Whether through transfer and articulation, through grants that bring disconnected learners back to higher education or through short-term credentialing and applied bachelor's degrees, four-year institutions remain integral to career pathways systems beyond the traditional degree pathway. They also have a clear role in supporting all learners,…

New Hampshire wanted to understand the evolving labor market and the how COVID-19 pandemic impacted regions. The state aims to develop strategies and policies to strengthen alignment in the education-to-workforce pipeline in the post-COVID economy. R1CC facilitated a cross-agency stakeholder group to identify and obtain data to analyze to…

No matter what path students pursue in postsecondary education and in life, they need to be able to problem-solve and think critically. The study of mathematics teaches skills and habits of mind that are an essential part of the formula for students to succeed in further studies and in their careers. Requiring all students, regardless of the…

A continuing priority in education has focused on preparing students for postacademic success. The adoption of the Common Core State Standards Initiative prompted educational leaders to focus on preparing students to be "college and career ready." Definitions, perceptions, and efforts to improve college and career readiness vary widely.…

Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist and her team, along with school-based leaders, have worked with the district's school leaders to implement a comprehensive strategy to improve instructional quality for all students in Tulsa. Grounded in a clear vision for instruction and starting with the introduction of new curricula aligned to…

Employers in a 2018 study conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities endorsed broad learning and cross-cutting skills--including oral communication, critical thinking, ethical judgment, working effectively in teams, written communication, and real-world application of skills and knowledge--as the best preparation for…

Jobs for the Future (JFF) is developing this state policy framework to outline the steps states can take toward fully adopting each of the Big Blur's four key components and creating a more effective system for grades 11-14. The Big Blur argues for the need to erase the arbitrary boundaries between high school, college, and careers and create one…

In the ongoing effort to improve standards-based instruction in the nation's urban public schools, the Council of the Great City Schools published a second edition of "Supporting Excellence: A Framework for Developing, Implementing, and Sustaining a High-Quality District Curriculum." This document is designed to help districts: (1)…

To help students leave high school on a path toward success in the labor market, education policymakers and practitioners often focus on improving career and technical education (CTE) opportunities in high school. This study quantifies the system-level alignment between West Virginia's high school CTE programs and the labor market. West Virginia…

Career and Technical Education (CTE) standards can be defined as clearly articulated expectations of what students should know and be able to do at the end of a CTE program or course. Similar to other academic standards, CTE standards may be course specific and created in conjunction with expert and community stakeholder input and review. This…

Dual enrollment equity pathways (DEEP) is a research-based framework for rethinking dual enrollment as a more equitable on-ramp to college programs of study that lead to family-supporting, career-path jobs for students who might not otherwise pursue education after college. The DEEP approach involves community colleges and K-12 schools partnering…

Many states and districts are working toward developing and implementing high-quality systems that align assessments with each other, and to college and career readiness, and a comprehensive set of higher-order thinking skills. In order to support states, districts, and communities in this, the following 10 principles as guidance and common…

Vertical transfer from community college to a university offers a promising, although unrealized, pathway to diversify STEM disciplines. Studying how successful transfer-­receiving universities support STEM transfer students can offer insights into the institutional practices that promote transfer student retention and success. Using institutional…

This chapter describes how three higher education institutions aligned leadership development and career readiness. Best practices for the strategic integration of leadership development with career development that promote college student career readiness are included.

This report is the executive summary to a paper that argues for a radical restructuring of education for grades 11-14--by erasing the arbitrary dividing line between high school and college--to open opportunities for the learners the current systems leave behind. The authors make the case for an entirely new type of institution--neither high…