tions and evaluation of programs, which has aided in the improvement of vocational education.

Council recommendations for funding, staffing, and support of career education concepts have been implemented to the extent financial limitations would allow.

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Progress of vocational education in the State has been shown in the increased enrollments from 16,926 in 1963 to 33,415 in 1972, as well as improvement in facilities and quality of programs.

Recommendations

That education, and training components of manpower programs, should be the role of educators;

That education authority and activity not be diffused to noneducational agencies;

That vocational education be categorically funded and given consideration commensurate with the needs for vocational education;

That advance funding be adopted to provide for sound program planning and operation; and

That career information be a part of and incorporated in all elementary and secondary education.

Comment

We do not feel that vocational education would fare very well or even continue to exist as a bona fide and recognizable vocational training program if funding were to come from the revenue sharing bill.

ILLINOIS

State Director-Sherwood Dees

INTRODUCTION

The growth of vocational education in Illinois is due to two major influences, the ways and means provided by Federal legislation and the commitment of the State board of vocational education and rehabilitation to embark in new directions to better serve the occupational education needs of youth and adults.

The Vocational Education Act of 1963, provided additional funds and permitted the use of funds for new and different vocational education programs and activities. In Illinois during the 5-year period under this act, a system of secondary area vocational centers was established and the administrative structure of the division of vocational and technical education was altered to facilitate the implementation of area center programs, programs for students with special needs, guidance, research, vocational work-study, and postsecondary programs. The growth of postsecondary vocational and technical education during this period was enhanced considerably by the establishment of an Illinois system of public junior colleges.

Concurrent with the enactment of the 1968 Vocational Education Amendments, the division of vocational and technical education was completely reorganized and pursued bold new directions in order that the citizens of the State might derive full benefits of the new legislation. Significant and far reaching changes have occured in approval, evaluation, and provisions for funding local educational agency programs of vocational and technical education. Utilizing Federal, State, and local funds, an articulated program of career education, kindergarten through adult, is becoming a reality in many Illinois communities.

The enrollment data listed below indicates the extensive growth of vocational education in Illinois during the 10 years since 1963. The enrollment level achieved after the more than 40 years of federally funded vocational education prior to 1963, was increased almost 10fold between 1963 and 1972. Continued commitment to vocational and technical education at the Federal, State, and local levels should result in an increasing proportion of youth and adults in Illinois enrolled in these programs.

Total enrollment in vocational education:

Distribution.

PUBLIC LAW 90-576 "PART B-STATE VOCATIONAL EDUCATIONAL

1,955

2, 554

4,509

The significant changes in enrollment between 1963 and 1968 are influenced by development of health occupations programs, permission to use Federal funds for office occupations, restricting Federal funds to home economics programs preparing persons for gainful employment, and the general growth of postsecondary education resulting from the newly created State system of junior colleges.

The rate of growth in enrollment during the period 1968-72 is unduplicated for any 5-year period in the history of vocational education in Illinois. The growth reflects the impact of Public Law 90-576 and changes made in the administration of the Illinois program. Also, increase in number of public junior colleges, secondary, and vocational centers, and joint agreements between local educational agencies has had significant affect upon growth in enrollment. It should be noted that much of adult education formerly conducted by secondary school districts has become a part of the junior college program and is now reported as postsecondary. This is a major factor affecting the declining reported enrollment at the adult level. Priority has been given to initiating and expanding programs in the health occupations. Associate degree nursing programs and programs

for practical nursing, nurses assistants, and health care aides account for most of the enrollment in health occupations. Personal and public service occupations include significant numbers of persons prepared for jobs as child care aides, employment in the commercial food industry, cosmetology, and in the area of police science. Programs are being conducted in such new occupational areas as environmental control, air pollution control, and water and waste water control. c. Post-Secondary Courses

In 1963 the only funds utilized for postsecondary occupational programs in Illinois were Federal funds provided under title VIII of the National Defense Education Act. Twenty-eight preparatory curricula emphasizing engineering and industrial technologies were conducted in 18 school centers. Other than the Institute of Aviation, University of Illinois, and Vocational-Technical Institute, Southern Illinois University, all postsecondary programs were located in secondary schools or junior colleges operated by local public school districts.

Implementation of the Illinois Public Junior College Act began on September 6, 1965. The act mandated that at least 15 percent of the curricla in the junior colleges be in vocational and technical education. By 1968, 34 junior colleges were organized and 26 were conducting vocational and technical education programs in 51 different OE-coded occupational areas.

In 1972, students were enrolled in 104 different OE-coded occupational programs conducted on 46 junior college campuses in Illinois. Approximately 47 percent of all students enrolled in public junior colleges were enrolled in vocational and technical education.

programs.

The following postsecondary enrollments in occupational programs show the growth at this level over the past 10-year period.

Enrollment data recorded for 1963 does not include identification of disadvantaged persons.

The term, "persons with special needs" that appeared in the 1963 Vocational Education Act was used in 1968 to identify both disadvantaged and handicapped persons enrolled in occupational programs. Experimental and pilot occupational programs for persons with special needs preceded the initiation of operational programs in 1968. The operational programs included the in-school, sheltered workshop type of activity and a special approach to cooperative occupational education.

The special cooperative programs labeled "Cooperative Work Training" (CWT) presented local educational agencies with a way to provide occupational preparation for disadvantaged and handicapped youth who were not being served in regular programs. This program for students with special needs precipitated interagency cooperation between the division of vocational and technical education and State agencies for special education and vocational rehabilitation so that funds and services of all three agencies were fully utilized by the local school districts.

In the initial year for CWT, 1968, 57 programs were conducted and 3,129 students were enrolled. This special cooperative education program has proven to be one of the most effective means of preparing disadvantaged and handicapped youth for employment.

1972 marked the third year for the division of vocational and technical education emphasis and support of occupational education for disadvantaged persons enrolled in regular occupational programs in local educational agencies. Criteria for identification of such persons and a description of special services provided to compensate for disadvantages while enrolled in regular occupational programs has been a part of the local one and 5-year plan for vocational education. The cost of compensatory services provided locally for disadvantaged persons in approved occupational programs provided locally for disadvantaged persons in approved occupational programs have been supported in part by Federal funds dispersed by the division of vocational and technical education as an add-on to a base rate of funding per student credit, credit hour, or contact hour. Implementation of this system serves to: (1) Enhance the integration of disadvantaged persons into regular programs in contrast to segregating them into special groups, (2) provide financial support in the rural as well as the urban areas, and (3) promote identifying and serving disadvantaged persons rather than disadvantaged groups.

DISADVANTAGED PERSONS ENROLLED IN OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS SUPPORTED UNDER PART B

1 Estimated due to both disadvantaged and handicapped persons reported as students with special needs. 2 projected.

Part of the funds allotted to Illinois under section 102(b) of the 1968 Vocational Education Amendments were used to support new occupational programs for 2,846 disadvantaged persons in institutions operated by the Illinois Department of Corrections.

e. Handicapped Students

The conditions described regarding occupational education for disadvantaged students in Illinois in 1963, 1968, 1972 were the same for