School-to-Work for the College-Bound

When Congress passed the School-to-Work Opportunities Act in 1994, many viewed it as an educational strategy for students who intended to go straight to work upon high school graduation--the "non-college-bound." The school-to-work emphasis earned great enthusiasm, as long as it was for "someone else's child." Since most parents want their children to go to college, however, few students really fit that category.

Nothing in the educational philosophy of the school-to-work movement suggests that it serves only students who plan to work immediately after high school. School-to-work programs focus on active learning, exploration of career possibilities and interests, and guided experiences outside the classroom. These are principles that can frame an effective education for college as well as for work. Many students headed for elite colleges, in fact, can benefit from the school-to-work approach.

Last year, the Westchester Education Coalition in New York asked us to do research on the ramifications of introducing school-to-work approaches into Westchester County schools. Because Westchester is an upscale suburban area where kids are expected to go to college, we began by looking for school-to-work programs elsewhere that served high academic achievers, held their interest, and made...