This study aims to identify the characteristics of school-to-work transition support for English learners in Ohio, United States of America. In the US, high school graduation and employment training are crucial for a successful transition. Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in high schools have proven effective, but English learners often face barriers to participation. Focusing on South-Western Career Academy (SWCA) as a case study, this study analyzed the barriers English learners encounter in accessing CTE and the support strategies employed by the school. Our analysis identified two key findings: First, SWCA integrated English language learning with academic instruction, ensuring English learners had access to diverse career pathways and encouraging them to pursue postsecondary education for advanced vocational credentials. Second, by developing career pathways aligned with local occupational needs, SWCA addressed social issues within the local community, benefitting both English learners and the local population. The SWCA’s approach demonstrates the potential for CTE programs to support English learners and contribute to community development.

This study demonstrates that Japan’s educational system falls short in translating Japanese language support into equitable career development opportunities for students requiring such support. Employing a three-tier support model from school psychology (universal, systematic, and intensive), we analyzed national statistics, ministry guidelines, and municipal initiatives. At the lower-secondary level, 74% of students assigned to the “special curriculum” received no more than two class hours per week; their transition rate to upper-secondary school was 90.3%, 8.7 percentage points below the national average. In upper-secondary education, 76% of eligible students received some language assistance, yet only 5% accessed the special curriculum. Their dropout rate was 8.5% (national average: 1.1%), and 38.6% entered non-regular employment after graduation (national average: 22.9%). Teacher shortages, unequal municipal budgets, restrictive entrance rules, and the absence of career-oriented language programs contribute to pronounced regional disparities and render out-of-school youth invisible to public services. Although the 2019 Japanese-Language Education Promotion Act expanded provisions outside formal schooling, nationwide minimum entitlements, integrated career-language curricula, and proactive outreach to high-risk adolescents remain unaddressed. Without these reforms, Japanese-language support will continue partial remediation rather than as a pathway to equitable career development.

The purpose of this study is to identify the significance of KooBO-Z(Kooperative Berufsorientierung für neu Zugewanderte : Cooperative Vocational Orientation for Immigrants), which provides career development support for young people who need official language education in preparatory classes in Baden-Württemberg in Germany. As a result, the following four points were identified. First, because career education in schools has already been systematized, the system has been established in which young people who need official language education can receive the same career education as German students by learning German in preparatory classes and moving on to regular classes. Second, KooBO-Z, which is implemented independently in BW, provides early direct experience with regard to the transition from school to work. Through these practices, these young people can have the opportunity to acquire German and promote communication. Third, by utilizing the operational know-how of KooBO(Kooperative Berufsorientierung ; Cooperative Vocational Orientation), which was implemented for regular classes before the start of KooBO-Z, the scope of implementation has been expanded to include young people in need of official language support. Fourth, KooBO-Z has the potential to be implemented more effectively by linking it to 2P (Potential and Perspective), which is a tool for analyzing the competencies of immigrant youth. This tool will make KooBO-Z not only a one-time implementation, but also a series of activities to support career development both inside and outside of school.

This study examines the characteristics of a comprehensive support system for adolescent mothers at the Louise Dean Centre (LDC) in Alberta, Canada, using a theoretical framework that integrates the Capability Approach and a justification of paternalism grounded in the protection of future selves. Adolescent pregnancy often results not only in school dropout but also reflects the cumulative disadvantage of poverty, family dysfunction, and social marginalization. In Japan, institutional support for adolescent mothers remains fragile, especially in enabling them to continue education. Against this backdrop, the LDC case is analyzed to identify legitimate forms of intervention through three dimensions: (1) institutional-level interventions that provide convertible resources; (2) individualized interventions that support the conversion of those resources into actual educational functionings; and (3) interventions that directly influence decision-making in crisis situations. The study finds that LDC’s integrated support system—combining education, healthcare, and social work—enhances young mothers’ capabilities by making the dual functions of “becoming a mother” and “receiving an education” attainable. Furthermore, the school’s Teacher Advisor team plays a key role in fostering students’ motivation and commitment through sustained relational engagement. The findings suggest that Japan’s support system should not only provide resources but also build mechanisms to accompany adolescent mothers in their educational and life decision-making processes. This case offers insights into constructing ethically justified interventions that expand capabilities and support achievement without imposing specific choices.