Issues in Urban Vocational Education for Special Populations. TASPP Brief. Volume 2, Number 4

Families in urban areas struggle with drug abuse, poverty, increasing housing costs, and lack of affordable child care. The challenges confronting urban schools include a higher dropout rate, higher youth unemployment, and the need to address a variety of special needs of their student population, such as programs for pregnant students, dropouts, at-risk students, and substance abuse prevention. Urban schools need to coordinate or broker the myriad of services necessary to assist students in their increasingly complex environment. Such partnerships often strengthen community support for special programs for economically disadvantaged and academically at-risk youth. The literature indicates that successful programs are characterized by high expectations, strong leadership, a broad range of instructional programs, autonomy and flexibility in program planning, and a broad range of social and economic opportunities. Ten characteristics of successful urban career-oriented high schools are safe and orderly environment; businesslike attitude; warm and caring environment; admissions process based on student interest; dual mission--to prepare students for a career and college; high expectations; curriculum organized around an industry or discrete set of subjects; integration of theory and practice; strong linkages theory and practice; strong linkages with business; and inspiring, sensitive, and firm leadership. (The unique aspects of six effective programs are reviewed. Fifteen references are cited.) (YLB)