Strong coordination, alignment, and collaboration across all stakeholders in a pathways system—and effective legislation and policies in place—make students better prepared to enter and succeed in the labor market.
NETWORK MEMBER RESOURCES
Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act
The Illinois Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act (PWR), signed into law in 2016, takes a student based and competency based approach to helping students achieve college and career readiness. The Act implements four aligned strategies that require coordinated efforts among school districts, postsecondary education institutions, employers, and other public and private organizations.
JFF RESOURCES
JFF's Vision for an Equitable Economic Recovery
JFF urges policymakers to envision an equitable economic recovery from COVID-19. It must ensure systemic transformation, foster community revitalization, and provide individuals from all backgrounds with career and educational opportunities, as well as the support they need to succeed. To realize that vision, JFF has created this policy framework for Equitable Economic Recovery, which includes a set of three policy pillars and four guiding principles that provide a road map for how the country can deliver on the promise of economic advancement for all.
State Policy Road Map: JFF invites policymakers, business and civic leaders, and their community partners to use this Road Map to guide their states’ recoveries from the pandemic-induced downturn and to establish a longer-term vision for resilient, diversified, and inclusive economies for a better and brighter tomorrow.
College and Career Pathways: A Strategy for State Economic Success
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to policy, which can take many forms, from legislation and rules to the principles that guide programmatic decision-making and lead to specific outcomes. Read here for recommendations states can enact to support pathways efforts.
Equitable Pathways Hypotheses Spotlights: Policy
Federal, state, and local policies play a major role in shaping pathways work. Policy can be enabling—such as Perkins V, a federal policy that supports career and technical education—or it can be restricting—like some labor laws and institutional policies. Intermediaries make use of existing policies and advocates to close policy gaps that negatively impact youth who are Black, Latinx, or experiencing poverty. They use their convening authority and voice to influence the field, mobilize stakeholders and resources, and advocate for the creation of effective policies.
See here for a related webinar and presentation deck.
PARTNER RESOURCES
The College in High School Alliance and the Level Up coalition outline policy recommendations for states looking to expand equitable access to college in high school programs like dual enrollment, concurrent enrollment, and early college high school while also maintaining high quality.