In 2011, the Harvard Graduate School of Education released Pathways to Prosperity: Meeting the Challenge of Preparing Young Americans for the 21st Century. The report argued that our current education system was too narrowly focused on the goal of preparing all young people to pursue a four-year college or university degree immediately after high school, while other postsecondary routes to careers might suit significant numbers of students far better. In 2012, the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Jobs for the Future, a Boston-based nonprofit focused on creating educational and economic opportunity for low-income youth and adults, decided to invite a small group of states to join them in creating the Pathways to Prosperity Network. The Pathways to Prosperity Network is now two years old, and this report is a letter to the field about what’s been accomplished to date.
National Movement to Offer Students Alternative Pathways to Careers and College Gains Momentum in 8 Pathways Network States
New Report Identifies Needed Policy Changes and Lessons for Rapid Expansion
To address persistent high levels of youth unemployment and prepare students for good jobs in growth industries, a number of states have, in a few short years, initiated ambitious system-level reforms designed to enable many more young people to gain traction toward careers and postsecondary degrees. Eight states that are members of the Pathways to Prosperity Network have launched or dramatically expanded career pathways that offer flexible work and learning opportunities. This report highlights progress to date and makes a case for why education leaders and employers might build and expand career pathways initiatives that help young people complete high school, attain a postsecondary credential with labor market value, and get started in high-demand careers that can provide the basis for further advancement.