Overview

Background

The School-to-Work Outreach Project was a nationwide, three year project funded by the U.S. Department of Education. A primary goal of this project was to improve school-to-work opportunities for students with disabilities. Federal legislation, such as the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) of 1994 and the Individuals with Disabilites Education Act of 1990, guide school-to-work transition efforts. The STWOA establishes a national framework within which states can create statewide school-to-work systems, and requires the inclusion and participation of youth with disabilities. The School-to-Work Outreach Project was guided by the needs of youth in their transition from school-to-work in the three core elements stated in the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994:

• School-Based Learning - Instruction and experiences based on academic and occupational skills standards.
• Work-Based Learning - Workplace experience, structured training, mentoring, and apprenticeships at job sites.
• Connecting Activities - A variety of activities that build and maintain bridges between school, work, and other adult environments.

The School-to-Work Outreach Project aimed to improve school-to-work activities including students with disabilities by identifying school-to-work models/practices/strategies that work and by providing technical assistance, encouraging others to adopt or replicate those models.

The School-to-Work Outreach Project was advised and assisted by a National Advisory Panel. Panel membership included persons who were involved in school-to-work initiatives for both personal and professional reasons.

Project Goals

The goals of the School-to-Work Outreach Project were to:

• Identify and document exemplary models/practices/strategies used in school-to-work activities that include students with disabilities. This was done through our nomination/application/review process which happened two times a year.
• Encourage adoption and replication of identified exemplary school-to-work models/practices/strategies in general education as well as special education.
• Provide technical assistance to organizations and schools who would like to implement these models/practices/strategies or improve existing school-to-work activities.
• Share information regarding effective school-to-work models/practices/strategies with special and general educators, adult service providers, employers, students, family members, community organizations and other interested persons.
• Promote the inclusion of youth with disabilities in school-to-work activities.

Back to the STW Outreach Project Home Page.

URL: www.ici.coled.umn.edu/schooltowork/overview.html
Last updated January 23, 1998.