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1. The apparent concern with the educational progress of our nation’s youth is linked, in part, to the changed economic environment in which youth will find themselves as they move into the labor force. Due to the increased integration of computer and information technologies into the workplace, and the expanded need for workers with analytical, mathematical, and verbal skills, the demand for better-educated workers is accelerating (Swaim 1998). As a result, individuals with solid educational credentials, problem-solving capabilities, and technological expertise are in demand (Beaulieu et al. 2001; Gibbs, Swaim, and Teixeira 1998). Those who lack these skills are likely to face a future of unsteady employment and declining real wages (Judy and D’Amico 1997; Reich 1992).