AN ARRAY OF programs, policies, and institutions in the United States attempts to improve the transitions of youths from school to work. These components of the educational system have taken a back seat in the past decade to educational reform focused on measurable academic outcomes, as reflected in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). However, a key criterion for assessing educational quality is whether education enhances labor-market success. Although there is a link between test scores and socioeconomic success, it is doubtful that a focus on testing and academic preparation encompasses all of what schools do to prepare students for the world of work. Most notably, perhaps, many students will not attend fouryear postsecondary institutions or even attain any postsecondary education, and the implicit or explicit focus on college preparation that is encouraged by a strong emphasis on testing may serve these students particularly poorly. Despite the shift toward test-based reforms, there are still many extant programs, policies, and institutions that seek more directly to improve school-to-work transitions. This book aims to provide up-to-date, high-quality evidence on the effectiveness of these efforts, whom they help, and how they might be improved. Copyright © 2007 by Russell Sage Foundation.
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