Vocational Education Amendments of 1976 (PL94-482)

• Overcome sex discrimination/bias

• Special appropriations for the disadvantaged

• Program evaluation every five years

Details

The educational amendments of 1976 had five titles, Title II is concerned with vocational education.  The purpose of the act was to:

• extend, improve and maintain programs;
• overcome sex discrimination/bias;
• develop new programs

Monies could be spent on vocational education programs, work study, energy education, area school facilities, support sex equity positions, placement services, Industrial Arts (now Technology Education), support services for females in non-traditional programs, day care services, displaced homemakers, residential vocational centers.

• There were special appropriations for the disadvantaged.
• Consumer and Homemaking received special funding.
• Every vocational program had to be evaluated every five years.

In addition there were provisions for displaced homemakers and provisions for bilingual education.

The 1976 Amendments to the Vocational Equity Act of 1963, required states receiving federal funding for vocational education to develop and carry out activities and programs to eliminate gender bias, stereotyping, and discrimination in vocational education. The amendments also permit the allocation of federal funds to programs for single heads of households, homemakers, part-time workers seeking full-time jobs, and persons seeking jobs in areas nontraditional for their sex. Further, under the amendments, many states were required to name state vocational education equity coordinators or sex equity coordinators who provide training and produce materials aimed at making vocational education more equitable and less segregated by sex.

The effects of the sex discrimination portion of this bill were significant and can still been seen today.  In standard discrimination statements you will see the 1976 Title II referenced.  It can be found in school handbooks, job postings, school board policy statements, and more.  Below are two examples:

On Santa Rosa Junior College's current web page for "Frequently Asked Questions" I found this statement:

In conformance with the requirements of Title II of the Educational Amendments of 1976, amending the Vocational Education Act of 1963, the College is committed to overcoming sex discrimination and sex stereotyping in vocational education programs.

In a job posting I found this statement (I added the emphasis):

It is the policy of the Bryan County Board of Education not to discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, handicap, disability, religion, or national origin in the educational programs and activities or in admissions to facilities operated by the Bryan County Board of Education or in the employment practices of the Bryan County School System.  The Bryan County Board of Education complies with all aspects of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the civil Rights Act of 1964 (Amended, 1973)Title II of Vocational Education Amendments of 1976,Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Amended 1974), Title XXXIX of the Age Discrimination Act of 1967, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans With Disabilities Act.