THE MARGINAL WORKER: PROJECTIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL VOCATIONAL TEACHERS.

This study compared vocational students in 27 Wisconsin high schools who were rated by their instructors in the upper and lower quarters of their classes on a criterion of projected on-the-job performance. There were 136 boys and 200 girls rated in the upper quarter and 133 boys and 188 girls rated in the bottom quarter. The findings suggest that students rated low in projected on-the-job performance were lower in both scholastic ability and performance, had different values, identified with workers at lower socioeeonomic levels, had lower level job expectations and aspirations, and placed less value on achievement than students rated as potentially good on-the-job performers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]