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1
Executive Summary
and Recommendations
1 he committee's vision of what
agricultural education is and should become at the secondary level if a
competitive agricultural industry is to survive in this country builds
on the programs and approaches of the past, but goes beyond them in
scope and content. The committee's findings point to two basic chal-
lenges: first, agricultural education must become more than vocational
agriculture. Second, major revisions are needed within vocational ag-
riculture. In working toward both goals, educators should borrow from
the best current programs, while creating new ways to deliver to more
students educational opportunities in the agricultural sciences, agri-
business, nutrition, and land resource stewardship.
AGRICULTURAL LITERACY
It is necessary to understand throughout this report the committee's
definition of agricultural education, which extends beyond traditional
vocational programs. Agriculture is too important a topic to be taught
only to the relatively small percentage of students considering careers
in agriculture and pursuing vocational agriculture studies. With this
in mind, the committee developed the idea of "agricultural literacy"
the goal of education about agriculture. The committee envisions that
an agriculturally literate person's understanding of the food and fiber
system includes its history and current economic, social, and environ-
mental significance to all Americans. This definition encompasses
some knowledge of food and fiber production, processing, and domestic
and international marketing. As a complement to instruction in other
1
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2
UNDERSTANDING AGRICULTURE
academic subjects, it also includes enough knowledge of nutrition to
make informed personal choices about diet and health.
Achieving the goal of agricultural literacy will produce informed cit-
izens able to participate in establishing the policies that will support
a competitive agricultural industry in this country and abroad.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
· Agricultural education in U.S. high schools usually does not
extend beyond the offering of a vocational agriculture program.
Only a small percentage of students enroll in these programs. Con-
sequently, most high school students have limited or no access to vo-
cational agriculture or agricultural literacy programs. Minority stu-
dents in urban schools have the least access to these programs.
PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
· The focus of agricultural education must change
This conclusion is a reflection of the reality within agriculture and
of changes within society. Agricultural education is more than voca-
tional agriculture.
· Beginning in kindergarten and continuing through twelfth
grackle, all students should receive some systematic instruction
about agriculture.
Much of this instruction could be incorporated into existing courses
rather than taught in separate courses.
VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURE
Vocational agriculture is education in agriculture. It has a long his-
of three nart.
tory in American education. Most programs consist
classroom and laboratory instruction, supervised occupational experi-
ences (SOEs), and membership in the National FFA (Future Farmers
of America) Organization. A broader definition of vocational agricul-
ture is needed because technological and structural changes in agri-
cultural industries have enlarged the scope and number of careers. In
the committee's view, vocational agriculture should give students the
skills needed to enter and advance in careers such as farm production;
agribusiness management and marketing; agricultural research
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3
and engineering; food science, processing, and retailing; banking; ed-
ucation; landscape architecture; urban planning; and other fields.
Change within agriculture is an ongoing process that will affect ag-
ricultural businesses and institutions. They must adapt to continue
serving agriculture. The institution of vocational agriculture is no
exception.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
· For many years, vocational agriculture programs have had
a positive effect on tens of thousands of people: students, their
families, and residents of local communities.
Through vocational agriculture programs, students have learned
practical skills, developed self-confidence, and acquired leadership
abilities.
· White males have mainly made up enrollment in vocational
agriculture programs in the past and continue to do so.
During the past decade, the enrollment of females has increased. Fe-
male enrollment has concentrated in a limited number of specialized
vocational agriculture programs. Enrollment of minorities in voca-
tional agriculture programs is disproportionately low.
· Much of the focus and content of many vocational agricul-
ture programs is outdated.
Production agriculture-farming still dominates most programs, al-
though it no longer represents a major proportion of the jobs in the
total agricultural industry. Traditional vocational agriculture pro-
grams and the students' organization, the FFA, are not meeting the
broader needs for agricultural education generated by changes in the
food and fiber industries and society as a whole. SOE programs often
do not reflect the broad range of opportunities in today's agricultural
industry.
· Vocational agriculture programs are uneven in quality.
Excellent programs need to be sustained and built upon. Some pro-
grams warrant in-depth study and replication as model programs.
Those that do not meet educational needs should be upgraded, consol-
idated, or, as a last resort, phased out.
· Vocational agriculture programs in secondary schools are
currently conducted as part of the federal and state systems of
vocational education.
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4
UNDERSTANDING AGRICULTURE
Restrictions on the use of federal and state funds for vocational edu-
cation apply to vocational agriculture programs. The federal and state
system of vocational education requires that instruction in agriculture
in secondary schools be designed primarily, if not exclusively, for voca-
tional purposes. These systems tend to preserve the status quo.
PRINCIPAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
· The success of reform in vocational agriculture programs re-
lies on innovative programmatic leadership at the state and na-
tional levels.
Major leadership challenges include developing the curriculum, re-
vising the focus and content of FFA programs and activities, evaluat-
ing programs, educating teachers, assuring adequate resources, and
creating a more flexible and adaptive legislative and budgetary
framework.
· Major revisions are needed within vocational agriculture.
The relevance and scope of the curriculum, SOEs, and the FFA must
be broadened. Vocational agriculture programs must be upgraded to
prepare students more effectively for the study of agriculture in post-
secondary schools and colleges and for current and future career oppor-
tunities in agricultural sciences, agribusinesses, marketing, manage-
ment, and food production and processing.
· The quality of vocational agriculture programs must be en-
hanced, in some cases substantially.
All programs including those now clearly superior in terms of edu-
cational achievements-should be made more accessible and relevant.
Realistic steps must be taken to identify weak programs and improve
them, merge them with other programs, or, as a last resort, phase them
out.
· The establishment of specialized magnet high schools for the
agricultural sciences in major urban and suburban areas should
be encouraged.
These high schools should offer the full range of academic courses in
addition to courses in the agricultural sciences, nutrition, horticulture,
natural resources and the environment, agribusiness marketing and
management, and other related agricultural subjects.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5
· Teachers should seek out and share high-quality computer
software and instructional materials and media for agricultural
management and planning and for instructional application.
The use of high-technology instructional media aids student achieve-
ment by enhancing the instructional process.
· As a goal, all students enrolled in vocational agriculture pro-
grams should participate in worthwhile SOEs.
In addition to employment-related and entrepreneurial SOEs, stu-
dents should acquire supervised experience in land laboratories, agri-
cultural mechanics laboratories, greenhouses, nurseries, and other fa-
cilities provided by schools. The primary emphasis of supervised
experiences in which students participate should be on learning, with
appreciation for earning. Students should not be penalized in their pro-
gram standing or FFA activities if a suitable high-quality SOE is some-
times unavailable, however.
· The FFA should change its name and revise its symbols, rit-
uals, contests, awards, and requirements for membership con-
sistent with all applicable federal and state laws to reflect a con-
temporary image of agriculture and a broadened and improved
agricultural education program.
EDUCATION ABOUT AND IN AGRICULTURE
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The following conclusions and recommendations apply to agricul-
tural literacy and vocational agriculture.
· Programmatic and budgetary policy changes are needed at
both state and federal levels if comprehensive programs of edu-
cation in and about agriculture are to be implemented.
The comprehensive program of education in and about agriculture
that the committee recommends will be impossible to bring about if
the program is undertaken solely within the existing policies of the
federal and state system of vocational education. The committee does
not expect that agricultural literacy initiatives, including programs to
foster career exploration and teaching science through agriculture, will
emerge solely from the vocational segment of agricultural education.
If they do, their acceptability to students and school system leaders is
likely to be limited.
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UNDERSTANDING AGRICULTURE
Financial support and technical resources must be directed toward
new initiatives if progress is to be made in achieving agricultural lit-
eracy goals or reforming vocational agriculture programs. The com-
mittee emphasizes that it does not advocate or see the need for the
redirection of funds from viable vocational agriculture programs to the
support of agricultural literacy efforts. The redirection of funds may
be permitted from vocational agriculture programs that are undersub-
scribed, however. Agricultural literacy initiatives warrant public sup-
port as a part of the educational reform movement agenda.
· States should establish commissions, preferably appointed
by the governor and the chief state school officer, to identify
needs and strategies for implementing agricultural literacy pro-
grams and reforming vocational agriculture programs.
· Not only teachers and other specialists in agricultural edu-
cation, but also legislators, school superintendents and board
members, principals, and science teachers should provide lead-
ership in the initiation of agricultural literacy efforts and the
reformation of vocational agriculture.
State departments of education and officials in leadership positions
should acknowledge that leadership for all agricultural education pro-
grams need not be under the aegis of vocational agriculture.
· The subject matter of instruction about agriculture and in-
struction in agriculture must be broadened.
The dominance of production agriculture in the curriculum must give
way to a much broader agenda, including the utilization of agricul-
tural commodities, agribusiness marketing and management in a
global economy, public policy, environmental and resource manage-
ment, nutrition, and health.
· Exemplary programs in local schools that have broadened
the curriculum and improved the attractiveness of agricultural
education programs should be identified, studied, and emulated.
State departments of education, the U.S. Departments of Agricul-
ture and Education, national professional organizations in agricul-
tural education, and the National Council for Vocational and Technical
Education in Agriculture should take leading roles in compiling and
disseminating information about successful efforts to develop new pro-
grams and strengthen existing ones.
· Teacher preparation and in-service education programs
must be revised and expanded to develop more competent teach
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7
ers and other professional personnel to staff, administer, and
supervise educational programs in and about agriculture.
Colleges of agriculture, particularly in land-grant universities,
should become more involved in teacher preparation and in-service ed-
ucation programs, curriculum reform, and the development of instruc-
tional materials and media. The committee recommends that land-
grant universities establish a center for curriculum design and person-
nel development to accomplish these purposes. The committee further
recommends that the U.S. Department of Agriculture encourage the
achievement of this goal by providing challenge grants to universities
initiating new linkages between departments in colleges of agriculture
and agricultural education in the public schools.
Representative terms from entire chapter:
agriculture programs
