High School Coursework Falls Short in Workforce Prep, Survey Suggests

Adults, parents, and employers see today’s high school students as being less prepared to enter the workforce upon graduation than earlier generations of high school students, while half of today’s students themselves feel unprepared, a survey conducted by the Global Strategy Group and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation finds. Based on an online survey of Read more about High School Coursework Falls Short in Workforce Prep, Survey Suggests[…]

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NC3T – Preparing Our Students for the Real World: The Education Shift Our Children and Future Demand

The National Center for College and Career Transitions (NC3T) has released a new position paper, arguing for Career Connected Learning as a strategy for engaging students and preparing them to thrive in the adult world. Written by Hans Meeder and Brett Pawlowski, this piece provides education decision-makers and stakeholders with a sweeping look at the Read more about NC3T – Preparing Our Students for the Real World: The Education Shift Our Children and Future Demand[…]

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Reimagining the Workforce Development and Employment System for the 21st Century and Beyond

Recognizing the value of interdisciplinary collaboration and systems thinking, RAND Corporation researchers, supported by RAND Corporation investment funds, have  developed a systems-level, blue-sky approach to conceptualizing and visualizing a 21st-century U.S. workforce development and employment system. A new report from RAND is the first step in moving the United States to a system that accounts Read more about Reimagining the Workforce Development and Employment System for the 21st Century and Beyond[…]

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America’s Growing Demand for Information Technology and Computer Science

Excel in Ed and Code.org have teamed up to bring a new report focusing on the demand of the U.S. workforce for graduates skilled in information technology and computer science. Companies are struggling to find workers with information technology (IT) and computer science (CS) skills to fill hundreds of thousands of jobs.  While the demand Read more about America’s Growing Demand for Information Technology and Computer Science[…]

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Report Identifies Strategies for Scaling Work-Based Learning

Despite a low unemployment rate, many new workers are unable to secure stable employment due to lack of skills. A new report from the National Governor’s Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) aims to narrow the gap between what employers need and the type of skills employees entering the workforce possess, identifying core elements Read more about Report Identifies Strategies for Scaling Work-Based Learning[…]

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Associate Degrees and Certificates are More Valuable Than you may Think

As its name suggests, the middle-skills pathway sits between a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree. There are a wide variety of credentials associated with this pathway, but certificates and associate degrees are the most popular. In general, associate degrees include a mix of general education courses and career preparation, while certificates are almost Read more about Associate Degrees and Certificates are More Valuable Than you may Think[…]

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Making Sense of the Education Workforce: A Snapshot of 10 Education Careers

How is the education workforce organized? How does a motivated, passionate individual pursue a career in education? Limited guidance exists about entering the education workforce, moving between roles and understanding job responsibilities. This opaqueness is problematic for soon-to-be college graduates considering entering the education sector, school employees who want to pivot their careers and system Read more about Making Sense of the Education Workforce: A Snapshot of 10 Education Careers[…]

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Report Proposes Common Definition for Successful STEM Talent Development

A new report by professional services firm STEMconnector defines a successful result for talent development in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields as the emergence of “a diverse and STEM-ready talent pool with the knowledge, skills, and mindsets needed to secure and succeed in careers today and in the future.” The report, “Input Read more about Report Proposes Common Definition for Successful STEM Talent Development[…]

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Career Readiness and Cross-Sector Competencies

A new white paper from America Achieves focuses on the role cross-sector competencies play in career readiness. Getting Real about Career Readiness: A Focus on Cross-Sector Competencies is the first in a series of multi-media white papers from America Achieves Educator Networks on promising education practices for preparing students for the changing world of work. Read more about Career Readiness and Cross-Sector Competencies[…]

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CCSSO Releases Recommendations for Valuing College and Career Readiness

The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and  Education Strategy Group (ESG) have released Destination Known, a report which includes recommendations to support states as they develop accountability systems that value college and career readiness and better support all students in achieving success after high school.   The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) provides Read more about CCSSO Releases Recommendations for Valuing College and Career Readiness[…]

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Accountability, College & Career Readiness: Is This the Best We Can Do?

In Education Week’s Top Performer’s blog, Marc Tuker recently reflected on the gap between typical American practice and global best practice when it comes to college and career readiness. Below are excerpts from the post: In top-performing education systems, qualifications systems are designed so that at the end of each stage of a student’s progression Read more about Accountability, College & Career Readiness: Is This the Best We Can Do?[…]

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Six Unifying Education Policy Ideas for 2017

Robin Lake of the Center on Reinventing Public Education has offered six education policy ideas that just may get us through the presidential transition. Excerpts of her piece appear below: Polarization was the theme of 2016, and we’d be kidding ourselves to think that will be much different in 2017. Still, there has rarely been Read more about Six Unifying Education Policy Ideas for 2017[…]

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How ESSA Can Help States Improve College and Career Readiness

The College and Career Readiness Center at AIR has released a College and Career Readiness and Success (CCRS) Organizer Scorecard. This tool is a self-assessment that can provide a snapshot of where your district or state is in integrating the multiple elements that impact college and career readiness and success for students in the K-12 Read more about How ESSA Can Help States Improve College and Career Readiness[…]

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Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA

Policymakers and practitioners who face a deluge of important decisions affecting thousands of schools can find advice from some of the top education thinkers in the country in JFF’s new brief, Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA: Seven Priorities. The piece recommends ways that supporters of deeper learning can make the most of the rapidly changing Read more about Advancing Deeper Learning Under ESSA[…]

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The Paradox of Education: Learning Over Knowing

Heather McGowan has published an intriguing new article examining the need for a focus on learning, rather than knowing, in order to prepare students for the 21st century. A portion of her article is excerpted below: Students will have to be prepared to adapt and be more adept at critical thinking and problem-solving rather than Read more about The Paradox of Education: Learning Over Knowing[…]

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Building Blocks for College and Career Readiness

A recent report released by The Foundation for Educational Excellence titled Building a Bright Future: Understanding College Readiness in Baltimore City Public Schools includes useful indicators and building blocks for College and Career readiness. The study of indicators was conducted in conjunction with a City Speaks listening campaign that explored standards and expectations for students Read more about Building Blocks for College and Career Readiness[…]

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