DISCOURAGING DROP-OUTS--EXCELLENCE AND EQUITY

WHEREAS, the efforts to upgrade the quality of education in the U.S. have become a priority on national, state and local levels; and

WHEREAS, these efforts involve an understandable desire to increase graduation requirements and place a needed emphasis on excellence; and

WHEREAS, AFT is in full support of such efforts to upgrade the quality of education; and

WHEREAS, a laudatory emphasis on excellence should not exclude a concern for equity; and

WHEREAS, the drop-out rate continues to increase and has reached a nationwide average of 26 percent and a high of 45 percent in some major urban centers; and

WHEREAS, successful "hands-on" occupational and vocational education programs have been shown to have a significant impact in motivating students to remain in school and achieve a high school diploma, and

WHEREAS, recent proposals for improving the quality of education have not adequately addressed the needs for high quality occupational education programs or the need to increase remedial programs:

RESOLVED, that AFT through its political action activity continues to seek expansion of state funds for remedial education; and

RESOLVED, that AFT continues its efforts to persuade the state education agencies to recognize the importance of high quality occupational education programs; and

RESOLVED, that AFT continues the effort to get additional federal funding to support the expansion of successful remedial, vocational, and alternative educational programs.