| Abstract: | The fundamental purpose of the Tech Prep Education Act is to prepare students for rapid technological advances and the America's participation in a global economy. Technical preparation (Tech Prep) addresses this goal through a curriculum comprising mathematics, science, communications, and various related occupational cluster areas to bridge secondary with postsecondary education. Across the nation, approximately 800 local consortia formed during the 1992 fiscal year to receive federal funding to plan and implement these new educational programs. The present study was conducted to document the planning and implementation processes used in 17 Tech Prep consortia in a Midwest state. The three research objectives were to document (a) how planning and implementation processes occurred, (b) the roles of local Tech Prep project leaders who assumed responsibility for guiding these processes, and (c) the leaders’ perceptions of how various planning and implementation processes contributed to the development of effective Tech Prep programs. The findings from this research can assist local consortia in conducting planning and implementation processes for new Tech Prep programs. |
