This is no longer true. With the development of school administrative districts, many more students are being served that had never had home economics before-boys and girls. Some of the most outstanding programs and teachers are located in the so-called "depresed areas.

Rate of growth is indicated by the necessity to increase the home economics staff in several schools.

The implementation of semester and mini courses has swelled the enrollments in home economics classes with consumer education and family life (often mixed-boys and girls) as two of the most popular selections.

The addition of a mobile unit in one of the most isolated, depressed communities in the State has opened the doors of consumer and homemaking education to students from the 4th-12th grades. Seven adult programs serving primarily the low-income group were offered during 1972-73. Approximately 100 men and women participated in consumer education and family life courses.

A program for senior citizens in a depressed county was sponsored by the consumer and homemaking consultants for the purpose of providing helpful information on consumer and health problems. We see tremendous expansion of consumer education and family life education in our communities serving all income levels from the kindergarten through adult life.

Number of students served by the vocational work study program

for fiscal years 1968, 1972, and 1977, as projected:

1963-N.A.

1968-74.

1972-218.

1977-250 projected.

In fiscal year 1968, work-study funds were made available to the postsecondary vocational technical institutes and to local school systems. At the VTI's funds were made available for students to work at the institute which allowed them to earn additional money to help pay the cost of their education. At the secondary level, funds were provided for students during the school year and for special programs operated during the summer months. This gave needy students an opportunity during the school year to earn a small sum of money each week. During the summer months, funds were provided for full-time employment to deserving high school students.

In fiscal year 1972, all work-study funds were allocated to the six vocational technical institutes. These funds were used by each institute to provide employment opportunities for full-time students to work at various jobs at the institute. Many of these students would not have been able to carry on their education if they had not had the opportunity to earn a small income through the work-study program. This was also true with the work-study program at the secondary level.

At the present funding level our estimate of individuals to be served in fiscal year 1977, is 250.

Directors at the postsecondary level feel that the work-study program is of great value, not only to the students in providing them a source of income to carry on their education, but also to the institute in its efforts to provide satisfactory janitorial services and overall maintenance for the school, including grounds and other services provided by work-study students.

f. Research and Training

Research-part C: The use of part C research funds has enabled the research coordinating unit to initiate 10 projects both at the local and university level. They have generated baseline data for vocational-technical planning. For example, the survey instrument for followup of vocational-technical institute graduates, is generating a procedure for use by other schools in evaluating their programs. It is expected that the research projects in progress will provide professional educators data for designing and/or revising the offerings currently available in our schools. The lack of State committed research funds has resulted in extreme pressure from various school personnel for our limited research monies under part C. It is extremely important that increased efforts be made in the area of basic research so that Maine will be able to improve the quality of education offered its citizens.

The following projects were funded under part C research in 1972: Career transition study, University of Maine, Orono-part C. The purpose of this study was to determine the problems encountered by adults 18-21 in transition from school to work. A model for specific counseling procedures to facilitate this transition was developed.

A study of the effects of a planned program of educational-occupational information on knowledge, aspirations, and self-image of elementary school children, John R. Graham school, Veazie-part C. The purpose of this project was to assess the impact of career information on children's knowledge of occupations, changes in level of

aspiration, and changes in self-image. A prepost-test experimental design was used in this particular study.

STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL

The primary duty of the Maine Advisory Council on Vocational Education is to advise the board of education on the development of the State plan, including the preparation of long-range and annual program plans. A corollary duty is to advise the board on policy matters arising in the administration of the State plan.

Each year, the council, in conjunction with the board, prepares a report evaluating the effectiveness of vocational education programs, services, and activities in meeting the program objectives set forth in the long-range and annual program plans. This report is submitted to the commissioner and the National Council on Vocational Education.

In addition to these duties, the council has been working towards establishing a good public relations program for vocational education in the State. The council, which meets monthly, has produced a series of films designed to make Maine citizens aware of the opportunities available to youth and adults in vocational education. These films describe the function of vocational education in the vocational technical institutes and the regional technical vocational centers.

Several actions have been taken in response to recommendations made by the Council. They are as follows:

Extended every effort within available resources to make possible enrollment at several points in the year at all postsecondary vocational technical institutes.

Scheduling of programs on a year-round basis and we have made a request in our budget that all technical institutes operate on a year-round basis. Greater coordination between secondary and postsecondary vocational-technical education programs and activities.

SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

In summarizing, may I say that Maine has made great efforts to fund vocational education adequately at the State and local levels since the passage of the Vocational Education Act of 1963, and the Vocational Education Amendments of 1968. As stressed earlier in the report, in 1962, approximately $800,000 was spent on vocational education programs. Today, Maine is spending approximately $14 million annually for this type of education. Maine's tax burden is heavy, and we need additional funds from the Federal Government to help vocational education to continue to grow. Maine has identified many more individuals between the ages of 14 and 65 who could benefit from these services, so we recommend to you that the Federal Government accept the challenge to provide additional funds for vocational education in Maine.

MARYLAND

State Director-James L. Reid

INTRODUCTION

Total Enrollments in Vocational-Technical Education

Total vocational-technical education enrollments in the State of Maryland are as follows:

a. Job Training Enrollments (part B only)

Job training enrollments in programs funded with part B funds:

There has been an overall increase of about 150 percent in the number of persons served in vocational education programs from fiscal year 1963 to the present. Today, 16 community colleges and 195 secondary schools house approved vocational programs designed to meet students' needs.

Some programs developed to meet demands of the newer job fields include: A family aide program to train paraprofessionals to assist low-income families in Appalachia Maryland; pollution abatement technology; a program to train paraprofessionals as debt, nutrition, and medicare counselors, etc.

The manpower development and training unit continue to focus its efforts on training disadvantaged, unemploved and underemployed persons in order to make them employable in skill shortage occupations.

c. Postsecondary Courses

Enrollment in postsecondary occupationally-oriented (vocationaltechnical) programs has increased approximately 620 percent over the 6-year period 1967-73. This sharp increase in full-time and part-time students is the result of both an increase in the number of community colleges and the total number of programs available to State students. The following table summarizes the 1967-73 data:

Approximately 15 percent of all Maryland families have an effective buying power under $3,000 annually. In addition, it has been estimated that the civilian labor force contains in excess of 300,000 persons with less than a high school education. Specific groups within the disadvantaged population requiring services have been identified through interagency cooperation and will continue to receive priority attention. Additionally, emphasis has been given to the development of programs for persons from low-income families, dropouts, and individuals in correctional institutions.

Since fiscal year 1971, several mobile units have been in use for the purpose of evaluating the vocational potential of handicapped and disadvantaged youth. Information and recommendations from these evaluations have been used successfully to establish priority programs to meet these students' needs. Much attention has been focused upon the task of analyzing the job market to determine the kinds of jobs available for handicapped workers. Also, a team approach has been used in the development of curriculum and instructional materials to meet the individual vocational needs of handicapped persons.

f. Adults (part B only)

The following table summarizes the 1963-77 data:

1 All approved adult programs are supplementary, rather than preparatory. 2 This does not include national contracts in which we do not have involvement. The above figures reflect institutional

training only.