In 1978, Suffolk Public Schools and Planters Peanuts entered into an agreement to provide an on-site basic skills instruction program for the Planters' employees called Planters Employee Training (PET). The purpose of this study was to evaluate PET in two areas: (1) worth; the value the employees, management, union, and school system, placed on the program, and (2) merit; the extent to which PET met established standards for work place adult basic education programs.

This study evaluated PET using a naturalistic methodology that involved the collection and analysis of qualitative data from three sources: (1) document review; (2) interviews with employee/students, employee/nonstudents, former student/employees, PET administrative and instructional staff, union representation, industry management, first line supervisors in the industry, and school system administrative staff including the superintendent; and (3) observations.

The conclusions of this study included a positive worth response by all stakeholder groups with the most dramatic response from the first line supervisors who reported improved employee/student job performance and, more importantly to them, improved attitude toward work as a result of participation in PET.

The conclusions regarding merit data included the need for attention to a number of management issues regarding the acquisition of data and involvement of stakeholder groups as assets to planning an instructional program that is responsive to the needs of the employees and the industry. Recommendations include (1) the development of a Policy Committee composed of the key union, management, and school division personnel to focus PET's efforts, and (2) the utilization of the existing advisory committee to assist the PET administrator in planning a responsive instructional program and to involve the union in supporting PET's activities.