncil members."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, pp. 26-27)

Curricllum or Program Advisory Committee

(At the local School District Level)In addition to the school district-wide, or area voca-

tional center councils, the state requires advisory commit-tees as stated below. Service areas include agricultural,business, health occupations, home economics, marketing,and trade and industrial. Due to the wide diversity of pro-gram offerings under the heading of trade and industrial(T&I), the state requirements are for a separate advisorycommittee for each program under TM.

What is Required?"Each vocational service area and each course withinthe Trade and Industrial services area receiving anytype of vocational financial assistance through a localeducational agency, shall establish an advisory commit-tee. The advisory committee shall meet no less thantwice per year The committees shall be composed ofpersons with special knowledge and experience to ade-quately advise the instructor(s) of that service/coursearea and administrator(s) of the school or area

Private Sector Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 17

20

vocational center. The committees should be composed ofpersons outside the education profession chosen from thecommunity or geographic area served.

Each eligible recipient shall affirm through the Assurancesof the three-year plan that advisory committees have beenestablished.

Minutes will be kept of each advisory committee meetingand forwarded to the area vocational center director orhigh school principal for review and action."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, pp. 16-17, State requirement)

How the Requirements are Evaluated?

"Each Vocational Education service area and each pro-gram within the Trade and Industrial Education servicearea receiving vocational financial assistance shallestablish an advisory committee.

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 37, State requirement)

Criteria:The advisory committee meets a minimum of twice

annually.

The Vocational Education Advisory Council is represen-tative of the community and business industry which itserves.

The advisory committee is composed of at least threemembers.

The advisory committee contributes to the determina-tion of program needs, objectives, and course content.

Minutes of the committee meetings are submitted to theprincipal/director for review and action.

Committee recommendations have been implemented.

Evidence:Indentification of Committee members, dates of commit-tee meetings, minutes of meetings, documentation ofrecommendations, and documentation of feedback tocommittee members."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 37, State requirement)

Agricultural Advisory Team

(At the State Department of Education Level)Due to specific wording of the Education Improvement

Act of 1984, this additional requirement for participationof a private sector member (local advisory councilmember) in the on-site evaluation team for agricultureeducation programs is provided.

What is Required?"Local programs of vocational agricultural educationand the school district's need assessment foragricultural education programs are reviewed by theState Department of Education consultants foragricultural education with the participation of an ad-visory team consisting at minimum of a member of thelocal advisory committee for vocational agriculture, amember of the local advisory council for vocationaleducation and a teacher educator for agriculturaleducation from Clemson University."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 38, State requirement)

How are the requirements Evaluated?The procedures for the evaluations of the vocationalprograms include the measure to involve a member ofthe local advisory committee for vocational agricultureand a member of the local advisory council for voca-tional education and a teacher educator in agriculturaleducation when evaluating any programs of agriculturaleducation.

Instructional Enhancement

(At the i_ocal School District Level)This is another indication of the desire for involvement

of the private sector in the delivery of vocational educa-tion. The criteria that are specified must be checked bythe evaluating team for evidence of adherence to thepolicy.

What is Required?"Community Resources shall be identified and utilizedto enhance the quality of the instructural program.

Criteria:The school initiates and maintains liaison with businessand industry. Community organizations cooperatingwith the program are identified. Community resourcesare used to supplement classroom 'Istruction (e.g.,speakers, consultants, learning resources, donations,work experience, field trips, etc.)

Evidence:Description of use of community resources."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 40, Quality Requirement)

leng:ferm Adult Vocational Advisory Committee

(At the Local School District Level)The use of an advisory committee in long-term adult

vocational programs is additional evidence of public par-ticipation in vocational programs.

What is Required?'Approved long-term adult vocational programs shallhave a formal advisory committee composed ofrepresentatives from business/industry and/or the

18 Private Sector Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

21

FINDINGSFli:OM A REVIEW OF

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION SUMMARY REPORTS

The Office of Vocational Education is required to con-duct vocational education program evaluations no lessthan once every five years for each vocational educationprogram in the State. Summary reports from each of theseevaluations are proviciJ by the Office of VocationalEducation to the State Council on a routine basis.

Evaluative remarks concerning the individual district'sprogram involvement with the private sector aresometimes contained in these summary reports. In somecases, remarks concerning compliance or non-compliancewith Vocational Educatiods Administrative Provision re-quirements for private sector involvement (in part) areincluded.

Twenty three (23) summary reports of vocational educa-tion programs in school districts and vocational educationcenters were examined to provide a measure of thedegree of private sector involvement in vocational educa-tion programs. These summary reports had been preparedby the Department of Vocational Education within a timespan ranging from 11-26-86 to 5-25-87 (See Table 1).

An examination of the 23 summary reports whichevaluate entire school districts, and vocational centersregarding compliance with administrative guidelines, con-tained narrative in only two (8.7%) summary reportswhich reported that two districts were in non-complianceconcerning the required private sector committee/councilstructure.

It was found that 5 (23%) of these same 23 summary

reports contained remarks indicating exemplary participa-tion o the district's or center's advisory councils and/orprogram committees.

And, 8 (35%) of the 23 summary repc made no men-tion of private sector involvement. This, according to theOffice of Vocational Education, indicates minimalcompliance.

f,,...ultural advisory committees were specifically citedin 8 1.i5%) of these most current 23 summary reports with3 of he .summary reports (13%) making no mention ofprivate sector involvement other than agricultural commit-tees n the narratives.

These summary reports appear to be the only documen-tation 6+ the State level concerning the existence of localadvisory councils/committee,. Vocational education staffreport that minutes of the various programs' advisorycouncils meetings were contained in the files of thosedistrir.ts and vocational centers where the State vocationaleducation evaluating committee made no mention of thecommittees/councils in the summary reports.

'4c ne of these sornr 7 reports contained narrative(po.,:, ve of negative) iicerning long term adult voca-tional e_ucation c.ummittees, instructional enhancementcommittees or the presence or absence of plans forcooperative education.

(It should be noted that starting in FY 1988-89, the StateBoard fo; Comprehensive and Technical Education willmonitor -:11 adult vocational education programs.)

TABLE 1

Information about Private Sector Involvement Presented in Vocational Education's Summary Reports

11-26-86 to 5-25-87

*Positive or Neutral Evaluative Remarks:No narrative aboutprivate sector involvement.

Narrative noted agriculturecommittee specifically.

Narrative noted programadvisory committees.

Narrative noted advisorycouncil.

6

Negative Evaluative Remarks:Narrative noted con - compliance.

8 with standards

*(Some programs received notes concerning several10 categories.)

4

2

Private Sector Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 190 --)4.4

[Cooperative Vocational Education .1

professional field(s), student(s), the lay public and otherappropriate representation."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 72, State requirement)

(At the Local School District Level)There is a requirement that, "beginning with the

1987-88 school year, local school districts shall providethe opportunity for the cooperative method of instructionin the final level of vocational education (occupational)courses."

What is Required?" A written plan for the implementation and maintenanceof the cooperative method of instruction shall bedeveloped by the local education agency, in collaborationwith business and industry..."

(1988 Admn. Provisions, p. 98, Federal and State Requirements)

PRIVATE SECTOR INVOLVEMENTPOST SECONDARY

Technical Education RequirementsInformation provided to the State Council by the State

Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, con-tained directives for the establishment of instructional pro-gram advisory committees (Legal AuthorityAct 1268 ofthe Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1972 and Act 654 ofthe Code of Laws of South Carolina). This informationsays:

"For all curricula approved for implementation by SouthCarolina Technical Colleges, each college will form an ac-tive lay advisory committee from the college service areato provide appropriate input and advice. Each advisorycommittee will be representative by number, composition,and experience of the occupations reflected in each cur-riculum. The advisory committee may serve one or morecurriculums within a cluster as deemed most advisable bythe college president or area commission. Where feasible,certain advisory committees may serve multi-institutional,regional, or statewide purposes under unique circumstances.In this case, the state office curriculum and/or other in-structional coordinators should be involved as an ex of-ficio member"(Number 3-1-401, TEC Policy Manual)

Also included in information provided to the StateCouncil by the State Board for Technical and Comprehen-sive Education were procedures to direct and implementprivate sector involvement in the form of advisorycommittees:

"Under the 1976 Vocational Education Act, the SouthCarolina State Advisory Council on Vocational andTechnical Education is responsible for technical assistanceand leadership where needed by technical and vocationaleducation. The State Office Division of Instruction's staff

20 Private Sector Involmment in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988

members are also available for technical assistance to TECinstitutions in organizing and training of committeemembers and implementing the committee's activities."

The advisory committee policy guidelines as recom-mended by the State TEC Board for the South CarolinaTechnical Colleges are as follows:

Hold at least two formal meeting each year.New member installation and election of officers will

be a part of the agenda for the first meeting each year.The technical college's department head or otherdesignated staff serve as recording secretary and advisorto the committee.The dean of instruction or other designated collegeadministrator will serve as the institutional coordinatorfor all advisory committees.cOfficial appointments to membership on the advisorycommittee will be made by the president and/or areacommission chairman of the college. Provisions will bemade to insure that new members are addedperiodically in order to provide opportunity forrepresentation by new industry in the service area.

Operate meetings under a planned agenda.Minutes of each formal meeting will be kept on file

by the recording secretary and by the coordinator ofthe advisory committee.

Informal contact will be maintained with membersfor continuity of input between formal meetings.

Memberships will be given high visibility throughvarious college activities.

The college will be responsible for developing in-stitutional policies and detailed procedures to imple-ment the State Board policy. A copy of the college'spolicy and procedures will be filed with the State TECCentral Office."

(number 3-1401.1 TEC Procedure Manual)

I CCIORDI NATIONPrivate Sector Involvement

The South Carolina Employment Revitalization Act (ERA)was designed to promote a more coordinated job trainingsystem and to tie the state's occupational education pro-grams more closely to economic development efforts.

Sixteen (16) Area Occupational Training Advisory Com-mittees, (or AOTACs) were created by the ERA to coincidewith the areas served by the state's 16 postsecondarytechnical colleges.

The composition of each 12-member committee wasalso prescribed by law, with four appointments made bythe State Board of Education; four by the State Board forTechnical and Comprehensive Education; two by theCoordinating Council for Economic Development; andtwo by the Governor's Office.

The Act further stipulated appointment categories suchthat seven members represent the private sector(business/industry) and five represent education. The Chairof each AOTAC is required to be selected from among itsprivate sector members.

These 16 AOTACs have made significant progress intheir efforts to "increase coordination, articulation, and ef-fectiveness among the various vocational, technical, oc-cupational and adult education programs and economicdevelopment programs in each area."

In particular, progress has been made toward the ar-ticulation of secondary and post secondary levels of oc-cupational education where comparable programs exist.

COMMENTSSecondary

The Vocational Education Administrative Provisions pro-vides what appear to be an excellent conceptual plan forinvolving the private sector in vocational education pro-grams. Within the Provisions there is an organizationalstructure recommended for overall involvement (the ad-visory council) and a structure for programmatic concerns(special areas or program committees). There are also re-quirements for special committees for instructionalenhancement, long-term adult vocational education, andcooperative vocational education programs.

These Provisions state that the composi6on of eachgroup must be representative of the community and thatboth sexes and minority groups are represented in themembership. For some committees, the Office of Voca-tional Education has outlined minimal reporting re-quirements; e.g. sending minutes to the district superinten-dent, center director or school principal. This would ap-pear to ensure a means by which committees can com-municate their recommendations to district school personnel.

The Provisions manual requires a committee for long-term adult vocational programs which are the programsfor Licensed Practical Nursing. There are no directivesconcerning the composition of the committee, minimummeeting time requirements, or a formai reportingmechanism.

Of course, the Provisions simply outline the structure ofadvisory committees. Even if a school district or voca-tional center met the "active council/committee minimumcriteria of two meeting per year;' it would seem unlikelythat this would ensure "active" for meaningful) participation.

The South Carolina Department of Education, Office ofVocational Education (OVE) has produced and distributeda guide, "How Your Advisory Committee Can Work forYou." While the Council is advised that "over 12,000copies of the iide have been distributed", the Counciloffers the following observations:

First, the guide is written in general terms and does notaddress the distinctive differences in the various types ofcommittees; secondly, the guide is written for the

-.111111

administrator or teacher, not for the lay member, and last,the publication is undated, thus giving no indication ofwhether or not it is current.

The States first stated requirement concerns "TechnicalCommittees" and is a requirement derived directly fromthe specifics of the Perkins Act. Since the inception ofstate technical committees, the State Council has been in-cluded in the selection process of committee members.The State Council has been representec: by co1ri,i1 staff atall technical committee meetings.

Under the policy requirement for cooperative education,there is no definition of what constitutes acceptable "col-laboration" with business and industry.

Post Secondary

Technical Education's requirements seem to encouragethe active involvement of the business sector and thecommunity in technical education programs.

At the State Level there is only one advisory committee;that is, an advisory committee for agriculture. All otheradvisory committees are at the local level and, as statedin the policy manual, must be organized for each cur-riculum (some curricula may share committeesif cur-ricula are linked to the same profession.)

Any new curricula submitted to the State Board forTechnical and Comprehensive Education must be recom-mended by the digtrict's advisory committee and, as

.ed in the procedural portion of the policy statement,"a copy of the college's policy and procedures will be fil-ed with the State TEC Central Office."

Other than those two instances, there is no way toevaluate the status or activities of advisory committees atthe tech colleges, nor is there any directive to verify that acommittee exists, or that it is active except in the case ofthe formal proposal of a new curricula which must be en-dorsed by the advisory conimittee.

RECOMMENDATIONSVocational education at the secondary lett! has State requirements for

private sector ;incitement which far exceed the federal requirements. Fromthe limited reporting of compliance with the requirements for advisory com-mittees and advisory councils, it appears that in most cases the additionalrequilements am being met by the local school districts. The State Boardof Education, Office of tbcational Education, is commended for establishingthese additional requirements.

The Council recommends that the State Board ofEducation revise a set of guidelines for the involvementof advisory committees. These guidelines should be writ-ten so they will be clear to others not invoked in ad-ministration, and provide guidance to lay committeemembers in detailing the duties, expectations, and re-quirements for each type of advisory group.

The Council recommends that the State Board forTechnical and Comprehensive Education update the ob-solete policy #3-1-401.1.

The Council recommends that the State Board forTechnical and Comprehensive Education establish someprocess for ensuring that there is, indeed, active use oflocal advisory committees and/or councils.

Private etor Involvement in Vocational and Technical Education, June 1988 21

4:t

ANALYSIS OF

DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDSFOR SECONDARY AND POST SECONDARYVOCATIONAL EDUCATION

The State Council on Vocational andTechnical Education has a number

of responsibilities prescribed by the CarlD. Perkins Vocational Education ActAmong these arc items Uri addressfiscal analysis, or distribution of fundsutilized to support secondary and postsecondary vocational education. The Actspecifies that, in addition to other duties."each state council shall:

"(3) analyze and report on the distribu-tion of spending for vocational educa-tion in the State and on the availabilityof tvcational education activities andservices within the State; and

"(6) assess the thstribuuon of finanoalasustance furnished wider thus Act, pat-ocularly tvuh the analysts of thethstrIbution of financial assistancebettsven secondary %willowl educ.atumprograms and postsecondan. %mammaleducation programs."(P L. 198-524, Part B, Sec 112 (d) (3).

and Sec 112 (d) (6)

Further clarification of these responsibilities is given in the Rules andRegulations pertaining to this Act, whichspecifies that each of these duties mustbe accomplished during "each State planperiod " The initial State plan periodunder this Act encompasses the timespan from July 1. 1985 through June 30,1988. Thereafter, the State plan periodextends for two years, beginning July 1,1988 and repeating in 1990, 1992, etc.

Further, the Rules and Regulations in-clude the word "all" in the FederalReizister in relereme to "distribution ofall spending". (Federal Register, Vol.50,No. 159. dated August 16. 1985, Part 1.Subpart A. Pant. 401.16 (3) p. 33238)

TWO DELIVERYSYSTEMS

South Carolina has two primaryeducational systems that deliver \ ma-tional education sere kes as defined bythe federal legislation on vocationaleducation One system encompasses theprograms of vocational education, pro-vided by the high school% and the areavocational centers in the state, whichprimarily provide services to secondarylevel students in the public schools.

These programs are governed byLaws, Rules and Regulations, and stan-dards of the State Board of Education(State Board for Vocational EduLation).

The other delivery system included inthe federall definition of voLationaleducation is the technical educationsystem, which consists of sixteentechniLsd Lolleges, administered by boththe State Board for Technical and Com-prehensive Education and individualarea commissions.

Consequently, to fulfill its respon-sibilities, the State Council must

22 Analysis of Distribution of Funds for Secondary and Post Secondary VocatiGnal Education. June 1988

examine both the secondary level voca-tional programs and its attendant ad-ministration, and the occupational pro-grams under the aegis of the State Boardfor Technical and ComprehensiveEducation.

VOCATIONALEDUCATION

Federal funds for vocational t.lion available to the mate arc receivedand administered by the State Board ofEduLation (State Board C.ir VocationalEducation). which is designated the solestate agency responsible tbi the ad-mimstnttion of these federal vocationaleducation funds. Administratively, theresponsibility is carried out by the Of-fice of Vocational Education in theDepartment of Education.

The majority of these federal tendsare utilized by local school districts,together with state appropriated funds.The state funds arc provided by state ap-propriation and distributed according toprovisions of the Educational FinanceAct of 1982 (EFA) and the EducationImprovement Act of 1984 (EIA). Fundsto support vocational education providedto school districts, then, consist of acombination of federal and state funds.The individual school districts combinethese monies from the state with other

funds derived from local tax millage andwith other locally obtained funds.

Part of the funds provided under theCarl a Perkins Vocational EducationAct are retained at the state level for ad-ministration, research. curriculumdevelopment, consumer and homemak-ing education, and other purposes.

An additional portion of the federalfunds available under the Carl D.Perkins Act is provided through the StateBoard of Education (SBE) to other stateboards, agencies, and institutions, e.g.the State Board of Corrections to servethe incarcerated, the Wil Lou Grey Op-portunity School, and the Departmentof Youth Services. At the other agenciesthe funds are combined with other stateand/or local fluids to provide for thedelivery of services.

Them are also other uses of the funds.For example, programs of teachereducation at several of the four-year col-leges and universities receive federalvocational education funds through theSBE. This financial support providesprograms that prepare certified tt...K:hersfor vocational education. Funds arc al'provided to state supported collegesother specific purposes, including in-service training of professional voca-tional education personnel.

The Office of Vocational Education,State Departrwnt of Education. inMach of 1988, published SouthCarolina Vocational Education1987-88 Mini-plan: 1986-87 ProgressReport.

This report contained data seen infigures 1,2,3.

We see that at least 4,075 separatevocational program offerings were pro-vided to students at 291 locations in theState of South Carolina during the;987-88 school year.

FIGURE 1

WHERE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IS TAUGHT

Number of high schools where secondaryvocational education is taught 238

Number of vocational centers 53

Total locations where vocational education taught291

FIGURE 2

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION OFFERINGS

Individual vocational offerings - high school

ridividual vocational offerings - voc. centers

Total vocational offerings

2,987

1,088

4,075

FIGURE 3

1986-87 EXPENDITU1(ES

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

Federal Funds

State & Local Funds

Total Re:70rtedExpendits .es

87 Vocational Enrollments:secondary Enrollment

e,

$ 13 ,010,427

$ 63,862,426

$76,872,853

116,066

Analysis of Distribution of Funds for Secondary and Post Secondary Vocational Education, June 1988 23

26

TECHNICALEDUCATION

Fiscal support for the technical educa-tion system more closely follows thepattern established for institutions ofhigher education. Thas, data are notavailable in comparable form. Also, thepercentage of support from differentsources is not similar to that of secon-dary level vocational education. Accor-ding to the 1988-89 budget detail, ap-proximately 57% of the funds are pro-vided as state appropriated funds, whilethe federal funds for vocational educa-tion actually represents less than 1 per-cent of the budget for the technical col-leges. The major sources of support forthe techncial colleges are state ap-propriated funds and student tuition andfees, followed by local support whichvaries at each institution.

Data regarding the programs of theState Board for Technical and Com-prehensive Education: financial andstudent enrollment; are not reported inthe format used above for vocationaleduca.ion. However, data provided inthe 1988-89 budget request to the StateBudget and Control Board, and from the1986-87 Annual Report of the StateBoard for Technical and ComprehensiveEducation states expenditures seen infigure 4 and enrollments seen in Figure 5.

CONCLUSIONSDistribution of Funds.

The Federal funds for vocationaleducation, as administered by the Officeof Vocational Education, representapproximately 16% of the reportedexpenditures for vocational education,excluding those funds transferred totechnical education. On the other hand,the 1986-87 reported expenditures ofvocational education funds by technicaleducation represent less than one per-cent of the reported technical collegebudgets.

The technical college programs aremore visible, and the current politicalclimate within the state indicates thepotential for additional support for the

FIGURE 4

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

1986-87 Expenditures:

(c,thrinistmtion and technical college programs only, but not including attributableemployee benefits)

Total Funds $123,357,409

Federal vocational education fundsincluded in the above total $1,886,484

(SDE data)

FIGURE 5

TECHNICAL EDUCATION ENROLLMENTS

Number of technical colleges 16

Enrollments (full-time equivalents) 28,149FTE less AA/AS transfer 25,461

Enrollments, Upduplicated Headcount 158,000

technical college programs. Within theState's appropriation process, vocationaleducation is considered as a part of thetotal funds for K-12 public education.Both types of programs are vital to thedevelopment of the individuals and tothe economic development of the statein order to provide a more highly train-ed workforce.

Since only about 15 percent of theannual expenditures of federal vocationaleducation funds in this state is expend-ed by the technical education system, theonly major change that could occurwould be an increase in the amounttransferred to technical education. Thenet result M this case would be todecimate the fiscal support for voca-tional education since the K-12 systemhas no readily available way to replacethe loss of funds. The gain to thetechnical college system would not causea dramatic increase in availability ofprograms because of the limited impacton an already large (relatively) budget.

Withdrawing the current level of sup-port for postsecondary (technical col-lege) vocational education is not a viablealternative, since the federal legislationmandates minimal expenditures forpostsecondary vocational education.

Availability of Programs and Services.South Carolina appears to provide alarge number of offerings of vocationaleducation at the secondary level andtechnical education at the postsecondarylevel conveniently available,geographically, throughout the state.South Carolinians are able to take ad-vantage of these offerings without havingto commute great distances. The StateBoard of Education and the State Boardfor Technical and ComprehensiveEducation are commended for their ac-tive leadership during the past threedecades in establishing and maintainingthese institutions.

One weakness of the system of voca-tional education centers appears to bethe less than optimum utilization offacilities. Although there are someoutstanding exceptions, vocationaleducation centers oftentimes are oc-cupied for only approximately six hourseach day, and for only 185-90 days ayear. While some of the reasons for thislack of optimum usage are cultural andothers are out of tradition, it would ap-pear that greater utilization of thesephysical facilities would be more costeffective.

24 Analysis of Distribution of Funds for Seconuary and Post Secondary Vocational Education, June 1983

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The current ratio of expenditures offederal funds for vocational educationbetween secondary and postsecondaryvocational education programs should bemaintained at essentially the same leveland in the same manner.

2. Vocational education groups and profes-sional personnel should be supportive ofbudget requests for funds for occupationaleducation by technical education, and thetechnical education professional personneland/or groups should also be supportive ofthe need for state funds for vocationaleducation.

3. In some areas coordinating groups foradult vocational education have beenestablished to continue beyond the initial

two years of the individual area OccupationalTraining Advisory Committees (AOTACs).Where these committees exist, informationalnotices of the award or distribution of fundsfor adult vocational education should be pro-vided to the committee any time these fundsare made available.

4. The State Board for Vocational Education(State Board of Education) should developstrategies and establish some pilot project orprojects to increase the utilization of thevocational education facilities. This shouldemphasize increased use of the area voca-tional education centers where there are noton-going programs of adult vocational educa-tion and adult education in addition to thesecondary vocational education programs.

Analysis of Distribution of Funds for Secondary and Post Secondary Vocational Education, June 1988 25