PUB TYPE Opinion Papers (120)

Tech prep plays a pivotal role in the education reform movement and is a key educational strategy. The purpose of tech prep education is to prepare an academically and technically competent work force. It is a curricular and instructional strategy for all students that leads to competence and employability in the technical fields. In tech prep, all students are exposed to career awareness at the earliest grades, followed by career exploration and preparation in high school, to develop the skills students need to make informed decisions. All graduates of tech prep must be broadly educated with a solid foundation in math and science, specialized training, and academic preparation in a technical field. Tech prep extends beyond narrowly defined occupational clusters; it is about increasing options. Tech prep is a key strategy for building a school-to-work (STW) system and is often the crucial centerpiece of many STW systems. It promotes key STW elements: career exploration, integration of vocational and academi