School-to-work movement and youth apprenticeship in the US: educational reform and democratic renewal?

Critics of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 suggest that student interests have been sacrificed to those of employers. This article provides a critique, not specifically of this Federal legislation but generally, of the current school-to-work movement. It begins with a brief presentation of opposing perspectives contributing to contemporary discourse on educational reform, and introducing the philosophy of John Dewey. Dewey's perspective is used to review the factors underpinning the latest school-to-work initiatives, such as youth apprenticeship, and assess their associated problems, politics, and possibilities.

Critics of the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 suggest that student interests have been sacrificed to those of employers. This article provides a critique, not specifically of this Federal legislation but generally, of the current school-to-work movement. It begins with a brief presentation of opposing perspectives contributing to contemporary discourse on educational reform, and introducing the philosophy of John Dewey. Dewey's perspective is used to review the factors underpinning the latest school-to-work initiatives, such as youth apprenticeship, and assess their ...  [+] Show more