Inspiring curiosity for career exploration and mentoring for pathway success
Innovative Teaching
Students should leave high school prepared for rigorous learning and a competitive workforce
Inspiring curiosity for career exploration and mentoring for pathway success
Hands-on career training should be combined with visible connections to career pathways that align best with a student’s interests, skillset, and aspirations
Quit saying “I’m not a math person”
What seems like a harmless and innocent thing to say could be creating significant damage over time
Career readiness in the AI era needs decision practice, not just tool access
The best preparation for an AI-shaped labor market is more practice making decisions when AI is in the room
Uncovering the college and career readiness shifts that exceptional school systems are making
Preparing students for postsecondary success is the cumulative result of thousands of intentional moments across 13 years of schooling
A second language is more than an elective—it’s a workforce skill
Four ways schools can use technology to build communication skills, cultural understanding, and career readiness
WorkKeys is lowering the bar on student proficiency
Allowing WorkKeys to substitute for ACT proficiency does not redefine success; it lowers the bar for what counts as proficient
Rethinking employability skills in K–12 education
Employability skills require intentional, consistent development across all content areas and all grade levels
The hidden curriculum gap
Aligning CTE with Decision Education can prepare students for their first step after graduation--and for every decision that follows
Despite concerns, Gen Z students are optimistic about AI
A new report ranks Gen Z's top 100 dream colleges, preferred employers, and the values shaping their career decisions
Education in a connected world: Preparing students for global careers
To prepare learners for this world of work, schools must prioritize advanced literacy and communication from the earliest years
Career readiness starts with a critical, undertaught skill: Decision Education
New workforce research shows decision-making is one of the most sought-after skills in an AI-driven economy--yet it remains largely out of the spotlight
College readiness starts in kindergarten: Why rethinking K–12 math is the key
True readiness is the ability to reason flexibly, apply efficient strategies, and persist through complex problems
Where traditional education falls short in an increasingly digital world
Teaching students essential technology skills at an early age ensures that they master critical thinking skills to become successful workers
Nearly half of high school students now use AI in college search
A new survey of 5,000 teens finds AI has growing influence on whether students go to college, where they apply, and what they study
From high school to career: 6 CTE trends to track in 2026
States and employers are increasingly integrating CTE into broader workforce and talent development strategies
New partnership expands access to flexible career-connected learning
Project Lead The Way partners with the Indiana Microschool Collaborative to provide learning units designed for microschools and other emerging education models
Building pathways to purpose: How we can empower students for an uncertain future
The most powerful opportunities for students become available and accessible when multiple organizations come together to support their success
2026 prediction: AI may unleash the most entrepreneurial generation we’ve ever seen
Today's students are future innovators in a landscape where powerful new tools of creation are sitting right in front of them
The three P’s of writing a memorable college essay
Authentic college essays result from an insightful process that uncovers the writer’s personality without obsessing over perfection
Measuring student global competency learning using direct peer connections
Global competency can be taught--and measured--with simple but powerful strategies educators everywhere can use
Decision Education: A new approach to driving STEM workforce readiness
By integrating Decision Education into STEM, teachers can make learning more relevant and accessible to all students
More teens are using summer for college and career prep
Teens are more focused on professional and financial success than on traditional milestones such as marriage and family life
The end of one-direction career pathways: Why empowering students sets the best course for future success
Schools have the opportunity to help students identify their desired lifestyle, existing strengths, and possible career paths
Powering college readiness through community partnerships
Too many Texas high school students graduate unprepared for college. We need collective action to close the gap
How CTE inspires long and fulfilling careers
CTE offers something few other educational pathways can match: a direct, skills-based progression from classroom learning to career readiness
Making career readiness meaningful in today’s classrooms
Career readiness programs help students see the relevance of their learning and give them the confidence to pursue their goals
They love me, they love me not: Smart strategies to help students find the perfect college
Every student can find a college or university that aligns with their goals and abilities, but doing so is both an art and a science
Why mentorship networks are essential in the college admissions process
A supportive network can alleviate the school counselor shortage and help high school students navigate the process
AI, CTE are key to preparing students for future careers
Rising educator confidence in career-connected learning and growing urgency for AI tools that build--not bypass--students’ essential skills
Tools and ideas to engage students in career-connected learning
Career connections ensure that all students graduate prepared, inspired, and equipped to thrive
Choice-ready: Exploring a new standard for preparing students for the future of work
Instead of preparing students for a fixed destination, we must prepare them to navigate change itself
Just thank ChatGPT: How teens turned a secret tool into a shared success
AI isn’t going away--it’s already the silent partner in many students’ academic journeys
Students are anxious about the future with AI–their parents are, too
In an era when the college-going rate of high school graduates has dropped, AI appears to be heightening anxieties about the value of college
How to strengthen student workforce readiness with classroom and career connections
Educators and leaders must ensure the current education system meets students’ needs and blends academic learning with career preparation
Integrating technology in CTE classrooms
Embracing technology in CTE helps prepare a future-ready workforce adept at leveraging technology for problem-solving and innovation
Middle and high school students need education, career guidance
Students need early access to opportunities that empowers them to explore careers that match their interests and strengths
Teachers see online learning as critical for workforce readiness in 2025
High school educators report at least half of their curriculum will focus on skills-based learning
Many states picked diploma pathways over high school exit exams. Did students benefit?
Diploma pathways appear to have helped more students who aren’t college-bound to graduate, but they also have created new issues and replicated some old ones
Most students aren’t ready for life after high school
Too many classrooms still lack career-connected learning opportunities that help students see how their education applies in the real world
Students learn the basics of AI as they weigh its use in their future careers
