Since it began in 2022 Launch: Equitable & Accelerated Pathways for All, through the expertise of the five national partners, Advance CTE, Education Strategy Group (ESG), ExcelinEd, Jobs for the Future (JFF), and New America, has supported 15 cross-sector teams from 14 states to identify and advance policies and strategies to tackle entrenched inequities in education and workforce systems, while also promoting greater scale and sustainability in states’ college and career pathways systems. The state teams focused on cross-sector collaboration made up of state and local K–12 and postsecondary education and workforce leaders, intermediary organizations, and private-sector champions.

Through the first phase of Launch, teams assessed their existing college and career pathways systems; examined enrollment and outcomes data to identify access and achievement gaps; and developed plans and pilot concepts to remove barriers,  improve quality, and pursue more equitable, sustainable college and career pathways systems. Over the past two years of collaboration, Launch leaders and participants learned a great deal about the conditions that must be in place to advance high-quality,  equitable, and sustainable pathways systems related to the framework of five levers that are critical for driving lasting systems change: policy, funding, partnerships, data, and equity.

Drawing on that experience, as well as evidence from a national literature review and the expertise of the local, state, and national leaders involved in Launch, Conditions For Sustainable and Equitable Pathways Systems synthesizes these conditions to provide a framework for college and career pathways system leaders to follow as they pursue accessible, sustainable high- quality pathways systems at scale. For each lever, readers will find a description of the importance and common challenges; a list of conditions that must be met to achieve lasting impact; and examples from states that are advancing ambitious, effective strategies in each domain.

Phase one of the Launch initiative has been graciously funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Joyce Foundation, Salesforce, and Walton Family Foundation.