Podcast Series: Innovations in Education

Explore the full series of eSchool News podcasts hosted by Kevin Hogan—created to keep you on the cutting edge of innovations in education.

Gen Z youth on nondegree paths feel workforce ready

Key points:

  • Three in four high school grads say they feel ready to enter the workforce thanks to a nondegree pathway
  • High school graduates need more information about these pathways to better make decisions about their futures
  • See related article: Companies go to high schools for career training
  • For more news on college and career readiness, see eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

A new survey commissioned by American Student Assistance (ASA) and Jobs for the Future (JFF) found that while young people who pursue nondegree pathways report having confidence in their future, there is a pervasive lack of awareness about these diverse pathways to success and how to judge their quality. In fact, two in three youth who did not pursue a nondegree education pathway indicated they would have considered this option if they had known more about it.

As college enrollment remains below pre-pandemic levels and survey after survey captures growing public skepticism about the value of college, ASA and JFF commissioned a survey – conducted by Morning Consult – of more than 1,100 high school graduates who have opted not to go to college directly after high school to better understand their decisions. …Read More

As teens rethink college and career options, counselors are trying to adapt

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

When students come into Danielle Insel’s college and career advising office with their sights set on higher education, she has a checklist of next steps ready. For years, around nine out of 10 kids fell into that camp, she estimates.

But recently, a growing number of seniors–upwards of 30 percent, she guesses–have told her they have no intention of going to college. And more kids than ever are considering ways to make money without a college degree, Insel said–driven in part by people and jobs they’ve encountered on social media. For those students, there’s no equivalent checklist.…Read More

SchooLinks Honored on Inc.’s 2023 Power Partner Awards List for its Remarkable Growth and Innovative College and Career Readiness Solutions

Austin, TX, (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SchooLinks, the leading college and career readiness platform, is thrilled to announce its recognition as an honoree on Inc. magazine’s prestigious 2023 Power Partner Awards list. This achievement underscores SchooLinks’ remarkable growth, unwavering commitment to excellence, and its modern, innovative solutions that support students and educators nationwide.


The Inc. Power Partner Awards are a testament to the outstanding performance of companies that go above and beyond to drive their own success and that of their clients. Out of thousands of applicants, only a select few were chosen for this prestigious recognition, making SchooLinks’ inclusion a clear indication of its exceptional dedication to client growth and satisfaction.


Over the years, SchooLinks has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its reach and influence in the field of education. The platform’s unwavering commitment to helping students prepare for college and career success has driven its rise to prominence. SchooLinks offers innovative and comprehensive solutions that empower students and educators alike, fostering their journey towards successful futures.


SchooLinks’ Modern Innovative College and Career Readiness Solutions:

  • Personalized Learning Plans: SchooLinks’ cutting-edge platform offers personalized learning plans for students across all grade levels. The platform guides students as they navigate their personal interests, career goals, and educational aspirations and translates them into an actionable plan for their future.
  • Educator Support: SchooLinks understands that educators play a pivotal role in shaping students’ futures. The platform equips teachers, counselors, and administrators with the resources and insights they need to provide exceptional guidance that helps students make informed decisions about their future.
  • Integration and Accessibility: SchooLinks offers a seamless integration of tools and resources, making it easy for students and educators to access the necessary information. This can help districts reduce redundant systems, ensuring rapid adoption and engagement across the district. 

“We are honored to be listed as an Inc. Power Partner, and this recognition reaffirms our commitment to our mission of equipping students with the tools and resources they need to make informed decisions about their education and career paths,” said Katie Fang, Founder & CEO at SchooLinks.


SchooLinks continues to demonstrate that its passion for education and dedication to client success is unwavering. The company looks forward to building on this success in the years to come, continually evolving and innovating to meet the ever-changing needs of students and educators nationwide.

…Read More

SchooLinks Celebrates Second Consecutive Year on the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest-Growing Private Companies

Austin, TX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SchooLinks, the cutting-edge college and career readiness platform, is proud to announce its second consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000 list. This is a testament to the company’s remarkable growth and commitment to revolutionizing college and career readiness across the country.

The Inc. 5000 list is a prestigious ranking that showcases the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. It recognizes organizations that have demonstrated exceptional adoption growth rates. SchooLinks has achieved this distinction for the second year in a row, underscoring its continuous expansion and industry leadership.

SchooLinks was founded with a mission to redefine the way students prepare for their future. The platform offers innovative solutions that prioritize the unique needs of students while providing educators with powerful tools to enhance their workflows and improve student outcomes. SchooLinks’ commitment to delivering value to students and educators has been instrumental in its rapid ascent on the Inc. 5000 list.…Read More

Houston ISD Chooses SchooLinks for College and Career Readiness

Houston, TX (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Houston Independent School District in Houston, TX announced their decision to switch to the modernized College and Career Readiness platform, SchooLinks, starting the 2023/24 school year.

Serving over 194,000 students across 276 schools, Houston Independent School District understands the necessity to invest in technology that will holistically support all students on their journey toward academic and career success. SchooLinks, the platform of choice is able to  provide the support to HISD’s student population while also offering administrators real-time data to improve data-driven decision-making.

Houston ISD will be streamlining a number of initiatives using SchooLinks including college application management, academic planning, personalized graduation plans, CCMR and college and career exploration. This will enable Houston ISD to consolidate multiple redundant systems – reducing overall costs, driving student outcomes, and increasing staff efficiency. 

“SchooLinks is an essential piece to HISD’s CCMR strategy. As the district reorgs, we want to ensure we provide uninterrupted support to students and parents on their college & career planning journey while streamline process flows,” said Adrian Acosta, Executive Director of CCMR. 

“SchooLinks is excited to serve Houston ISD – one of Texas’ top school districts, to innovate college and career readiness for students! With 6 of the 10 largest school districts in Texas using SchooLinks, SchooLinks is becoming the go-to platform and network for communities to empower their students to achieve post-secondary success,” said SchooLinks CEO and Founder, Katie Fang.

SchooLinks is a web-based college and career platform that supports districts nationwide as they implement a comprehensive curriculum and framework to prepare students for the post-secondary pathway of their choice. School staff utilize the solutions within SchooLinks to effectively collaborate across departments, improve processes, and deliver lessons that support students’ post-secondary readiness. A full suite of reports provides real-time, actionable data for school and district leaders to measure student achievement and school staff impact. SchooLinks is dedicated to supporting district goals of expanding opportunities for all students to reach their potential and achieve their post-secondary goals.

…Read More

Hadley Introduces Social 529 App Transforming The Way Americans Save For College And Career Training

LOS ANGELES, CA — Hadley, a new app seeking to make it easy and social to save for school and career training costs, announced today its official launch after a successful beta period. The app, named after Founder and CEO Yosh Miller’s niece, simplifies finding and funding 529 savings accounts, helping others plan for future education and career training expenses without any advisory or monthly subscription fees.

Hadley breaks down systemic barriers that blocked people from starting 529 accounts sooner. Traditionally, parents are the main contributors to their 529 plans and wait on average until their children are seven years old before setting up an account due to the reality that many families face immediate financial needs like daycare and doctor visits that make long-term saving for education more difficult. Now, families can open and link their 529 accounts to Hadley for free, even before their child is born, so others can contribute to it – allowing families to take full advantage of the power of tax-free compounded growth. In turn, Hadley helps families to start saving more, sooner.

Miller, a former Deloitte Strategy and Operations consultant for government agencies and strategy executive for MRC Entertainment, created Hadley to address families’ challenges when planning and saving for education. One of Hadley’s most impactful features allows family members and friends to contribute to a 529 plan, even if they don’t directly own the account. App users can quickly link their new or existing 529 plans to their Hadley account, making it easy for others to contribute to a child’s or adult’s education. App users can make one-time gifts or set up recurring contributions to their own or others’ accounts. Hadley works with all 529 Plans, 529 Advisor Plans, and 529 ABLE Plans.…Read More

CAE and Otus Team Up to Provide Assessment Tool for K-12 Educators to Improve Student Outcomes

NEW YORK – The  Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a leader in designing innovative performance tasks for measurement and instruction of higher order skills and for subject area assessments, announced a new partnership with Otus, an integrated platform that gathers student data from its own or any third-party assessment, and enables educators to monitor and plan for academic growth, social-emotional development, and personalized learning goals.

Under this partnership, educators using both Otus and CAE’s College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA+) will have a holistic picture of student performance by combining CCRA+ data with other assessment data districts are collecting – all in one platform, which will ultimately help them make instructional decisions to improve student outcomes.

“Partnering with Otus, a true industry leader, will help CAE make a positive impact on the lives of more students across the country,” said Bob Yayac, president and chief executive officer of CAE. “CCRA+ is a valuable tool that can help educators identify students’ strengths and opportunities for improvement in critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication. With this relationship, educators will have a more comprehensive view of their students’ needs and the support required to succeed.”…Read More

Pearson’s Connections Academy Launches New College and Career Prep Initiative

HOBOKEN –  Pearson, the world’s leading learning company, announced today that Connections Academy, its K-12 online school program will expand its slate of college and career readiness initiatives for middle and high school students. The initiatives feature partnerships with Coursera, the global online learning platform, Acadeum, the largest course sharing network in higher education, e-Dynamic Learning, a provider of Career Technical Education for middle and high school students, and Credly, a global leader in digital credentialing.

The career readiness initiatives for high school students will offer an innovative new tri-credit approach where courses can deliver:

  • High school credit from Connections Academy
  • Industry-recognized micro-credentials on Coursera, and
  • Eligibility for college credit toward over 150 bachelor’s degree programs in the U.S. via the Coursera/Acadeum college and university partner network

The industry credentials available can help qualify high school students for careers in fields like data analytics, UX design, software development, and cybersecurity, while also allowing them to earn eligible credit and cost savings toward a college degree.…Read More

CAE and Pearson Partner to Bring Critical Thinking Assessment to Secondary Education Students

NEW YORK (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Council for Aid to Education, Inc. (CAE), a leader in designing innovative performance tasks for measurement and instruction of higher order skills, today announced the immediate availability of its College and Career Readiness Assessment (CCRA+) through a non-exclusive partnership with Pearson [FTSE: PSON.L], the world’s leading learning company. Pearson will resell CCRA+ as part of its Pearson Assessment for Learning Suite (PALS).

Designed for students in grades six through 12, CCRA+ assesses critical thinking, problem solving and written communications – essential skills that are predictive of positive academic and career success. These skills are highlighted in Portraits of a Graduate profiles, yet most states and districts do not have an effective and reliable approach to measure these skills.

“CAE is proud to partner with Pearson to help schools and districts access our assessment tools to support student growth,” said Bob Yayac, president and CEO, CAE. “While more than 125 districts have developed or are developing a Portrait of a Graduate, our research and conversations indicate most have not identified how they will measure these skills in an objective, consistent and standardized manner. CCRA+ addresses this important need.”…Read More

Fewer than half of underserved students believe post-high school education is necessary

As school district leaders continue to worry about students’ college and career readiness, a new survey finds that less than half of students from traditionally underserved populations believe education after high school is necessary.

The new survey conducted by ECMC Group, in partnership with VICE Media Group, surveyed more than 1,000 high school students ages 14-18 from low-income, first-generation and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) backgrounds and found that only 45 percent believe education after high school is necessary, compared to 52 percent of all high schoolers.

In addition, only 8 percent feel fully prepared to make the decision of what to do after high school.…Read More