Reforms funded by the School-to-Work Opportunities Act (STWOA) were enacted to help USA students learn career-related skills and prepare for entry into careers or post-secondary education. Information about the effectiveness of these reforms is critical to address students' career preparation needs and inform future policy. Yet few quantitative studies have examined the degree to which students learned career-related skills or participated in STW activities in their school. This district-wide study of a STW partnership in southwestern Pennsylvania examined students' participation in school-to-work activities, students' knowledge and use of career-related resources, and students' perceptions of the degree they learned basic and career-related skills from their school. Results of the study indicated that students' knowledge of career skills and participation in career-related activities varied by activity type and grade level. Although students were aware of career-related resources, many of these resources appear to be underutilized by students. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
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