Resources
The Questions Your State Should Be Asking to Bring Industry to the Table
The incentives and strategies we think will convince employers to engage in work-based learning (WBL) aren’t enough. In this blog from Samantha Perez, Associate Director at Launch partner Education Strategy Group (ESG), she digs into the questions states should be asking to push beyond foundational practices to compel employers to champion and invest in WBL.
Career Advising Happens Everywhere — Is Your State Prepared?
Colorado and Massachusetts provide two strong examples of how states are working to expand the role of advising to reach all students with quality in mind in this blog from Lindsey Phillips, Senior Policy Manager, Postsecondary Pathways for Youth at Launch partner New America.
Unraveling the Case for Credentials in High School
New research from Texas and Ohio that reveals how states can ensure credentials lead to opportunity for students by Lindsey Phillips from Launch partner, New America.
Building a Career Advising Ecosystem: How States Are Redefining Roles for Student Success
In this blog from the Launch Initiative, Jerre Maynor and Leah Eggers from Launch partner Jobs for the Future (JFF) pose the question “How are states building coherent advising ecosystems?” With examples from Launch states Maryland, Kentucky, and North Carolina, they provide examples and answers.
Leading Systemwide Change: Lessons from Maryland’s Career-Connected Learning Convening
Across Maryland, school and district leaders are advancing a bold vision: implementing Career-Connected Learning (CCL) systems and Six-Year Plans to prepare every learner for success beyond graduation. As with any systems-level change, this work requires more than launching new programs—it calls for a shift in how education systems operate. Read a recap of Maryland’s recent convening and actionable recommendations for leaders implementing systems change in this blog by Brenna Bartlett, Director of Technical Assistance, Advance CTE.
Smarter Systems, Stronger States: Five Smart Opportunities for Building Stronger State Data Systems
An overview of a new report released by Launch, Smarter Systems, Stronger States, which names five smart opportunities that states have to improve upon their current data systems to ensure their capacity and resources are being directed to where they can have the greatest impact. Read more in this blog by Samantha Perez, Ph.D., Associate Director, Education Strategy Group (ESG).
Smarter Systems, Stronger States: Opportunities to Improve State Data Systems Based on Insights and Learning from the Launch Initiative
As part of the early work of Launch, seven site teams completed a data capacity assessment that allowed them to dig deeply into how they currently gather, analyze, and share learner data. In aggregating results across these seven sites, the national partners noted that limitations in available data and/or ineffective data sharing created challenges that hindered the programmatic decision-making necessary to mitigate barriers to access and success learners might experience.
Authored by Education Strategy Group for the Launch Initiative, Smarter Systems, Stronger States highlights the “smart opportunities” states should invest in to improve their data systems and shares examples from Launch work in Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia. This brief includes actionable recommendations and a self-assessment tool to help state leaders
- Strengthen state infrastructure;
- Choose the right tools for data collection and sharing;
- Build state and local expertise and data literacy; and
- Push for quality data collection and reporting beyond compliance.
Navigating the Navigators
Questions State Leaders Must Consider to Solve the Career Advising Puzzle by Lindsey Phillips, Senior Policy Manager, Postsecondary Pathways for Youth, New America.
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