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This study was conducted for the State of Hawaii in June 1998.  Report includes principles of sustainability, findings, and recommendations for sustaining Hawaii's STW initiative. The Executive Summary is below, and may also be downloaded in PDF format. To download the 213K report: Right-click on the PDF icon.  Choose "save as" and then OK.  How do I read a PDF file?

Executive Summary

Contents:

Introduction
Principles, Major Findings, and Implications for Sustainability
Recommendations
Title Page Information

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to obtain firsthand information about how School-to-Work (STW) sustainability efforts are taking shape in selected states, in order to assist the State of Hawai'i in its efforts to develop strategies for ensuring the sustainability of its STW initiative after federal funding is terminated. The study's findings are based on the analysis of interview data from guided interviews of state STW directors and related document analysis.

The initial picture of STW sustainability emerging from this interview study is multi-faceted, reflecting enabling conditions and implementation approaches unique to each state. Some states in the study appear to have made greater progress than others in the system-building aspect of School-to-Work. However, every state exhibits at least some strategies that enhance STW sustainability, and every state is grappling with conditions or issues that pose a serious challenge to their initiative's sustainability. In other words, no one state has a proven "blueprint for sustainability"; yet taken together, these states' experiences will stimulate the thinking of STW practitioners and researchers.

This study followed a composite research design that combined and relied on the joint strength of three different data analysis techniques: (1) structured telephone interviews of thirteen (13) state STW directors; (2) a review of organizational documents relevant to School-to-Work; and, (3) statistical quantitative data. The study's major findings and implications for sustainability are summarized within each principle below.

Principles, Major Findings, and Implications for Sustainability

1. COHERENT STW PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

School-to-Work is an integral part of a larger state-level workforce development system. Three elements critical for the successful institutionalization and subsequent sustainability of School-to-Work are (1) the enactment of a legislative mandate and agreement on a policy framework, (2) formulation of a strategic plan to maximize results or outcomes through coordination of efforts and effective alignment of resources of all partner agencies and entities; and (3) the development of an ongoing evaluation and accountability system as an integral component of the implementation strategy to measure results and promote sustained improvement.

Major Findings

• Nine of the thirteen states have enacted legislation in the areas of workforce and economic development, and education reform. Of these, seven states specifically address School-to-Work as part of their more comprehensive workforce development initiative.
• Where workforce development legislation has been enacted and specifically supports School-to-Work, a more coherent and systemic STW implementation strategy seems to have developed.

Implications for Sustainability

Legislation as well as strategic planning defines roles, functions and collaboration mechanisms for all partner entities. They determine resource allocation and how results are to be measured for sustained system improvement.

2. COMBINATION OF TOP-DOWN AND DECENTRALIZED STRATEGIES

Both top-down and bottom-up (decentralized) strategies are necessary to sustain a STW system, and both are more effective when designed to complement each other.

Major Findings

At the state level, the bottom-up approach is described as local flexibility or local control. Along with making funds available, two kinds of state strategies for enabling local flexibility appear to be (1) removing obstacles and (2) making requirements -- dictating the "what" but not the "how."

Implications for Sustainability

Focusing the STW system-building primarily at the local level without complementary top-down strategies can hinder the sustainability of the STW initiative. States should focus state-level strategies on (1) providing a coordinating structure and (2) removing obstacles to local implementation through marketing, professional development, and state-driven automated follow-up system and evaluation efforts.

3. ALIGNMENT AND INTEGRATION WITH EDUCATION REFORMS

School-to-Work is not a "program," but rather a systemic education reform initiative, implemented in an educational context where many other reforms are also impacting the system. School-to-Work must be aligned and integrated with other reforms and initiatives.

Major Findings

• Higher student competency or academic standards, statewide assessment of student achievement, comprehensive career development and guidance systems, inclusion of industry-specific skills in the curriculum and elimination of the general track have been initiated in all ten or more of the thirteen states in the study.
• School-to-Work is isolated from other reform initiatives, making it appear to be more of a "program" than an initiative to promote systemic reform.
• School-to-Work is not an education priority item.

Implications for Sustainability

School-to-Work must be aligned and integrated with other reform efforts. If not, other reforms efforts may overshadow or clash with School-to-Work, or create a frustrating reform climate. One encouraging example of STW integration is the explicit inclusion of STW-related skills into a state's prescribed academic content or student performance guidelines. While unable to sustain either the systemic or programmatic aspects of the initiative itself, such inclusion may ultimately sustain STW principles and practices.

4. SUPPORT FOR STATE AND REGIONAL OR LOCAL COORDINATION

The coordinator functions at the state and local levels are important for ensuring the continuity of system-building efforts and collaboration of crucial stakeholders.

Major Findings

• School-to-Work office or staff responsibility for administering other initiatives may play a role in STW sustainability. Of the nine states that report having at least partial responsibility for administering other education, labor or workforce development initiatives, seven also report the existence of a permanent state-level office that will continue STW activities after the termination of federal funds.
• A majority of states have or partly have state-level strategies in place or being developed to ensure the continuation of the regional or local STW coordinator position.

Implications for Sustainability

At the state level, strategies for sustaining the STW coordinating function will be enhanced by integrating responsibility for administering other related initiatives under the direction of the STW staff. States should also address the sustainability of the local STW coordination. If not, there is the obvious danger that the coordinator role may be sustained in some areas but not others, making problematic the continued development and maintenance of a comprehensive, state-wide system of STW transition.

5. SUSTAINED LEADERSHIP

Strong leadership organized across crucial STW stakeholder groups at different levels is necessary for building and sustaining the STW system.

Major Findings

• Ten of thirteen directors report that their states have or partly have the STW leadership they believe is needed for STW sustainability.
• State STW directors expressed concern over the mobilization and alignment of leadership at state government levels.
• In the states where there is the most confidence in leadership for sustainability, business partners are important leaders at the state level.

Implications for Sustainability

Policy and political environments will be a critical factor in sustainability of school-to-work, with key roles played by state-level education, government, and legislative leaders. Leadership for sustainability should focus multiple strategies for influencing policy, including developing effective liaisons to those with power to effect policy changes, overcoming turf issues and maximizing collaboration across sectors and agencies at the state leadership level, leveraging the influence of major business partners on policymakers and developing strong advocacy for school-to-work among the constituencies of legislators and other policymakers.

6. INVOLVEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS

Developing a critical mass of support and involvement by stakeholder groups will be a key factor in STW sustainability.

Major Findings

• More than three-fourths of the state STW directors cited the reluctance, misconceptions, or lack of acceptance of key stakeholder groups or individuals as a major barrier to STW leadership, implementation or sustainability.
• The major industries of most states are actively participating in developing their workforce via the STW system.
• In more than three-fourths of the states, local school districts have been influenced to use existing staff development resources to address STW-related priorities. Also, many have revised the job descriptions of school-based personnel, at least partly, to incorporate STW activities and responsibilities.
• More than half of the state STW directors discussed increasing stakeholder support or engagement at either the state or the grass roots levels as a key strategy for sustainability.

Implications for Sustainability

The involvement of a full range of interested stakeholders at both the state and the local levels will be needed to remove barriers to STW sustainability. Strategies include ensuring that departments of commerce/economic development are STW partners at the state level; ensuring employer representation at the state leadership level; focusing communication and other resources on educating and generating buy-in and support from key stakeholders, especially policy-makers, educators and parents; and building capacity and enabling district staff to implement School-to-Work through school-level changes.

Recommendations

Recommendation: Utilizing the leadership of the established State of Hawai'i STW Executive Council, develop a long-range dynamic strategic plan to sustain School-to-Work, linking economic development, educational delivery systems, and workforce preparation. This particular recommendation has the greatest potential of having the most significant impact on the development, implementation, and, sustainability of a Hawaiian School-to-Work/workforce development system.

Rationale. The State is commended for the passage of legislation in support of STW, but legislation alone is not enough to sustain STW. The development of a long-range strategic plan, which complements the existing legislation, is warranted to sustain this initiative.

Recommendation: The membership of the established STW Executive Council should take the lead role in the promotion and marketing of this initiative in order to garner the necessary support from internal, external, public and private constituents to ensure the success of their effort.

Rationale. The success of almost any initiative is related to the overt and visible support of the highly respected and visible leaders within that particular initiative. It is imperative that each member of the STW Executive Council take a high-profile leadership role in promoting the STW initiative to the citizens of Hawai'i.

Recommendation: The State of Hawai'i should critically examine the opportunities to diversify its labor market into high-wage, high-skill, environmentally clean industries that are currently or will be soon available within the technological industries and careers now emerging within the new information and knowledge economy. The Executive Council can take a lead role in pushing for and promoting this economic diversification strategy to the State's economic and political leadership.

Rationale. Due to Hawai'i's current economic downturn in its tourist and service industries, it is opportune for the state to examine the feasibility of diversification into high-wage, high-skill, environmentally clean industries. Technological advances, coupled with Hawai'i's unique geographic location, could be advantageous and could very well propel the state to serve as the economic and technological link between the commerce of the Pacific Rim and the U.S. mainland.

Recommendation: Provide ongoing funding, resources and strategies to sustain the positions for the state level, regional, and local personnel charged with the implementation of the School-to-Work/workforce development system.

Rationale. In order to have any degree of success, state-level, regional, and local direction and coordination must remain consistent. Existing resources and personnel can be realigned (i.e., updating the job descriptions of permanent personnel to include this initiative). Due to the complexities maintaining the necessary coordination and contacts between state-level agencies and state, regional and local stakeholder groups, the leadership provided by the state director/coordinator position is key to the success of this effort.

Recommendation: Directly link state-level coordination of STW to other complementary education and/or workforce development reforms/initiatives.

Rationale. School-to-Work implementation states that have treated this initiative as inclusive rather than a stand-alone program have noted a greater amount of success in its implementation. These states reported a higher level of understanding for STW, better working relationships between agencies, departments and initiatives, and conserved resources.

Recommendation: Continue the development of an ongoing statewide marketing campaign that promotes the vision, goals and outcomes, and which clearly and consistently communicates the concepts and benefits of Hawai'i's School-to-Work/workforce development initiative.

Rationale. Major problems associated with STW implementation have resulted from the lack of general awareness, understanding and involvement by certain stakeholder groups. An ongoing aggressive marketing campaign that consistently and clearly communicates the vision, goals, and outcomes of this initiative will greatly aid in the elimination of these problems. Also, an evaluation/feedback mechamism with benchmarks for success must be in place so that the marketing campaign can communicate the initiative’s successes as they occur.

Recommendation: The State of Hawai'i should provide the necessary resources for specific professional development activities for all educational persons/institutions involved in STW/workforce development.

Rationale. In order to use the existing public school system to prepare Hawai'i's future workforce, a substantial commitment of resources will be needed for professional development to impact the culture of the existing institution(s).

Title PageInformation

Title: Sustaining School-to-Work Systems: A Report on Selected States

Date: June 1998

Prepared for: Dr. Herbert Randall, Hawai'i School-to-Work, 874 Dillingham Blvd, Honolulu, Hawai'i 96817

Prepared by: Frank T. Hammons, Project Director; Mary Haley; Alejandro Rodríguez; and Nancy Scheel; Institute for Workforce Competitiveness at Florida International University, Miami FL, 33199

Send comments to IWC at xiwc@fiu.edu
Copyright © 1999 by Institute for Workforce Competitiveness.
Revised: July 27, 1999.