BULLETIN 80H-1
AUGUST 1970

WORK

EXPERIENCE

PROGRAM STANDARDS

STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA
FLOYD T. CHRISTIAN, COMMISSIONER
DIVISION OF VOCATIONAL, TECHNICAL
AND ADULT EDUCATION
CARL W. PROEHL, DIRECTOR

WORK EXPERIENCE
PROGRAM STANDARDS

Table of Contents

Page

I INTRODUCTION 5

II OBJECTIVES 7

III CONSIDERATION FOR UNIT APPROVAL 9 & 10
A. STUDENT
B. TEACHER-COORDINATOR
C. FACILITIES
D. JOB OPPORTUNITIES
E. LOCAL SUPPORT

IV MINIMUM FOUNDATION PROGRAM (MFP)
VOCATIONAL INSTRUCTION UNITS 11
A. UNIT DETERMINATION
B. HOW TO APPLY FOR UNITS

V PROGRAM ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION 13
A. STUDENT
B. TEACHER-COORDINATOR

VI EVALUATION 15

"THE FIRST REQUISITE FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORM IS
THE SCHOOL AS A UNIT, WITH ITS APPROVED CUR-
RICULUM BASED ON ITS OWN NEEDS."
ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD

"THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY WE PROVIDE
SHOULD BE A MAINSTREAM, WITH ALL OF ITS PARTS
EQUALLY VALUED AND RESPECTED FROM WHICH
EACH CAN TAKE THE PREPARATION BEST SUITED TO
HIS PARTICULAR NEEDS AND ABILITIES, CARRYING
NOT EVEN A SUBTLE SUGGESTION OF INFERIORITY
FOR THOSE IN A CAREER EDUCATION PROGRAM OR
OF SUPERIORITY FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT."
JAMES E. ALLEN

"IT IS THE RENEWED AWARENESS OF THE UNIVER-
SALITY OF THE BASIC HUMAN AND SOCIAL NEED FOR
COMPETENCE THAT IS GENERATING NOT ONLY IN-
CREASED EMPHASIS TODAY ON CAREER EDUCATION
BUT A WHOLE NEW CONCEPT OF ITS CHARACTER AND
ITS PLACE IN THE TOTAL EDUCATIONAL ENTERPRISE.
THIS NEW CONCEPT RESTS ON THE BELIEF THAT NO
ONE, WHETHER HE LEAVES SCHOOL AFTER 12 YEARS,
OR EVEN EARLIER, OR AFTER TWENTY YEARS, SHOULD
LEAVE WITHOUT THE BASIC EDUCATION AND SKILL
NECESSARY TO QUALIFY HIM FOR A PLACE IN THE
WORLD OF WORK."
JAMES E. ALLEN

I INTRODUCTION

PROGRAM STANDARDS

Tliis Guide contains the general standards that should be in
effect if we are to uphold the philosophies and carry out the pro-
posed objectives of the Work Experience Program in Florida.
The Work Experience Program in Florida is designed for the
potential school leaver. This program is preventative, preparatory
and sometimes remedial in nature. The program is preventative in
that it encourages students to remain in school by providing rele-
vant education which tends to lessen the dropout rate. It is pre-
paratory in that is gives employability skills through employer-
employee relations, actual work experience and helps the individual
in acquiring a basis from which to choose a vocation. The program
permits students to earn money while in a supervised school pro-
gram, which is often a necessity for many youngsters to continue
their education. Basically, this program is for the disadvantaged.
However, there are many instances where individuals are not dis-
advantaged but need this type of an experience to provide incentive
that encourages remaining in school.
The program provides for the kinds of guidance and experience
in school and on the job that will allow for directions and aid in
personal adjustment, individual pupil motivation and a desire to
remain in school. The program also provides for purposeful
flexibility in its efforts to encourage students to not only re-
main in school, but develop their thinking, self-image and aspira-
tions that would permit youngsters to move back into the main-
stream of the school curriculum. These same experiences should
provide the kinds of information and directions that would allow a
student to move into the world of work if he or she must become
a school leaver.

II OBJECTIVES OF PROGRAM

The Work Experience Programs are designed to provide selected
students an opportunity to:

Improve attitudes about work, school and society
Improve personal appearance and hygiene
Develop a realistic understanding of the connection between
the world of work and study
Develop personality characteristics of dignity, self respect, self
reliance, perseverance, initiative, and resourcefulness
Become effective in personal economics and develop an under-
standing of the economic system
Receive recognition through successful experiences
Achieve in all phases of the school's educational program

III CONSIDERATION FOR UNIT APPROVAL

A. STUDENT:
Students for this program must be identified as potential drop-
outs. Potential dropouts may possess one or more of the fol-
lowing characteristics:
Over age in grade
Not relating with classwork
Truancy problems
Need to work to continue their education
Deprived economically
Negative attitudes concerning work, school or society
Alienated children
Discipline problems
Half day performers
This type of program should have a minimum of 15 students
and a maximum of not more than 20 students per teaching
unit.

B. TEACHER-COORDINATOR QUALIFICATIONS:*
Four year degree
One year successful occupational experience
Three or more years successful teaching experience
Valid Florida teaching certificate
Orientation for this program (This orientation is provided at
the Vocational Technical Conference)
*Persons selected for teacher-coordinator for this program
should take at least two of the following courses within a
two (2) year period:
Principles and philosophy of vocational education
School Community Relationships
Organization and coordination of the cooperative method
of vocational education
Vocational Guidance

State Board Regulations:
130-6.55 Definition of terms used in Vocational Education
Program. The following definitions of terms shall
be followed in the administering of vocational edu-
cation programs:
(3) Qualified vocational teacher. A qualified voca-
tional teacher who holds a valid Florida teach-
er's certificate covering the vocational instruc-
tional services to be performed.
(4) Full-time vocational teacher. A full-time voca-
tional teacher shall be a qualified teacher who
is under contract to render 196 days of service
per day for a minimum of 180 days within a
school year. A full-time vocational teacher may
be employed to perform additional part-time in-
structional services providing such additional
service shall be limited to not more than 6 hours
per week.
General Authority 229.051 (2) FS Law Implemented
228.041

C. FACILITIES
Classroom Area meets 1969-70 Accreditation Standard Sec-
tion 9.664 (A minimum of 25 square feet per
student)
Conference area with a telephone
File cabinet w/lock

D. JOB OPPORTUNITY
There must be evidence of job availability to accommodate
the number of students identified for this program.

E. LOCAL SUPPORT:
The local educational agency is responsible for providing each
program with a budget sufficient to insure a quality program.
An adequate travel budget must be provided for the teacher-
coordinator to perform his coordination duties.

IV MINIMUM FOUNDATION PROGRAM (MFP)
VOCATIONAL INSTRUCTION UNITS
The Work Experience Program received one (1) full unit financial
support from Florida's Minimum Foundation Program (MFP).
This support is administered through the State Vocational Division
and is not provided as a part of the regular earned average daily
attendance (ADA) support based on total school attendance.
A. UNIT DETERMINATION
130-6.57 Determination of Vocational Instruction Units. -
(1) In a junior, senior or four-year high school, one in-
struction unit shall be allowed for each qualified
full-time vocational teacher who renders approved
vocational education instructional services provided
the average daily attendance in the vocational edu-
cation program of the school is not less than one-
half of the number used as the divisor for the
school's classification in calculating the average daily
attendance instruction units.
(2) In all other schools one instruction unit shall be
allowed for each qualified full-time vocational teach-
er who renders approved vocational education in-
structional services provided the average daily at-
tendance in the full-time vocational education pro-
gram of the school is not less than 10.
(4) Proration of units.-
(a) If a qualified vocational teacher renders less
than five hours of approved instructional service
per day for 180 days during the school year, a
proportionate fraction of an instruction unit
shall be allowed, which fraction shall be calcu-
lated at the rate of .2 of a unit for each hour of
service per day.
(b) If less than the minimum average daily attend-
ance requirement is maintained in the vocation-
al education program of the school, proportion-
ate fractions of units shall be allowed.
B. HOW TO APPLY FOR UNITS
Principals and their staff determine the need for vocational
programs in schools based on student and community needs.
These needs are made known to the District Vocational Direc-
tor or Supervisor. The Director or Supervisor then initiates a
request through the Superintendent and School Board to the
State Director of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education.
The State Director compiles requests from Local Districts and
presents this compilation to the Commissioner of Education
who in turn makes a request to the Legislature for support of
local needs. The Legislative allocation of Vocational MFP
Units is a means of meeting these needs.

V PROGRAM ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION

STUDENT

A. Students selected for Work Experience must spend at least
one (1) year in program. In instances where students move
in or out of school enrollment the term system should apply
(semester, quarter, etc.) when adding or deleting students in
the program.

B. Criteria for Selection of Students
Must be a minimum of 14 years of age
Must be in 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th grade
Must accept "work" as a part of the educational program
Refer to the criteria set forth under part III, Section A, Con-
sideration for Unit Approval.

C. Schedule
Student schedule will depend on the needs and abilities of the
pupil selected for the program.
All students in the program must be scheduled together for
one class period. This period is for group instruction in the
employability skills.
Students should be scheduled one other class period with the
teacher-coordinator. This time is for review of information
relating to the job or to receive other individual aid when
possible.

D. Sources for Identifying Students
Consult School Administrative Staff, Guidance Counselors and
Teachers
Consider recommendations from other agencies such as Juve-
nile Courts and Social Workers
Consult parents
Check student records
Review health records
Interview identified students

VI EVALUATION

The program will be evaluated in keeping with the Florida State
Plan for Vocational Education, Section 9.28.
9.28 Evaluation and Followup Procedures
The program of instruction will be conducted and moni-
tored by teachers and local and state supervisors and
consultants meeting the qualifications established in
parts 1.31 and 1.32 of this Part.
Evaluation will be conducted cooperatively through
periodic visitations by appropriate state staff personnel
and continuing collection of information and data by
local personnel, indicating progress toward the achieve-
ment of program objectives and as a basis for reassess-
ing need and establishing new objectives. Such infor-
mation and data will include objective measures and
subjective assessments of student progress in school
work and on-the-job training. A follow-up record of
each student completing the program will be kept for
not less than two years; students leaving before comple-
tion of the program will receive counseling and assist-
ance in securing more appropriate placement. Place-
ment and follow-up records and reports will be used as
another means of evaluating the effectiveness of the
program.