This descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of a high school alternative post high school adjustment to life learners. The alternative learning environment on the of a group of resistant environment, Pontoon III, was a school-within-a-school located at Marion High School, Marion, Indiana. The study was conducted five years after the resistant learners entered the alternative learning environment.The data were secured by interviewing fifty-seven student participants using structured interview items to determine student judgments in response to three research questions.All fifty-seven students were enrolled in the Pontoon III Alternative Program in September, 1972. The student participants in the study were categorized into two groups: long-termers, those students spending two or more years in the alternative learning environment and short-termers, or those students spending one year or loss in the alternative school environment. The interview responses of the two student groups were compared reporting frequency and per cent of responses to structured interview items, Chi Square Analysis, and narrative comments of student participants.Both student groups (long-termer and short-termer) reported favorably on the impact of the Pontoon III Program on their lives since high school. However, the short-termer group was most influenced in the affective areas of efficacy, interpersonal relationships, and self-concept; while the long-termer group reported cognitive impact as priorities, specifically, reading, writing, and math abilities, but also describing affective impact in efficacy, self-concept, and relationships. Significant difference in favor of the long-termer group was found between the two groups (P = .001) in the nine impact areas: Reading-Writing Skills, Math Skills, Self-Concept, Efficacy, Relationships, Coping Skills, Success versus Failure, Job Satisfaction, and Impact on Pontoon III Program.There was also a difference in high school graduation for the two groups (long-termers, 90% and short-termers, 0%). Seventy-seven per cent of the long-termer group was presently employed while only 37% of the short-termer group was employed.No statistically significant difference was found in the value preferences of the two groups on fourteen value indicators as measured by a Chi Square Analysis.While numerical differences appeared between the two groups on fourteen quality of life items, only one area was statistically significant. Efficacy was significant by a Chi Square Analysis (P = .0116) in favor of the long-termer group. The description for efficacy was "to make my own way, to be independent or free to do the things in life I want to do--to be in control of my life."Conclusions based on the findings of the study answered the research questions. Participation in a high school alternative learning environment for two or more years does have favorable impact on the post high school lives of resistant learners. A brief exposure (one year or less) also impacts the post high school lives of resistant learners but the degree of impact of the learning environment is less and influences different areas of their lives than for participants with a longer tenure in the alternative program.

The educational plans of black high-school seniors over the past decade were examined and compared to the plans of white students by analyzing selected base-year data from The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 and High School and Beyond: A National Longitudinal Study for the 1980s. Chi-square was used to detect significant changes between survey years. Expectations to participate in post-secondary education were essentially the same for all black and white seniors between 1972 and 1980 though black expectations were greater. Among whites, women exceeded men in 1980. When levels of educational expectation were examined, significant differences were apparent for both races. Large declines occurred in the four-year college category though they were partially offset by increases in the graduate school category. Small increases also occurred among both blacks and whites in the community college category. No clear trends were seen in the vocational school category. Black expectations were greater than those of whites in the combined upper two categories with the most striking difference seen among low-aptitude and low-SES students. Immediate plans for two- or four-year college attendance changed significantly for both blacks and whites with more students indicating four-year preference in 1980. Overall, more blacks than whites planned four-year attendance in both survey years and the largest differences between races were found on the low- and middle-aptitude levels. Preferences for planned field of study also changed for both blacks and whites between survey years. The largest increase for both races occurred in the business category, with the next largest expansion appearing in engineering. The largest decreases occurred in education and the social sciences, with the downturn being greater among blacks than whites. Black and white seniors in the middle and upper-aptitude levels were more likely to select the biological and physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences while low-aptitude seniors were more likely to choose vocational studies, health-related studies, and education.

Since the days of Booker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois, the argument has flourished relative to the value of vocational education for Black youth. This study, using data from the "High School and Beyond 1980 Sophomore Cohort Third Follow-Up (1986)" survey, investigated three basic areas, namely: (a) the demographic, personological, and educational profile of Black youth enrolled in vocational education, and the manner in which this profile varied in relation to their vocational concentration patterns, (b) the profile of these youth in terms of their employment outcomes, educational expectations, and civic and political participation > practices after completion of their secondary schooling, according to their concentration patterns, and (c) the changes over time among these youth within their vocational concentration patterns, with regard to aptitude, educational and vocational expectations, and employment status. Major findings of this study have been presented for the students by concentration patterns. Some of the major overall findings were: Students with greater concentration in vocational education course work tended to come from urban areas, the southern region of the United States, and the lowest socioeconomic status quartile. Both educational and occupational expectations were unrealistic in terms of Standardized test performance and grades. A large percentage waS not in the labor force and a very small percentage was participating in civic or political activities. Findings for outcome and change over time variables were presented for the three vocational participation patterns, Concentrators, Limited Concentrators, and Samplers. / Ed. D.