b. General Description

Data reflects an increase of enrollments from 1963 to 1972 with projections showing an increase in 1977. There has been the concerted effort to correlate program offerings with manpower needs and projections in the State.

Without question, the availability of Federal funds provided the impetus in the development of new programs and the expansion of existing ones. Legislative restrictions of Public Law 90-576 mandated certain changes which resulted in the reestablishment of priorities especially as related to special groups of persons to be served.

There has been an expansion of courses in new job fields as well as the initiation of new courses. As an example, courses were established to give students, both youth and adults, specialized training in many agri-related careers, such as: wildlife and recreation, forestry and soil conservation, ornamental horticulture, and farm machinery sales and services. International trade, recreation, and tourism and preparation for employment in the retail trade have been the major adult distributive education thrust since 1968. Efforts to assist the large foreign born group in the New Orleans metropolitan area to gain marketable skills in distribution have been emphasized since 1968. Occupational programs have expanded greatly in food service, care and guidance of children, home nursing, fashion merchandising, and visiting homemaker service. New courses in geriatric nursing care, intensive coronary nursing care, hospital housekeeping aides, and medical-surgical nursing were instituted.

The followup reports on students completing courses reveal exceptional success in employment in the areas trained.

c. Postsecondary Courses

Table 4 indicates the enrollment by job training area on the postsecondary level. A review of 1963 enrollment data reveals figures which may be misleading as they were not categorized as they should have been. However, large gains were noted over the 10-year period with 32.535 expected to be enrolled by 1977.

Postsecondary training was conducted primarily in 32 vocationaltechnical schools; 31 of these schools are designated as area vocational schools. The entire State, through its system of area-designated schools, is served by State-supported area vocational schools. Interest in postsecondary programs throughout the State has shown continued support. The image of postsecondary vocational schools in Louisiana has improved considerably during the past several years and additional programs and opportunities have been made available to both youth and adults who enter these schools in increasing numbers.

Major program postsecondary offerings by area schools are shown in table 6.

Postsecondary enrollments by types of institutions in the State are shown in table 7. It can be easily seen that enrollment in area vocational schools has registered significant increases.

TABLE 7.-ENROLLMENTS BY TYPE OF POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS, PART B-STATE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, STATE OF LOUISIANA

Although vocational education programs and activities in the State have always served all students-both regular and disadvantagedprovisions of the Vocational Education Act of 1963, as amended, mandated that certain funds be used only for disadvantaged persons. Consequently, reporting records prior to 1968 do not reveal the efforts which were exerted in providing training opportunities for the disadvantaged.

Among the persons served in this category have been potential high school dropouts, disinterested students, those with low aspirations, and those who are culturally deprived and academically deficient. Many of the disadvantaged persons were served in regular vocational education programs which had been modified to compensate for deficiencies preventing success in these regular classes. In addition, special classes were operated which served disadvantaged persons in a wide range of occupational offerings. Since 1963, great efforts have been made to insure that disadvantaged students are adequately served by the State's vocational education programs. Table 8 provides enrollment of disadvantaged students in both regular and special programs.

TABLE 8-DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN REGULAR AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS, STATE OF LOUISIANA

Programs for disadvantaged students were conducted in all vocational areas. Classes for disadvantaged students were conducted in correctional institutions, seconary schools, and postsecondary institutions. There is evidence that educators throughout the State have continued to show greater concern for providing instructional services at all levels to disadvantaged students.

Completion rates registered by disadvantaged students have been outstanding and followup studies have shown that successful employment was achieved. It is expected that a continued emphasis on serving disadvantaged persons shall be evidenced.

e. Handicapped Students

The provisions of the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968 brought forth the development of programs for the handicapped in the State's vocational education plan. Although a limited number of handicapped students were being served, the required 10-percent set-aside

of part B funds for this purpose necessitated the initiation of special vocational programs and services for handicapped students. There were 1,163 handicapped students enrolled in 1972 with projections for 1977 to reach 2,805. It should be noted that all enrollment of handicapped persons is in special classes. Primarily, special education programs and services for the educational mentally retarded and students with learning disabilities have been provided. Prevocational orientation programs, remedial instruction, and instruction through special education equipment, services, and devices have been implemented. The concern for Louisian's handicapped population is reflected in the State plan for the administration of vocational education. Program planning and available financial resources have been committed to providing occupational experience for the handicapped. Also, students with handicaps who are completing vocational education programs are finding many employment opportunities. Followup studies on handicapped students also reveal that these persons are considered excellent workers.

Handicapped enrollments by vocational education programs are shown in table 9.

Program

TABLE 9.-HANDICAPPED STUDENTS IN SPECIAL PROGRAMS, STATE OF LOUISIANA

Louisiana has provided extensive vocational education opportunities for adults in both preparatory and supplemental programs. Enrollment increased from 23,609 in 1963 to 30,753 in 1972 and is expected to reach 32,209 by 1977.

Vocational education programs for adults who have entered the labor market but for various reasons are unemployed and in need of job training find educational opportunities at both city/parish school school systems and in the area vocational-technical schools. Evening and part-time classes, as well as day preparatory programs, are offered in a wide range of occupational areas. Preparatory classes in which adults have been rolled virtually have included all vocational fields. There has been a very high degree of success in placing adults after program completion and completion rates have been impressive.

Table 10 indicates the number of adults in preparatory classes for the 10-year period.

TABLE 10.-ADULT ENROLLMENT PREPARATORY CLASSES BY PROGRAM AREA, STATE OF LOUISIANA

The number of adults served in supplemental classes has far exceeded those in preparatory classes. Traditionally, under previous Federal acts only supplemental classes were authorized and programs in the State were developed accordingly. Apprenticeship classes have accounted for a large number of enrollees, although service occupations in office and distribution have shown large enrollments in recent years. Businesses and industries in Louisiana have depended heavily upon vocational education to provide their employees with the necessary upgrade or supplemental training. As shown in Table 11, adult enrollment has increased moderately from 20,175 in 1963 to 22,092 in 1972. Enrollment in this category is contingent upon the work force level in the State. Both short term and comprehensive programs have been conducted in all vocational and occupational areas. Enrollments in vocational education adult programs have exceeded those supported with Federal manpower funds.

TABLE 11.-ADULT ENROLLMENT SUPPLEMENTARY CLASSES BY PROGRAM AREA, STATE OF LOUSIANA

(i) The distribution of Federal funds under part B of Public Law 90-576 is in accordance with sections 3.26 and 3.27 of the State plan for the administration of vocational education. The relative priorities for funding local applications are based on criteria relating to manpower needs, job opportunities, vocational education needs of population groups, and relative ability to pay. Applications from city and parish school systems are reviewed by the staff in the Bureau of Vocational Education and rating factors are assigned based on 22 specific criteria. Each application is adjusted by weighted factors in the formula procedure to insure that criteria established have an effect upon funds provided. The vocational education enrollments for each school system in part B programs are then applied as a component of the weighted formula to provide equitable consideration based on the number of students served in vocational programs. Distribution of funds to city and parish school systems is predicated upon the resulting formulas.

The area vocational-technical schools, colleges, and special schools directly under the administration of the State board, which are not supported by local tax revenues and which receive direct appropriations from the State legislature, are funded on the basis of specific programs and are not under the formula requirements as indicated above.

Relative ability to provide resources by city/parish school systems is taken into consideration in the determining of funding levels. This criteria is applied in the application review and the assignment of weighted factors. However, since the State distributes State funds on an equalization formula for school support, this is a built-in