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Report Examines Differences between “Traditional” and “New Era” CTE

May 10th, 2019

Last week, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) released a report examining course taking and learner outcomes in CTE. The author used data pulled from the School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED), and looked specifically at CTE credits taken across 12 occupational areas from 1985 through 2013. The occupational areas were largely divided into two categories: “traditional,” which includes manufacturing, human services, transportation, construction, agriculture and public service; and “new era,” which includes engineering, computer science, communications, health care and hospitality.

The report found that while course taking in the “traditional” areas have either remained stable or declined over time, course taking for “new era” programs increased by 238 percent. The author also pointed to data that show while CTE students on average have outcomes on par with non-CTE students, that overall average masks differences in outcomes between students in “traditional” and “new era” programs, where those in the former are generally not experiencing the same positive outcomes and experiences as those in the latter.

The author recommends that policymakers address these gaps when developing CTE-related policies, and work to ensure that as CTE becomes more popular with more students, students who need higher-quality programs and more supports are not forgotten in a data system that still shows overall gains.

While this report contains a lot of valuable and interesting discussion, there are a few additional points to consider. What the report calls “new era” CTE are the program areas that represent growing industry sectors across the country, so the increase in course taking is an incredibly positive data point, worth celebrating. That finding validates that the field has been and continues to evolve to better meet the needs of the full economy. The occupational areas deemed “traditional” are still incredibly robust and vital fields but do not occupy the same share of the economy as they once did. For example, over 18 million jobs in 1980 were in the manufacturing sector, and that number declined to 12 million by 2013. The work is still rigorous and important, but increasing course taking in an area with declining job opportunities would not serve students or the economy well. CTE should encompass the entire world of work, not just a few limited fields.

An extremely important aspect of the report centers around data. State leaders continue to grapple with finding a better understanding of who is being served by the CTE system, and importantly, who is being served well. To date, states and locals have not been required under federal accountability systems to examine performance data by both student population and Career Cluster or program level to understand where programs are and are not having positive impacts. The Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) presents important opportunities to address this knowledge gap with intention, and states should take advantage.

Ashleigh McFadden, State Policy Manager

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Excellence in Action Spotlighting: Indian Capital Technology Center, Nursing Transition Program

May 7th, 2019

Learner success relies on education systems that support seamless transitions between the secondary and postsecondary education levels. These transitions require aligned expectations, standards, assessments and credentials. For example, the development of the Nursing Transition program of study  – a 2018 Excellence in Action Award winner in the Health Science Career Cluster® housed at the Indian Capital Technology Center (ICTC) in Muskogee, Oklahoma – is a direct result of health program administrators desire to provide learners with seamless options for postsecondary and career.

The Nursing Transition program was established in August of 2011 due to a shortage of nurses and allied health professionals. ICTC serves 51 area high schools and incorporates a rigorous curriculum paired with relevant clinical instruction in a variety of settings. The program has created an accelerated pathway for learners to become a licensed practical nurse.

During junior year of high school, learners enroll in Indian Capital Technology Center’s Health Careers Certification class and take a full year of rigorous coursework resulting in their health careers certification. Upon receiving the certification, learners can apply to the practical nursing program during their senior year. Once accepted, seniors enroll in the program, complete their coursework and graduate from high school.

“Our program of study is unique because we have the opportunity to take our students from a senior to a licensed practical nurse within six months of high school graduation,” said Debra Bartel, Director of Adult Health Careers, Indian Capital Technology Center.

Upon high school graduation, students immediately are classified as adult learners and complete the remainder of the courses in the practical nursing curriculum by the following December, earning two industry certifications along the way. To support success in both career and college, learners can take the NCLEX-PN exam and can begin working as a licensed practical nurse. Additionally, graduates who qualify and meet criteria set forth by Connors State College may be eligible to articulate into the Associate Degree Nursing Program, allowing learners to continue their education.

“This program has given me a jump start on my life and career,” said Ty-Tiona Wilson, Nursing Transition Student, ICTC.

Throughout the program, learners participate in required clinical practice, which is offered through established partnerships with health facilities such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. These settings provide opportunities for learners to gain real-world experience in different areas of the patient care field.

“This program is an exemplary example of meeting the needs of business and industry by addressing the shortage in nursing. The job placement rate for this program from 2012-2016 is 97.2 percent. For students on a career path to be a registered nurse, a student may take advantage of the RN bridge program offered at area colleges to continue his/her education. Oklahoma CareerTech’s mission is to prepare Oklahomans to succeed in the workplace, in education and in life – this program accomplishes this by meeting the workforce demand while providing students with a solid career path,” said Marcie Mack, state CTE director, Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology.

Learn more about the Nursing Transition program at Indian Capital Technology Center and our 2018 award winners here.

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Addressing Racial Inequities in Education 65 Years After Brown v. Board

May 3rd, 2019

This year will mark the 65th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board decision, which ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. To discuss the state of racial segregation in schools post-Brown v. Board, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) hosted the event “Separate and Still Unequal: Race in America’s Schools 65 Years After Brown v. Board of Education.”

During the event, a panel of education leaders from postsecondary institutions, secondary institutions and nonprofit organizations discussed the racial inequities that still persist in U.S. schools post-Brown v. Board. Notably, the panel recognized that schools are becoming more segregated, as the percentage of U.S. black and Latinx students who attend a school with 75 percent or more minority enrollment is increasing. The panel noted the importance of having open conversations about institutional racism and advocating for systemic change to address the resegregation of schools. The panel emphasized how this resegregation of schools hurts all learners, as it prevents learners from learning how to work with diverse populations- a skill that is necessary given the shifting demographics of the US workforce.

High-quality CTE programs should equip learners with such real-world skills. However, if CTE programs lack racial diversity because of resegregation or historically marginalized communities do not have access to the same programs as their peers, learners may not develop the skills they need to succeed in the workforce. The panelists noted that resegregation can take many different forms. A school as a whole may not be segregated, but specific classes or programs may be. CTE leaders must examine their CTE programs for racial equity gaps in participation and completion and take the necessary steps to close those gaps. State leaders can learn about promising solutions to close racial equity gaps in CTE in Advance CTE’s Making Good on the Promise series.

Brianna McCain, Policy Associate

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THIS WEEK IN CTE

May 3rd, 2019

TWEET OF THE WEEK

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK

House Appropriations Subcommittee Marks Up Spending Bill for Education, Labor Programs

On Tuesday, April 30, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies marked up their appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2020, which begins October 1, 2019. The bill passed out of the subcommittee on a voice vote.

Overall, the bill included a six percent increase for federal education programs and a 10 percent increase for labor programs above the amounts Congress allocated in Fiscal Year 2019. The bill proposed a disappointing increase of $37 million, or less than three percent, for Career Technical Education (CTE) State Grants, also known as Perkins Basic State Grants.

The bill includes some notable increases for key education and workforce programs:

  • 13 percent increase for the Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants authorized under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA);
  • 24 percent increase for Title II Supporting Effective Instruction Grants authorized under ESSA;
  • 27 percent increase for Federal Work Study;
  • 9 percent increase for Federal TRIO programs;
  • $150 increase in the maximum award for Pell grants; and
  • 56 percent increase for Apprenticeship grants

Read our blog post to learn more.

To make sure you get the latest news and resources about federal policy that affects CTE, sign up for our Legislative Updates!

National Technical Honor Society in Flat Rock, Arizona, seeks an Executive Director

The National Technical Honor Society currently serves approximately 100,000 active members and has had nearly one million members since its inception in 1984. The Executive Director assumes a leadership role throughout CTE in partnering with collaborating businesses, other nonprofits, and supporters. The Executive Director works with the board and Executive Committee to establish vision, policies, strategic focus, priorities, and general scope of operations and services NTHS will deliver.

Learn more here.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Learn about Harmony Magnet Academy, Academy of Engineering program in California. This 2017 Excellence in Action award winner in the Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Career Cluster® serves predominantly low-income and minority students in a rural setting and pairs rigorous coursework with meaningful work-based learning experiences in the engineering sector. Hear from employers, instructors, and learners in this video.

Read about this program here.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

A new report, How Aligned is Career and Technical Education to Local Labor Markets?, developed by The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, examines whether learners in high school CTE programs are more likely to take courses in high-demand and/or high-wage industries, both nationally and locally.

By linking CTE course-taking data from the High School Longitudinal Survey to employment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the study seeks to answer three research questions:

  1. To what extent do national CTE course-taking patterns at the high school level reflect the current distribution of jobs across fields and industries?
  2. To what extent is CTE course-taking in high school linked to local employment and to industry wages, as evidenced in ten metro areas across the country?
  3. How do patterns of CTE course-taking differ by student race and gender?

Findings include the following:

  • Many fields that support a significant number of U.S. jobs see little CTE course-taking in high school.
  • In most fields, learners are more likely to take related CTE courses when there are more local jobs.
  • In most fields, students take fewer CTE courses when local wages are higher.
  • National CTE course-taking patterns differ significantly by race and gender, but all student groups exhibit similar responses to local labor market demand.

In addition to a more detailed look at these findings, the study also includes descriptive profiles of ten metropolitan areas. Read the report here.

Watch the webinar here, and a reaction from Kate Kreamer, Deputy Executive Director of Advance CTE in Education Week’s article here.

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This Week in CTE

April 26th, 2019

TWEET OF THE WEEK

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

We know that Career Technical Education (CTE) delivers for each learner. Sharing and promoting high-quality CTE is important to make the case to learners and families. Social media can be used as a communication strategy and tool to advocate for CTE. One example of the effective use of social media is the Arkansas Career and Technical Education and its annual social media campaign contest. Learners participated by creating campaigns that were submitted to be judged. They also gave presentations on their work. Winners were announced by Craig O’Neill, an Anchor for THV 11 News in Little Rock, Arkansas. This work was done as part of Advance CTE’s grant, Strategies to Attract Students to High-quality CTE, funded by the Siemens Foundation.

Watch the video here.

For more tips on using social media, read the social media guide here.

RESOURCES OF THE WEEK

Below are resources take a deeper look into the approved Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) State Plans:

  • The National Urban League has reviewed the ESSA State Plans in the 36 states and the District of Columbia where they have affiliates. The purpose of this review is to determine the likelihood of the plans to advance equity and excellence for learners. The goal is to highlight promising practices as well as missed opportunities to advance equity in ways in which states can improve as they implement ESSA. Read the report here.
  • The Data Quality Campaign has updated its annual review of state K-12 report cards. For the first time, these cards also include how states are reporting out the information required by ESSA. Learn more here.

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An Innovative Approach to Career Advisement in Alabama

April 26th, 2019

This post is written by Kuder, Inc., a Diamond Level sponsor of the 2019 Advance CTE Spring Meeting.

The 2019 Advance CTE Spring Meeting encouraged state CTE leaders to BE BOLD while also sharing concrete examples of how other states have taken risks to gain real results for the learners they serve. As we listened to the speakers and attendees, we reflected on the bold and innovative approaches taken by some of our top clients.

Kuder wholeheartedly endorses CTE’s integrated approach because it includes hands-on learning in the classroom as well as work-based learning. We’ve witnessed firsthand how these experiential learning opportunities can fast-track students to middle- and high-skill, high-demand careers.

We’re honored to have the opportunity to work with many clients who are investing in the future of students with innovative CTE and workforce strategies and initiatives. When we look at large-scale adoptions of the Kuder system, we see a common thread: prioritizing career advisement. Here’s an example of an innovative approach to career advisement that’s being taken by one of our clients.

Alabama’s Success Story

The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) sponsors the Alabama Career Planning System, powered by Kuder® (ACPS). The ALSDE provides the ACPS as a free tool for students in grade 6-12 throughout Alabama as one measure to meet the state’s academic requirements and college and career readiness standards.

Alabama’s Plan 2020 mandates that students enter the ninth grade prepared, and with a course plan that addresses their individual academic and career interest needs. The multi-year course planning tool in the ACPS, which is tailored to the Alabama High School Diploma Program, supports the 2020 mandate.

Here are a few ways that the ACPS has supported student success:

  • Over 400,000 unique course plans have been created.
  • Over 100,000 resumes have been built.
  • Over 2 million career assessments have been completed.

“In Alabama, Career Technical Education programs are essential for students to pursue their passions, to explore various career opportunities, and really bridge the information they learn in the classroom to how it applies to real-world situations,” said Sean Stevens, ALSDE Education Administrator of Counseling and Guidance.

“What the Alabama Career Planning System is able to do,” Stevens continued, “is provide educators with the tools they need to help students discover their passions, and then provide students with an avenue to explore careers they may not have even considered.”

Capitalizing on Students’ Interests

The ACPS uncovers students where their interests lie. It also enables CTE program leaders to build curriculum around those interests. For example, Cullman High School leveraged Kuder assessment data to develop new CTE curriculum based on students’ expressed interest in the Health Science Career Cluster.

“We found that 60 percent of our students were interested in some form of medicine,” said Stacey Tankersley, a Registered Nurse who serves as a Health Science Program Teacher at Cullman High School. “So, we created a program that targets those students to give them an introduction into health care.”

Tankersley explained that the growing local demand for health care workers was, of course, another catalyst for launching the program. Cullman High School recognized that it could develop a pathway to capitalize on students’ interests while supporting workforce development in their community at the same time.

The Cullman High School Medical Academy offers students two foundational courses and a competency-based therapeutic services course. It also offers an internship, which enables students to learn at a hospital, extended care facility, rehabilitation center, medical office, imagery laboratory, pharmacy, veterinary hospital, dental/optometrist office, or other local health care facility.

Career Coaches Close the Gaps

In addition to the ACPS, Alabama is addressing its workforce skills gaps with the Career Coach Initiative. The program increases awareness in youth about career opportunities with over 100 career coaches throughout the state.

The career coaches cultivate students’ understanding of the process necessary to obtain their career goals, encourage and advise students as they complete Kuder assessments and build multi-year course plans, and help students navigate their post-graduation education and career paths. The career coaches also serve as the “missing link” between schools, businesses, and community leaders through networking with local chambers of commerce, regional workforce development councils, etc.

“I believe having career coaches in every high school is a huge factor that differentiates our approach to CTE,” said Melissa Godsey, a Lawrence County, Alabama career coach. “We help integrate the value of CTE in any field and encourage students to explore their options. I feel that we help students understand the significance and value of CTE,” she said.

Godsey pointed out that assessments help students begin meaningful exploration of career pathways and related education and training options based on their personal results. She and her fellow career coaches take students through this discovery process by identifying where students’ interests and values intersect with local industry needs and trends.

But Alabama isn’t relying solely on its career coaches to ensure students are future-ready: “Career development is the responsibility of all educators,” said Stevens. “Career development is everyone’s responsibility in school.”

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Perkins V: How can states improve program quality?

April 25th, 2019

While improving Career Technical Education (CTE) programs has always been a hallmark of the Carl D. Perkins Act, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) brings a new opportunity to put the quality of CTE programs front and center. Perkins V requires a description of how local recipients are approved for Perkins funding and how the local application promotes continuous improvement in the state plan, and the comprehensive local needs assessment that all local recipients must complete at the beginning of the grant (and update at least once every two years after that) includes a review of whether CTE programs are of sufficient size, scope, and quality to meet the needs of all students served by the local recipient and are meeting labor market needs. In addition, Perkins V provides the flexibility to states to use many other levers to require, incentivize and support program quality. How can states use the opportunity Perkins V offers to improve program quality? Check out the resources below to learn more.

REPORT: Raising the Bar: State Strategies for Developing and Approving High-quality Career Pathways: All states have processes in place to review and approve career pathways, but not all use them to promote and uphold quality standards. This report describes a few approaches states can take — such as defining quality criteria, using fiscal and accountability policy to incentivize adoption, and providing regional supports — to promote quality through the pathways approval process.

TOOL: Policy Benchmark Tool: CTE Program of Study: This tool is designed to help states evaluate and strengthen their CTE program approval policies and processes. It lays out the non-negotiable elements of an effective policy for approving and evaluating programs of study, encompassing both secondary and postsecondary CTE, and offers an assessment rubric that state leaders can use to identify gaps in their current state policy and prioritize areas for improvement. The tool will also help states plan for implementation and program reapproval to ensure they have policies and programs that are high-quality and aligned with the state’s vision and definition of success.

GUIDE: Ensuring Career Pathway Quality: A Guide to Pathway Intervention: As labor markets shift and contexts within districts and institutions change, all career pathways — including secondary and postsecondary pathways developed by the state, district or institution — must go through a natural life cycle. Once a career pathway has been approved and implemented, it is natural for the conditions that surround and support the pathway to change over time. This guide outlines the different types of intervention needed for pathways, and explores the steps leaders should take when making decisions to transform or phase out pathways that do not have labor market relevance.

Policy Profiles

  • Nebraska: ReVISION: Nebraska’s reVISION grant process allows schools to evaluate their career preparation and career guidance systems and receive state support to improve those systems in a way that is tailored to each school’s greatest areas of need.
  • Florida: Postsecondary Program Approval and Articulation: The Florida College System and State Board of Education worked together to ease the burden of program approval processes by designing and validating curriculum frameworks at the state level.
  • Tennessee: Standards Revision Process: The Tennessee Department of Education undertook three multi-step phases to overhaul the state’s CTE standards (which are organized into courses). This process brought the standards into alignment with the K-12 standards and embedded them within full and rigorous programs of study.

Looking for additional resources? Please be sure to check out the Learning that Works Resource Center.

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The Colorado Community College System is creating a new vision for career and technical education – and using Advance CTE’s Policy Benchmark Tool to support that process

April 23rd, 2019

As Colorado’s population and economy continue to boom, employer demand for skilled workers is at an all-time high. Career Technical Education (CTE) can meet that need and more. Last October, the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), which houses the state’s CTE operations, began the process of developing a statewide strategic plan for CTE. Branded “Next Gen Ed,” the plan aims to strengthen Colorado communities with a new direction for the role of CTE – not just as academic and technical preparation, but as a complete and impactful experience that prepares learners for their career, life, and civic participation.

Across the state, we are hosting visioning sessions with business and industry leaders, community members, and parents to understand how we can work together to provide an education for students that meets future workforce needs. Some of the topics being discussed are perceptions of CTE, work-based learning, and the transition from postsecondary education to the workforce. A critical aspect we’re also addressing in constructing our strategic plan is CTE program quality, and to help us do that, we’re using Advance CTE’s Program Approval Policy Benchmark Tool.

The Benchmark Tool is designed to help states evaluate and strengthen their secondary and postsecondary Career Technical Education (CTE) program approval policies and processes. It specifies the core elements that an effective program approval policy should have, and provides a step-by-step guide for CTE leaders to identify gaps in current state policy and prioritize areas for improvement. This can better ensure that all postsecondary CTE programs are of the highest quality and relevance.

In Colorado, we are using the tool to assess our state-level postsecondary policies, and we are introducing the tool to our academic discipline groups, which include key faculty from specific program areas from all the state’s community colleges. While the tool focuses on policy, using it means taking a deep dive into practice. How do we actually align programs of study with academic and industry standards? What does it mean to collaborate with our high school counterparts and with industry? These conversations have been supported by Advance CTE through a grant from The Joyce Foundation.

We know there is still a need for more career development in Colorado; we want all students regardless of interest to be prepared to enter the workforce and beyond. Our hope is that CTE will drive the state’s education, workforce and economic priorities. I am excited about our new CTE vision and strategic plan; I know it will contribute to stronger communities and will benefit this generation and future ones.

To learn more about CTE in Colorado and to stay up to date on the visioning process, visit coloradostateplan.com.

Sarah Heath, State CTE Director and Associate Vice Chancellor, Colorado Community College System

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Congratulations to the 2019 Excellence in Action Award Recipients!

April 19th, 2019

During the 2019 Spring Meeting, Advance CTE held an award ceremony to recognize the eight Excellence in Action award recipients that represent some of the best Career Technical Education (CTE) programs in the country. Hailing from seven states, these programs provide clear pathways into college and careers, rigorous academic and technical coursework, strong industry partnerships, and effective work-based learning experiences that offer opportunities for career exploration and subject-matter mastery.

Katie Fitzgerald, Advance CTE, Communications Manager, opened the ceremony by sharing that over the past five years, Advance CTE has awarded nearly 50 high-quality programs of study from 15 Career Clusters® across 23 states. These award-winning programs provide learners from diverse communities with the supports to succeed in their education and career of their choice. Advance CTE recognized the following award winners and their Career Cluster areas:

  •       Como Park Senior High School, MN (Business Management & Administration)
  •       Henderson County High School, KY (Health Science)
  •       Irving High School, TX (Transportation, Distribution & Logistics)
  •       Kaukauna High School, WI (Manufacturing)
  •       Mishicot High School High School, WI (Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources)
  •       Nashua High School North, NH (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics)
  •       Questar III BOCES Rensselaer Educational Center (Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security)
  •       Susan Miller Dorsey High School, CA (Arts, A/V Technology & Communications)

Award recipients traveled across the country to be recognized in front of state and national leaders. Hannah Chan, the Program Manager of the Academy of Finance at Como Park Senior High School in Minnesota, stated that the program is near and dear to her heart because she is a first-generation college student and wished she had this type of program when she was in high school. The Academy of Finance program serves a diverse student population with 88 percent minority learners and 31 percent English language learners served in this program.

Nels Lawrence, the instructor for the Manufacturing program at Kaukauna High School in Wisconsin, spoke about how he has taught learners who now serve as employers and partners mentoring his students. He stated that the awards program is an example of the type of publicity CTE programs need to change the old perceptions.

In the remarks from Dr. Francine Brown, an award recipient from Nashua High School North, she suggested a new motto for the state of New Hampshire, “In keeping with the theme of the conference, I’m going to be bold and suggest a new motto, Learn CTE and fly!”

Following the ceremony, attendees were invited to participate in the gallery walk event. During this event, attendees could visit the award winner recipients and ask them questions about their programs. Award winners had tables with brochures, and even video presentations to help attendees get to know their programs better and see learners in action.

Learn more about the 2019 Excellence in Action awards here.

Nicole Howard, Communications Associate

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This Week in CTE

April 19th, 2019

TWEET OF THE WEEK

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WEEK

National Excellence in Action Award Recognizes Eight Exceptional Career Technical Education Programs of Study

Eight Career Technical Education (CTE) programs of study received the 2019 Excellence in Action award from Advance CTE. Hailing from seven states, these programs represent the best of CTE, with each providing clear pathways into college and careers, rigorous academic and technical coursework, strong industry partnerships, and effective work-based learning experiences that offer opportunities for career exploration and subject-matter mastery

Learn more about each winner here.

Check out the Excellence in Action Award Recipients in the news:

Perkins V Innovation and Modernization Grant Now Accepting Applications

On April 15, applications became available for the Perkins Innovation and Modernization Grant Program to create, develop, implement, replicate, or take to scale evidence-based, field-initiated innovations that modernize CTE, increase program effectiveness and alignment, and improve student outcomes. Over $2 million in total are available for this grant, and up to six grants will be awarded to scale evidence-based innovative programs that lead to better student outcomes and program effectiveness.

A webinar will be held by the U.S. Department of Education on April 25 to provide additional information. Read more about this opportunity here.

To make sure you get the latest news and resources about federal policy that affects CTE, sign up for our Legislative Updates!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

A high-quality program of study should include opportunities for learners to learn real-world skill through hands-on, work-based learning experiences such as apprenticeships. In this video, hear from 2019 Excellence in Action Award recipient Nels Lawrence of the Kaukauna Manufacturing program of study in Wisconsin. Get an inside look at the state-of-the-art machine shop equipment that uses industry-standard, computer-aided design software such as SolidWorks and AUTOCAD. The manufacturing industry has evolved to include more advanced technical skills and these learners are receiving the hands-on learning they need to be competitive in this career field.

Watch the video here.

RESOURCE OF THE WEEK

Grace’s Path to Success Infographic

The Data Quality Campaign released a new infographic that shows how access to data can help learners and families navigate the many choices along the education and workforce journey. The infographic follows one student, Grace, as she uses data to make important decisions that help her reach her goals. Read more about what can be achieved when learners and their families have data throughout their journey and the steps state leaders can take to help make this happen in their communities. Learn more and download the infographic here.

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