Benefits and Costs of Dropout Prevention in a High School Program Combining Academic and Vocational Education: Third-Year Results from Replications of the California Peninsula Academies

Cost Analysis in Education: Paradox and Possibility

“…Nevertheless, while the values of these resources may be difficult to pinpoint, they contribute to the total cost of the programs and must therefore be included in cost estimates. Indeed, several education cost studies since the early 1980s have included a wide array of costs beyond those typically reflected in expenditures (King, 1994;Levin & Woo, 1981;Stern, Dayton, Paik, & Weisberg, 1989).…”

Measuring the Effectiveness of a Career Academy Program from an Employer’s Perspective

“…The past research on career academies has shown evidence that participation in these programs has had positive effects on the participants' high school grades, attendance, and graduation rates (Reller, 1987;Stern et al, 1988;Stern et al, 1989). In fact, in their summary of this research, Stern, Raby, and Dayton (1992) noted that students in academies have had better attendance rates, achieved better grades, and were more likely to graduate than students in the comparison groups.…”

“…As past research has shown a career academy program has had positive effects on inschool outcomes (Reller, 1987;Stern et al, 1988;Stern et al, 1989), the model indicates that the effect of the academy program on post-high school outcomes will be mediated through these in-school outcomes. Accordingly, H 3 : A career academy's effect on work outcomes, as measured by job performance, and attendance, will be mediated through in-school outcomes such as high school grades, attendance, and educational level.…”

“…Beginning with the work of Blau and Duncan (1967) in the status attainment literature, and continuing through studies by Weiss (1988) and Stern et al (1989), educational achievement has consistently been shown to have an effect on such postsecondary outcomes as occupational status and wages. As such, the individual's educational achievement (Educational Level) has been included as a mediating factor.…”

“…This interest is evidenced by past research on such programs as: school-based enterprises (Stern, 1984), cooperative education (e.g., Helliwell, 1981Helliwell, -1982Herrnstadt, Horowitz, & Sum, 1979;Stern, Stone, Hopkins, McMillion, & Cagampang, 1992), and career academies (e.g., Stern, Dayton, Paik, Weisberg, & Evans, 1988;Stern, Dayton, Paik, & Weisberg, 1989). Despite the extent of this research, Kazis (1993) recently urged governmental restraint in allocating additional resources and prematurely formulating a national school-to-work public policy because of "the lack of evidence of program effectiveness for many of the initiatives touted as model school-to-work programs" (p. 17).…”