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Student Growth: How Schools Measure Progress and Set Goals

Michael Healey — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:37:18 +0000

Key takeaways

Student growth helps schools understand progress over time, not just where students are at a given point.
Student growth should be measured with multiple sources, including assessments, student work, teacher observation, grades, attendance, and behavior data.
Student growth goals should give students a clear target, help teachers focus instruction, and help families understand progress.

In schools, we spend a lot of time talking about student achievement, and rightfully so. We look at standards, test scores, graduation rates, attendance, and student outcomes. All of those things are important, but student achievement alone does not always tell the full story.

It’s not uncommon for a student to start the year far below grade level and make significant progress, even if they are still not where we want them to be. Another student may meet expectations but not grow as much as they should. A class may show strong final results while hiding very different levels of individual progress.

That is why student growth matters.

Student growth helps schools track progress. It shows whether students are learning more, building skills, and moving closer to where they need to be. It also reminds us that students do not all start in the same place.

Student learning is complicated, and no single number can explain everything a student knows or can do. But when schools take the time to intentionally break down student growth, they can make better decisions about instruction, support, intervention, enrichment, and future planning.

A can also help students connect growth to future skills, workplace expectations, and paths after graduation.

What Is Student Growth?

Student growth is the progress a student makes over time.

That may sound simple, but it is an important distinction. Growth is not just where a student is at one point in time. It is the movement from one point to another over time.

For example, a student may improve from reading below grade level to reading much closer to grade level. A student may become more confident explaining mathematical thinking. A student may improve attendance, complete more assignments, write with more detail, or demonstrate stronger problem-solving skills.

All of those can be examples of growth.

The important point is that growth should be connected to something meaningful. It should not just mean a student is “doing better.” Schools need to describe what has improved and why it matters.

When schools consider growth, they often only look at academic performance. That should be an important focus, but it is not the only way students grow. A student may start participating more often in class, managing time better, or asking for help before falling too far behind. Those things may not always show up on a state assessment, but they matter in the classroom.

Still, growth cannot mean lowering expectations. The goal is not to say that any progress is enough. The goal is to understand whether students are moving in the right direction and whether the school is doing enough to help them get there.

Schools need to know where students are compared with expectations, and whether students are making enough progress over time.

What Are the Different Ways Student Growth Is Measured?

There is no perfect answer for how to measure student growth.

Because student learning is too complex to understand from one data point, schools need to look at several measures. Each piece of evidence can tell part of the story and help leaders better understand where students are making progress and where they still need support.

One way to measure student growth is through benchmark assessments. Benchmark assessments can help to show whether students are improving in reading, math, or other academic areas over the course of the school year. When used on a consistent schedule, they help teachers see patterns, identify gaps, and adjust their instruction.

But assessment data should not be the only measurement used.

Student work is another important measure. Writing samples, projects, lab reports, presentations, and classroom assignments can show how student thinking is developing. Sometimes student work tells a clearer story than a score because teachers can see the actual strengths and needs in front of them in real time.

Teacher observation is also an important way to measure student growth. Teachers know their students and learn a lot by watching how they approach tasks. That includes whether students can get started on their own, keep going when the work gets difficult, explain their thinking, and work with others. Those observations can help teachers understand growth in ways that formal assessments may not capture.

Grades can also provide some useful information, but they need to be used carefully because grading practices vary. Attendance and behavior data can also be part of the picture, especially when improved attendance, participation, or time in class supports academic progress.

The point is not to collect data just to have more data. The point is to use information that helps teachers and school leaders make better decisions. Useful measurement should help schools understand what changed, what made a difference, what still needs attention, and what should happen next.

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7 Examples of Student Growth Goals

Strong student growth goals should be clear enough that teachers, students, and families understand what progress is expected.

They should also be realistic. A good goal should stretch a student or group of students, but it should not be so broad that no one knows how to act on it. For example, a goal to “improve reading” is not enough. “Students will use evidence from the text to support written responses” is much clearer.

Here are seven examples of student growth goals schools may use or adapt.

1. Use Text Evidence to Strengthen Reading Comprehension

A reading growth goal might focus on helping students use evidence from the text to explain their thinking. Students may work on identifying main ideas, choosing relevant details, summarizing key information, and answering text-based questions in their own words.

For younger students, especially in PreK-2, the goal may focus on the early skills that support reading comprehension, including vocabulary, phonemic awareness, decoding, and listening comprehension.

2. Build Writing Skills Beyond English Language Arts

Writing growth should not be limited to English language arts. Students need to write in science, social studies, career and technical education, and other content areas.

A growth goal might focus on organization, evidence, vocabulary, sentence clarity, or explanation. This gives teachers across subjects a shared way to support student growth.

3. Build Math Reasoning and Explanation

In math, growth is not only about getting the right answer. Students also need to explain how they solved a problem and why their approach makes sense.

A math growth goal might focus on helping students show their reasoning, use academic vocabulary, or solve multi-step problems more accurately.

4. Help Students Take a More Active Role in Their Learning

Some students know more than they show.

A growth goal can focus on participation, especially for students who are quiet, unsure, or reluctant to take academic risks. This does not mean forcing every student to speak or participate constantly. It means helping students engage more fully in learning.

5. Strengthen Attendance and Follow-Through

Attendance and assignment completion are not the same as learning, but they both affect learning every day.

A growth goal in this area might focus on improving attendance, reducing missed assignments, or completing a certain percentage of classwork on time. Schools should also look at barriers, communication, classroom routines, family outreach, and support systems.

6. Help Students Manage Their Work

Some students struggle not because they cannot understand the content, but because they haven’t developed the skills needed to manage schoolwork successfully.

This work might focus on helping students use a planner, organize materials, prepare for assessments, and break assignments into steps. These skills are especially important as students move into higher grades.

7. Connect Students’ Current Learning to Future Goals

Students are often more motivated when they can see how school connects to what comes next.

A growth goal might focus on career exploration, goal setting, or helping students explain how specific skills connect to future opportunities. This does not mean every student needs to choose a career early. It means students should begin to understand how their strengths, interests, and school experiences connect to possible future pathways.

Making Student Growth Meaningful

The value of student growth is not just in measuring it, but in what schools do with the information.

If growth data shows that students are improving, schools should ask what is working and how to build on it. If students are not growing enough, schools should ask what needs to change. That may involve instruction, curriculum, intervention, attendance support, teacher collaboration, family communication, or student engagement.

Growth should help schools take action.

It should also help students understand their own progress. Students should not only receive scores or grades. They should understand what they are improving, what still needs work, and what steps they can take next.

That is where student growth goals can be powerful. They give students a clearer target, teachers a clearer focus, and families a better way to understand progress.

For school leaders, the work is making sure growth is connected to real evidence, regular conversations, and better support for students and teachers.

Schools need to know how to measure student growth, but they also need to know how to respond to what they learn.

Student growth keeps schools focused on progress without losing sight of expectations. Students do not all start in the same place. But every student should be expected to grow, and every school should be organized to help that growth happen.

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Career Exploration for Students K-12: A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 14:39:35 +0000

Key takeaways

Career exploration for students should begin before high school and continue as students learn more about themselves and their options.
Career exploration is not about asking students to choose one career too early. It is about helping them understand what is possible.
Schools can support career exploration by connecting classroom learning to interests, skills, future pathways, and real-world experiences.

As educators, we often ask our students what they want to be when they grow up long before they have enough information to fully answer the question.

Some students may have a clear idea early on. Others may change their minds many times. Many students are only familiar with the careers they have seen in their own family or in their everyday life. That does not mean they lack ambition or drive; rather, more often it means they have not yet had enough career exposure to understand the range of options available to them.

That is why career exploration is so important for students.

Schools do not need to push students into one path too soon. They do need to help students learn about different kinds of work, the skills those careers require, and how school connects to life after graduation. This work becomes more important as students move through grade levels and start making decisions about courses, programs, internships, college, technical training, military service, and employment.

Career exploration should not feel separate from the rest of school. The goal should be to help students see the connection between what they are learning now and what they may want to do later on.

A strong can support that type of work by helping students explore careers, understand essential workplace skills, and connect classroom learning to future possibilities.

What Is Career Exploration for Students?

Career exploration for students is the process of helping students learn about careers, understand their own interests and strengths, and begin making meaningful connections between school and future opportunities.

It is not the same as choosing a career.

That distinction is important. Career exploration should not lock students into one decision. A fifth grader does not need to know exactly what job they want when they are 25. A middle school student does not need to have a full career plan. Even high school students may still be figuring out what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they plan to pursue in their future.

Career exploration gives students information and experiences so they can make better decisions over time.

For younger students, that may mean learning about different jobs in their community, talking about how people use reading, math, science, technology, and teamwork in their work, or hearing from adults with different careers.

For middle school students, career exploration often includes interest inventories, career-themed projects, field trips, and conversations about high school courses and career pathways.

For high school students, career exploration may become more specific. Students may look at career clusters, CTE options, internships, job shadowing, dual enrollment, certification programs, college majors, or military pathways.

Students should begin to understand that the choices they make in school can open doors. They should also understand that there is not only one way to build a successful future. Students may go directly to college, enroll in a trade school, work, join the military, attend, or move through more than one of those options over time.

Career exploration helps students see all of those options more clearly.

Why Is Career Exploration Important?

Career exploration is important because students cannot prepare for opportunities they do not know exist.

In many schools, students have different levels of exposure to careers. Some students have family members who talk with them about college, jobs, training, and professional options. Others may not have that same opportunity. Schools can address this by making career exploration part of the student experience.

When students are only exposed to a narrow set of careers, they may limit what they believe is possible. Students may not know about fields that match their interests, what different careers require, or how technology is changing the skills needed for future work.

Career exploration gives students more information before they have to make bigger decisions.

It also helps students understand why school matters. A student may not always see the value of a writing assignment, science project, or presentation until they understand how those same skills are used in specific careers they find interesting.

That does not mean every lesson needs to become a career lesson. It means students should have regular opportunities to see how the skills they are learning can be used beyond the classroom.

Career exploration also supports motivation. Students are more likely to invest in school when they can connect learning to something that matters to them. That connection may be a specific career. It may also be a broader goal, such as helping people, solving problems, creating something, working outdoors, using technology, or building independence.

Career exploration gives students time to think, ask questions, and adjust.

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When Should Career Exploration Begin?

Career exploration should begin earlier than many schools have traditionally started it.

That does not mean elementary students should be asked to choose their future career. It means schools should begin building career awareness early. Young students are naturally curious. They ask questions about what people do, how things work, and why certain jobs exist. Schools can build on that curiosity in simple ways.

In elementary school, career exploration can be age-appropriate and fun. Students can learn about local businesses, science careers, creative careers, public service roles, and the different kinds of work adults do. Teachers can help students see how skills taught in the classroom are used beyond school. Students can read about people in different fields, watch short career videos, or talk about how different jobs help the community they live in.

In middle school, career exploration should become more intentional. This is the perfect time for students to learn more about their interests, strengths, and preferred learning styles. They can also begin exploring high school course options, CTE programs, and the skills needed in different fields.

In high school, career exploration should become more focused on helping students plan for life after graduation. Students need help understanding what different paths require, which courses matter most, what programs are available, what employers may expect, and how college, technical training, and work-based learning can fit together.

This type of work should happen over their high school career. If career exploration only happens during senior year, students may have already missed opportunities. They may not have taken the right courses, explored available programs, or understood what a certain pathway requires. Starting earlier gives students more time to learn and make better decisions.

How Can K-12 Schools Play a Part in Career Exploration?

K-12 schools play an important role because they see students over many years. That gives schools the chance to build career exploration gradually instead of treating it as a one-time event.

Career exploration is most effective when it is a regular part of a student’s school experience, not an activity or assembly that happens once a year. Career days and guest speakers are useful and important, but they are not enough. Students need consistent exposure to a wide range of careers, skills, and pathways.

Schools can start by helping teachers make natural connections between classroom learning and real-world use. Reading, writing, math, science, technology, communication, and problem-solving are not just skills used in school; they are used every day in the workplace. When teachers point that out, students begin to see learning differently.

Schools can also create more opportunities for students to hear from people in different fields. That may include guest speakers, virtual career talks, local employers, alumni, family members, or community partners. Students benefit when they hear how people found their path, what skills they use, and what they wish they had known earlier.

Career exploration should also include hands-on learning. Projects, simulations, field trips, job shadowing, internships, and service learning can help students understand work in a more concrete way. These experiences do not need to be complicated to be useful. Even a short classroom project connected to a real-world problem can help students think differently about a career field.

Schools should also remind students that it is okay if their plans change as they learn more about themselves and their options. Career exploration is not about making one final decision; it is about helping students learn enough to take the next step with more confidence.

That is especially important now as the world of work continues to change. New careers are emerging. Technology is changing existing jobs. Students need academic skills, but they also need adaptability, communication, problem-solving, and the ability to keep learning.

K-12 schools can help students build those skills while also helping them understand where those skills may lead.

Helping Students See What Is Possible

Career exploration should give students a wider view of their future. It should help them see that school is not just about completing assignments or earning grades, but also about building the knowledge, habits, skills, and confidence they will need after graduation.

The best career exploration is not about telling students what to become; it is about helping them see more options, ask better questions, and understand the steps they may need to take.

Students should leave school with a stronger sense of what is possible and a better understanding of how their learning connects to future opportunities. They may not have every answer, and that is okay; but they should have enough information, support, and experience to keep moving forward.

That is the real value of career exploration for students. It helps them connect who they are now with who they may become next.

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Inquiry-Based Learning: What It Is, the Four Types, and How to Use It

Maggie Lazur — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:20:17 +0000

Key takeaways

Inquiry-based learning ranges from highly structured to fully student-driven.
Good inquiry is designed and requires deliberate planning, scaffolding, and facilitation.
There are concrete, actionable entry points.

Over the last few years, you’ve probably heard the phrase “inquiry-based learning” tossed around. It’s easy for phrases like this to become buzzwords that lose their meaning through overuse. But my experience working alongside some phenomenal teachers has shown me that inquiry-based learning can be one of the most powerful shifts we can make in how students experience school.

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

Inquiry-based learning flips the traditional model of instruction, with students beginning with a question, a problem, or a phenomenon and investigating it themselves rather than the teacher delivering information. The teacher’s role shifts from providing explicit instruction to facilitator and guide.

Effective inquiry-based instruction begins with the teacher carefully designing and structuring the learning experience by intentionally selecting resources and scaffolding the process, then allowing students to do the thinking, questioning, and discovering. This matters because students learn best when they construct their own understanding instead of just memorizing facts to recite on a test. Inquiry-based learning also tends to build skills that go beyond content mastery: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and resilience when the first attempt at solving a problem doesn’t work.

That said, inquiry-based learning isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It exists on a continuum, and understanding where a lesson falls helps teachers choose the right level of structure for their students and their goals.

What Are the Four Types of Inquiry-Based Learning?

Below are several inquiry-based learning examples, from the most structured to the most student-driven.

1. Confirmation Inquiry

This is the most structured form of inquiry. It involves giving students a question or problem along with a method to solve it, and providing them with the anticipated outcome. Their task is to confirm a concept they’ve already learned by investigating it firsthand. This type of inquiry is a great starting point for students who are new to inquiry-based learning.

An example of this might be a third-grade class that has just learned what plants need to grow. The teacher gives students the task of checking and recording plant growth of two identical bean plants every few days: one on a sunny windowsill and the other in a dark closet. This activity simply lets students verify the established fact that plants need sunlight to grow through direct observation.

2. Structured Inquiry

Here, the teacher provides the question and the procedure as with confirmation inquiry, but the students don’t know the answer in advance. They’re genuinely investigating, but within a clearly defined process in search of an answer or solution.

For example, a middle school science teacher might be asking students to determine which type of soil retains the most water. Students would be given a set procedure, measured soil samples, a fixed amount of water, and a timer to follow the teacher’s methods and draw their own conclusions from the data they collect. This kind of hands-on, data-driven investigation is exactly the type of experience that helps students build 21st-century skills through hands-on STEM instruction.

3. Guided Inquiry

Using guided inquiry, the teacher provides the question, but students design their own procedure for investigating it. This requires the teacher to be comfortable giving students a significant degree of independence, and it requires students to have the confidence to work through the process with the teacher acting as a facilitator rather than an information provider.

An example might be a teacher posing the question, “What factors affect how fast an ice cube melts?” Instead of providing the procedure, student groups decide what variables to test and how to test them (surface area, temperature, material it sits on, etc.). The question is given but the investigation design is up to the students.

4. Open (or Free) Inquiry

With this form of inquiry, students are given a real-world scenario or situation, often referred to as a phenomenon, and use it as an anchor for making observations and generating their own questions. They develop their own investigations and methodology for finding answers while the teacher’s role is that of a facilitator.

For example, students are learning about Hurricane Katrina. One student wants to know why some neighborhoods in town flood more than others after heavy rain. She develops her own research question and, based on what she knows so far, decides she’ll need to look at elevation data, drainage infrastructure, historical weather records, and any other information that appears relevant. Then she designs her own research plan, using the teacher only to support and redirect as needed.

Open inquiry asks a lot of both the teacher and the students. Students are directing the whole experience, from picking the question, mapping out how they’ll investigate it, and deciding when they’ve found a good enough answer. Because of how much this approach demands, it’s not usually where a class should start. To succeed, students first need practice managing their own learning by knowing how to ask a good question, how to recover when an approach isn’t working, and how to know when they’ve actually answered something.

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Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

The benefits of inquiry-based learning go well beyond content mastery. Students build critical thinking skills by actively questioning, investigating, and constructing their own understandings. Inquiry-based learning also tends to boost engagement in a way that’s hard to replicate using traditional instruction alone, simply because students are pursuing a question that they are curious about, a dynamic explored further in this webinar on the power of curiosity. And because inquiry often involves collaboration, discussion, and shared problem-solving, it naturally builds communication and teamwork skills.

Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning

At the same time, it isn’t easy creating successful inquiry-based learning opportunities. It demands significantly more planning and flexibility from teachers who may be used to following a more scripted path. Classroom management can also be harder to maintain when students are working with more independence, and teachers new to the approach might find it challenging to know when to let students work through productive struggle or when to intervene. Assessment can get tricky since traditional grading methods aren’t intended to capture the quality of a student’s questioning or reasoning process. As a result, teachers might need new or additional tools to evaluate student work.

Strategies for Bringing Inquiry Into the Classroom

If you’re a teacher wanting to try this, or an administrator looking to support your staff in adopting inquiry-based practices, here are some inquiry-based learning strategies that tend to work well.

Start with a high-interest question

The success of inquiry-based learning often rests on the quality of the initial question. The question needs to be open enough to allow for real investigation, but focused enough that students aren’t left wondering where to begin. Avoid questions that can be answered with a single obvious yes-or-no.

Match structure to your students' experience

If your students haven’t done much inquiry-based work before, don’t jump right to open inquiry. Start by building their comfort with the process, then gradually releasing more control as they build confidence.

Build in time for reflection

Inquiry-based learning isn’t just about the investigation itself, but about what students make of it afterward. Use activities such as journaling, group discussions, or structured debrief protocols to help students articulate what they learned and how they arrived there.

Use protocols to guide group work

Structures like Think-Pair-Share, Jigsaw, or a KWL chart give students a clear framework and tools for approaching an inquiry task without minimizing their ownership of the process.

Provide access to varied resources, not just a textbook

Inquiry thrives when students have multiple sources to draw from, such as primary documents, data sets, interviews, hands-on materials, and digital tools, including a K-12 online learning platform that can supplement classroom investigations with vetted media and interactives. Consider what resources you can provide or make accessible when creating a task.

Embrace productive struggle

The instinct to jump in and rescue students the second they hit a wall is one of the hardest shifts for teachers. Though uncomfortable, some of the richest learning happens when the students are still wrestling with the problem. Build your own tolerance for that discomfort, and give students the space to find their own way through it.

Assess the process, not just the product

Traditional assessments typically measure whether students arrived at the “right” answer. Inquiry-based assessment should also capture the quality of students’ questioning, their reasoning, and their ability to revise their thinking based on new evidence.

A Final Thought

Once you understand what inquiry-based learning is and how it shifts the teacher’s role, the extra planning it requires starts to make sense. Inquiry-based learning requires more of teachers in terms of planning and facilitation, and it asks more of students in terms of independence and tolerance for ambiguity. But the extra effort put in is worth it. Students who are used to asking their own questions and pursuing their own answers become learners who can keep learning long after they’ve left our classrooms.

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What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)? A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:12:02 +0000

Key takeaways

Career and technical education helps students connect school to real careers, workplace skills, and future opportunities.
A strong CTE program gives students a chance to explore interests, develop technical skills, and understand different career pathways before graduation.
CTE is not separate from academics. It can strengthen communication, problem-solving, collaboration, math, literacy, and career readiness.

Students are asked to make decisions about their future earlier than we sometimes realize. They are choosing courses, thinking about college, learning about careers, and trying to understand what path might make the most sense for them. Some students have a clear plan, but many do not. Schools can help by giving students more chances to explore real career options before graduation.

That is where��career and technical education, or CTE, plays an important role.

For a long time, people thought of CTE as a completely separate track or program for students who were not planning to attend college. Today, CTE can be one of the most practical and meaningful ways to help students connect their learning to real opportunities, whether they plan to enter the workforce, pursue college, or explore a career path they may not have considered before.

CTE helps students answer questions that matter to them: What am I interested in? What am I good at? What kind of work might I want to do? What skills do I need to get there? How does what I am learning in school connect to the world outside of school?

As a superintendent, I think that last question matters a lot. Students are more likely to take ownership of their learning when they can see a purpose behind it. A student who is learning how to read technical directions, measure accurately, communicate with a team, or solve a problem for a client is not just completing an assignment. They are building skills they can use down the road.

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

A simple career and technical education definition is this: CTE is education that helps students connect academic learning with technical skills and career preparation in specific industries or career pathways.

In other words, CTE helps students learn by doing what interests them. Students may study healthcare, business, agriculture, computer science, engineering, construction, culinary arts, education, manufacturing, media, transportation, or many other fields. The exact offerings depend on the school, region, partnerships, staffing, and student interest.

However, CTE is not only about learning a trade or preparing for one job. A well-designed CTE experience also helps students build broader skills. Students learn how to communicate, manage time, solve problems, follow safety procedures, work with others, use technology, and understand expectations in a professional setting.

So, what is a career and technical education program? It gives students a structured way to explore a career area while building the skills required in that field. That often includes a combination of classroom instruction, hands-on work experiences, industry certifications, internships, work-based learning, and partnerships with local employers.

For example, an HVAC program introduces students to heating and cooling systems, electrical basics, safety procedures, tools, and customer service. A cosmetology program may include hair care, skin and nail services, sanitation, and basic business skills. A nursing program often focuses on medical terminology, patient care, infection control, and different healthcare career pathways.

The most important point is that students are not learning in a traditional classroom setting. They are applying what they learn to something connected to a real field or career pathway that interests them.

CTE gives students a place to start. It helps them explore possibilities before they make expensive or long-term decisions after graduation.

Why is Career and Technical Education Important?

Career and technical education is important because students need to see more clearly how school connects to their future. Many students work hard in school, but they do not always understand how their classes connect to career options, earning potential, personal interests, or��local workforce needs.

CTE can help make those connections more visible.

A student in a CTE classroom may need to use math to measure materials, read a technical manual, write a business plan, analyze a customer need, understand safety requirements, or present a solution to a group. These are academic skills, but they are used in real-world contexts. That context can make the learning more meaningful.

CTE also helps students build confidence. Some students do not see themselves as successful learners in a traditional classroom setting. But when they are given the chance to build, repair, design, care for someone, cook, or solve a hands-on problem, they may begin to see themselves differently.

That matters. Confidence can change the way students approach school. It can also change what they believe is possible for their future.

CTE also supports��career exploration. Too often, students are asked to make decisions about college majors, training programs, or career goals before they have had enough exposure to the options available to them. CTE gives students a chance to explore careers earlier, ask better questions, and make more informed choices.

For some students, CTE may lead directly to an industry credential, an apprenticeship, a job opportunity, or a technical program. For others, it may help clarify a college pathway. A student interested in health sciences may decide to pursue nursing, physical therapy, public health, or biomedical science. A student in a technology program may pursue computer science, cybersecurity, data analytics, or engineering.

CTE is also important for the local and surrounding communities. Local businesses need workers with technical skills, communication skills, and the ability to learn on the job. Schools can help by building partnerships that expose students to real careers and local opportunities. A can support that work by helping students connect classroom learning to career exploration and real-world pathways.

Are Career and Technical Education Programs Worth It?

From a superintendent’s point of view, yes, when career and technical education programs are well-designed, aligned to student needs, and connected to real opportunities, they are absolutely worth it.

The value of a CTE program is not limited to whether a student takes a job in that field right after high school. That may happen, and for some students, it is a great outcome. But CTE also matters because it helps students build skills, explore different options, and make more informed decisions about their future.

A student may leave a CTE program with an industry credential, college credit, workplace experience, or a better understanding of a career pathway. They also leave with stronger communication skills, better problem-solving abilities, and a clearer sense of what they want to do next.

Those outcomes matter.

There is also value in helping students avoid paths that are not a good fit. If a student wants to work in a particular field, a CTE experience can give them a more realistic understanding of what that field requires. Sometimes students confirm an interest. Sometimes they realize they want something different. Both outcomes are useful.

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What is an Example of a CTE Class?

A CTE class can look very different depending on the program area, but the best examples combine academic learning, technical practice, and real-world application.

One example is a construction trades or heavy equipment program. Students may learn about job site safety, tools, materials, measurement, basic blueprint reading, equipment operation, and the different careers connected to the construction field. They may also practice following directions, working as part of a crew, solving problems on the job, and understanding why safety and communication matter. Some students may pursue certifications or continue into areas such as heavy equipment operation, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, HVAC, welding, or construction management.

Another example is an engineering or manufacturing class. Students may use design software, measurement tools, 3D printers, machines, or other equipment to create and test products. They may learn about design thinking, safety, materials, precision, and quality control. This type of STEM class helps students connect math, science, technology, problem-solving, and hands-on work in a practical way.

A business or entrepreneurship class is another good example. Students may develop a business idea, assess costs, plan marketing, create a plan, or present their work to others. Along the way, they build skills in communication, organization, budgeting, technology, and decision-making. Those skills are useful whether a student wants to own a business, work in management, study finance, or better understand how businesses and organizations operate.

An effective CTE class gives students a reason to use what they are learning. It should include technical knowledge, hands-on practice, clear expectations, and opportunities to reflect on the career field.

Building Stronger Career Pathways for Students

CTE is most effective when it is connected to a larger plan for life after high school. A single course can be useful, but students get more out of it when they understand how their classes, experiences, credentials, and future options fit together.

Students also need support along the way. They need caring and well-trained adults who can help them understand different pathways, compare options, and think through next steps. They also need opportunities to see careers up close, not just read about them or hear about them in general terms.

Strong CTE programs can include partnerships with local businesses, BOCES or technical centers, community colleges, workforce organizations, and industry professionals. These partnerships can help students understand what different careers actually look like and what preparation they may need.

Schools also need to make clear that CTE is not just for one type of student. It can support students who plan to go directly into the workforce, students who plan to attend college, students who are still figuring out their next step, and students who learn best when they can connect ideas to real work.

That is one of the biggest benefits of career and technical education. It helps students see that there is more than one path after high school. It gives them a chance to explore their interests, learn what they enjoy, and think more clearly about where they may want to go next. It also reinforces an important point for schools: preparing students for the future cannot be one-size-fits-all.

Students deserve pathways that are clear, meaningful, and connected to real opportunity. CTE helps schools provide those pathways in a way that can change how students see both school and their future.

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What is Digital Literacy? A Guide for Schools

Michael Healey — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:41:53 +0000

Key takeaways

Digital literacy helps students evaluate information, communicate appropriately, protect their privacy, and make good decisions online.
Comfort with technology does not always mean students know how to use it well.
Schools can improve digital literacy by making it part of regular instruction rather than treating it as a one-time lesson.

Students spend a lot of time these days using technology, but that does not always mean they understand how to use it effectively. They may know how to search, scroll, post, message, watch, and create. But using technology every day is not the same as being prepared to use it responsibly, efficiently, or safely.

Schools cannot assume that using technology is the same as knowing how to use it well.

Students need to know how to find information, but they also need to know whether that information can be trusted. They need to know how to communicate online, but they also need to understand tone, audience, privacy, and consequences. Students need to know how to use��technology, but they also need to know when it is actually helping them learn.

That is why digital literacy has become such an important part of preparing students for life after graduation. Technology is now a daily part of how people learn, work, communicate, apply for jobs, manage money, access services, and participate in their communities. Students do not need to become experts in every platform or tool, but they do need the habits and judgment to use technology in ways that are safe, useful, and connected to real life.

As a superintendent, I think schools have to be clear about this; much clearer than we are right now. We cannot assume that students are digitally literate just because they are comfortable with devices. Comfort is not the same as understanding. A student may be very adept with technology and still struggle to evaluate a source, protect personal information, recognize misinformation, or communicate appropriately in a digital world.

Schools can help close that gap. With the right support, students can learn how to use technology in ways that are safer, more effective, and more connected to real life. They can also begin to see how digital literacy and digital skills connect to future opportunities, whether they are researching careers, learning to communicate professionally, or using a to better understand how school connects to real careers and workplace expectations.

What is Digital Literacy?

Digital literacy is the ability to use digital tools and information in a thoughtful, responsible, and effective way. This includes basic technology skills, but also goes well beyond knowing how to open an app, type a search term, or submit an assignment online.

A digitally literate student knows how to look for information, compare sources, identify what is useful, and question what may be inaccurate. They understand that not everything online has the same value. A website, video, social media post, advertisement, image, or search result may look polished and still be misleading and, in some cases, even dangerous.

Digital literacy also includes communication. Students need to understand how to write clearly in digital spaces, how to respond respectfully and appropriately, and consider how their words may be received by others. A message sent online can be saved, shared, misread, or taken out of context. Students need help understanding that digital communication is still real communication, and that what they say online can have real consequences.

Privacy is another important part of digital literacy. Students need help to understand that personal information has value. This means that they need to think before sharing names, images, locations, passwords, school information, or other details about themselves and others. When it comes down to it, these are not just technology lessons; they are life lessons.

Digital literacy also includes the ability to create and share content responsibly. Students may create videos, presentations, graphics, documents, podcasts, posts, or other digital products. They need to understand copyright, credit, accuracy, audience, and the difference between creating something meaningful and simply putting information together quickly.

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

Digital literacy matters because students are growing up in a world where information is everywhere and technology is part of nearly every job, school, and community. They will need these skills whether they go to college, enter the workforce, pursue technical training, serve in the military, or start a business.

Students today already use technology to research topics, complete assignments, and communicate with teachers. Outside of school, they continue to use it to connect with friends, watch videos, play games, shop, and share their lives on social media. It is part of how they learn, communicate, and make sense of the world around them.

That makes digital literacy a student safety issue, an academic issue, and a career readiness issue.

From a safety standpoint, students need to understand privacy, scams, cyberbullying, digital footprints, and the risks of sharing information before they fully understand it. They also need to know what to do when something feels wrong online. Students should have trusted adults and clear steps to follow when asking for help.

Academically, digital literacy helps students perform better. When students can evaluate sources, organize information, and use technology appropriately, they are better prepared to complete their assignments, explain their thinking, solve problems, and communicate clearly.

From a career standpoint, digital literacy is increasingly inseparable from basic workplace readiness. Nearly every job requires employees to use software, communicate online, manage information, complete training, protect data, and learn new tools. Even hands-on jobs often require digital skills. For example, a mechanic may use diagnostic technology to identify engine issues; a nurse may use electronic health records to quickly access a patient’s health history; and a construction worker may use digital plans or scheduling tools to plan an upcoming job more efficiently.

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Why is Digital Literacy Necessary in Education?

Digital literacy is necessary in education because students need guidance as they learn how to use technology. If schools do not teach these skills directly, students are often left to figure them out on their own.

Many students can use technology quickly, but speed is not the goal. The goal is judgment. Students need to know how to pause, question, check, and make better decisions. They also need to understand that a search result is not the same thing as reliable information.

Digital literacy also supports another important goal, equity. Not all students have the same access to devices, internet, adult support, or digital experiences outside of school. Schools can help ensure all students develop these skills, not just those who already have support at home.

How to Integrate Digital Literacy in the Classroom

Digital literacy should not be limited to one assembly, handout, or lesson at the beginning of the year. The best way for students to build these skills is through practice, and the best place to do that is inside the work they are already doing in class.

One way to do this is to build source evaluation into research assignments. Instead of just asking students to find information, teachers can ask them to explain why a source is useful, who created it, what evidence it provides, and if they found another source that supports it.

Digital literacy is also a natural fit for writing, communication, and classroom projects; things that naturally occur in almost every classroom. Students can practice writing for different audiences, discuss tone and privacy, and create presentations, videos, or other products that demonstrate what they know. The key is to make sure the technology supports learning.

For example, in English, students can evaluate sources and discuss the audience. In social studies, they can examine media and potential misinformation. In science, they can evaluate data and credible research. In math, they can analyze charts, graphs, and claims made with numbers.

The goal of��integrating digital literacy is not to add more work. The goal is to help students use technology better in the work they are already doing.

How to Improve Digital Literacy in Students

Improving digital literacy starts with being clear about what students need to know and be able to do. Schools should not assume students will develop these skills automatically. They need instruction, practice, feedback, and frequent reminders.

An effective first step is to use real examples. Teachers can use sample search results, mock social media posts, digital ads, online comments, websites, charts, or videos to help students practice making decisions.

Students also need chances to talk through their thinking. If they choose a source, they should be able to explain why. If they use technology, they should be able to explain how it helped. If they create something, they should be able to��explain their thinking.

It also helps to teach digital literacy in small pieces, not all at once. For example, one lesson might focus on checking a source; another might focus on protecting personal information; another might focus on using images responsibly; while another might focus on writing a clear message for the intended audience.

It’s safe to say that technology is not going away. Students will continue to use new platforms and technologies that schools cannot fully predict. But if they know how to ask good questions, check information, protect their privacy, and think before they act online, they will be better prepared for whatever comes next.

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What Are College and Career Readiness Standards?

Michael Healey — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:50:20 +0000

Key takeaways

College- and career-readiness standards��help students build skills, explore options, and plan for life after high school.
These standards give schools a clearer focus for what students should know and be able to do before graduation.
Schools strengthen college and career readiness when classroom instruction, guidance, career exploration, and real-world learning work together.

Every school wants students to be ready for life after high school. That sounds simple, but it can mean different things for different students. One student may plan to attend a four-year college, while another may choose a community college, technical program, apprenticeship, military service, full-time work, or a career pathway that includes more than one of those options over time.

That is why readiness has to mean more than earning a diploma.

Students need academic skills, but they also need to know how to communicate, solve problems, manage responsibilities, use information, work with others, and make decisions about their future. They need to understand that what they learn in school connects to the choices they will make after graduation.

This is where college- and career-readiness standards��become important. They give schools a way to think more clearly about what students need before they leave high school. They also help educators move beyond the idea that preparation is only about completing courses or passing exams.

Standards only matter if they show up in the regular work of schools. They should influence what students read, write, discuss, create, research, and solve. They should also connect to counseling, career exploration, and the way students learn about future opportunities.

That connection is especially important when students are working with real examples, current issues, and career-connected experiences. A��can help students see how classroom skills connect to real careers and future opportunities.

What Are College- and Career-Readiness Standards?

College- and career-readiness standards��describe the knowledge and skills students need to be prepared for learning, work, and life after high school. These skills help schools identify what students should be able to do across grade levels and subject areas.

That may include reading complex texts, writing clearly, using evidence, solving problems, applying math, understanding scientific ideas, analyzing information, communicating effectively, and using technology appropriately. It also includes skills that matter beyond the classroom, such as organization, collaboration, persistence, and the ability to think through a challenge.

The phrase can sound formal, but the idea is straightforward: students should graduate with the skills to continue learning and take the next step.

A student who is ready for college should be able to handle more independent work, manage deadlines, read and write at a higher level, ask for help when needed, and think critically about information. A student who is ready for a career should be able to communicate, follow through, solve problems, learn new tools, work with others, and understand expectations in a professional setting.

Those two areas overlap more than people sometimes realize. A student preparing for engineering, nursing, teaching, manufacturing, business, cybersecurity, construction management, or public service will need both academic skills and workplace skills.

That is why these standards can be helpful. They give schools a clearer focus and remind everyone that preparing students for life after high school does not happen all at once.

They also push schools to ask the right questions. Are students writing and speaking enough? Are they using evidence? Are they working through problems that take more than one step? Are they seeing how academic skills connect to real careers and real decisions?

How to Align Curriculum with College- and Career-Readiness Standards

Aligning curriculum with college- and career-readiness standards��is not about adding more material just to say more was taught. It is about looking closely at what students are learning and whether that work is helping them prepare for what comes next.

That begins with being clear and intentional about the skills students need to learn. Teachers and school administrators should know what students are expected to learn and practice at each grade level and in each subject. That may include things like reading for understanding, supporting writing with evidence, discussing ideas, applying math concepts, analyzing and using data, and explaining their thinking clearly.

Once schools are clear on the skills students need, they can take a closer look at the curriculum. The question is not only, “Did we teach the topic?” The better question is, “How did students have to engage with the topic being introduced?”

There is a difference between hearing about a concept and using it. Students may learn a formula, but can they apply it to a problem that is not set up exactly like the example? They may read an article, but can they explain the main idea, question the source, and use evidence from the text?

Curriculum alignment should help students move from knowing information to using information.

That also means schools should pay attention to the kinds of tasks students are given. If most assignments only ask students to recall information, they may not be getting enough practice with the skills they will need later. Students need opportunities to analyze, create, explain, revise, collaborate, and solve problems.

Assessment matters too. Students should have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding through writing, presentations, projects, performance tasks, labs, research, and other forms of applied learning. That does not mean every assignment has to include all of these or be a major project. A short written response, a discussion, a quick data analysis, or a comparison of two sources can also provide teachers with useful information.

Alignment also depends on people working together. Grade-level teams, departments, counselors, career and technical education teachers, special education teachers, and administrators all see different parts of a student’s experience. When they work together, they can help students build skills across courses rather than treating each class as separate.

Career connections should also be part of that work. Students benefit when they can see how reading, writing, math, science, technology, and communication appear across different fields. A��can help teachers and students make those connections in more concrete ways.

The goal is not to force a career connection into every lesson. The goal is to help students understand that the skills they are building have value beyond the assignment in front of them.

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How Are Schools Adapting for Modern-Day College- and Career-Readiness?

Schools are continually adapting because students are entering a world that is constantly changing. The core skills still matter; Students need to read, write, think, communicate, and solve problems. What is changing is where and how they are expected to use those skills.

Students now need to sort through large amounts of information, use digital tools, understand data, communicate in different formats, and adjust to new technologies.

One way schools are adapting is by building more career exploration into earlier grades. Students should not first hear about career pathways when they are close to graduation. They need time to learn about different career fields, ask questions, understand requirements, and connect their interests to possible futures.

This does not mean asking young students to choose a career too early. It means exposing them to fields they may not have considered before.

Schools are also expanding hands-on and project-based learning. Students need chances to apply what they know. A well-designed project can help students research, plan, create, test, present, and revise. Those are the kinds of skills that are important in both college and career settings.

College and career readiness today also includes digital, information, and workplace skills. Students need to know how to find information, evaluate the quality of different sources, use technology��responsibly, and communicate clearly in a variety of different settings. Just as important, they need to build skills they can take with them after graduation, including problem-solving, collaboration, responsibility, adaptability, and the ability to keep learning.

Building Readiness That Students Can Use

The most important work around college- and career-readiness standards��helps students connect school to what comes next. That work should help teachers plan better lessons, give students clearer guidance, and make learning feel more connected to life after graduation.

Readiness should be evident in what we ask students to do. Are they reading carefully? Are they writing clearly? Are they using evidence? Are they solving problems? Are they learning how to work with others?

Those questions are important because students do not all take the same path after high school. Some will go to college, some will enter a technical program, some will go directly to work, and some will change direction more than once. Schools cannot map out every step for every student, but they can help students build the skills, confidence, and direction they need to move forward.

That is the real value of this work. It gives students more than a checklist of requirements. It gives them a better understanding of what they can do, what they may want to pursue, and what they need to keep learning.

Students deserve clear expectations, useful guidance, and real opportunities to think about life after graduation. College- and career-readiness standards��can help schools stay focused on that work.

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6 Ways Schools Can Support College and Career Readiness

Michael Healey — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:04:45 +0000

Key takeaways

College and career readiness��starts before high school and should be part of the full student experience.College and career readiness��starts before high school and should be part of the full student experience.
Students need strong instruction, clear guidance, career exposure, and opportunities to apply what they are learning.
Schools support readiness best when classroom learning, advising, families, and future planning are connected.

For many years, schools treated college and career readiness as two separate paths. Some students were prepared for college, while others were prepared for work. That approach no longer reflects what students need after high school.

Students need preparation that reflects the different paths they may take after high school, whether they go to a four-year college, attend a community college or technical program, enter the military or workforce, or move through more than one of those options over time.

That is why college and career readiness��has to mean more than just helping students meet graduation requirements. Students still need to know how to read, write, think, communicate, use information, solve problems, and make decisions about their future, but they also need time to understand what different options actually require. How to support college and career readiness��starts with helping students connect those skills to real choices and next steps.

Schools play an important role in that work. They cannot choose a student’s future, but they can help students see more possibilities, build useful skills, and understand the steps in front of them.

What Is College and Career Readiness?

College and career readiness��means the students leave high school with the knowledge, skills, and direction they need to take the next step. That next step may look different for each student, but the need for preparation is the same.

College and career readiness��is not really about choosing one set of skills over another. Students who plan to attend college need to manage time, handle more independent work, read carefully, write clearly, study, ask for help, and work through complex information. Students who plan to enter the workforce need many of those same skills, along with the ability to communicate, solve problems, work with others, learn new systems and tools, and understand workplace expectations.

The point is that these skills are interconnected; students need academic and workplace skills, as well as the confidence to use both after graduation.

That is why readiness should not be limited to a single department, course, or meeting during senior year. It should be part of how students learn, how they are advised, and how they connect school to life after graduation.

An effective��can help students make those connections by giving them exposure to real careers, real skills, and real workplace expectations.

1. Start Career Awareness Earlier

Students should not first hear about career pathways when they are close to graduation. By then, some students have already made college choices, ruled out options, or formed ideas about what they can and cannot do.

Career awareness should begin earlier and build over time.

In elementary and middle school, this does not mean asking students to pick a career. It means helping them learn about different kinds of work, understand that people take different paths, and see how their interests can connect to future opportunities.

Schools can take simple steps to provide students with opportunities to explore. That might include classroom discussions, career-connected videos, guest speakers, projects, field trips, or short activities that demonstrate how skills are used across different careers.

The goal is not to force students into one path or another too early; it’s to expose them to more options and understand what each requires.

2. Connect Learning to Real-World Uses

Students better understand the value of school when they can see how those skills are used beyond the classroom. Reading, writing, math, science, technology, and communication are not just things students need to do in school; they are used every day in the real world and in the workplace.

That does not mean every lesson has to turn into a career activity. It means teachers should look for natural ways to connect learning to the world students are preparing to enter.

A math lesson might connect to budgeting, measuring, comparing costs, or understanding data. A science lesson might connect to health, energy, food, weather, or local environmental issues. A writing assignment might connect to emails or other forms of communication students may use outside of school.

These kinds of connections help students see that the work they are being asked to do has value; it also helps them practice using these skills in more meaningful ways.

Schools can support this by giving teachers access to strong examples, updated resources, and time to plan. A��can also provide teachers with examples and materials to connect classroom instruction to careers and real-world learning.

When students see how skills are used, they are more likely to understand why those skills matter.

3. Make Advising Clear and Consistent

Advising is one of the most important parts of the college and career readiness��process, but it cannot be limited to just scheduling courses for the next school year. Students need help understanding options, requirements, timelines, costs, and next steps.

That includes discussing important information, including graduation requirements, college admissions, financial aid, technical programs, military pathways, industry credentials, and career options with students and their families.

When meeting with their school counselor, many students do not know what questions to ask. They may not understand the difference between a certificate program and an associate degree, how financial aid works, or which career fields require specific high school courses, certifications, exams, or training.

Schools can help by making advising more consistent and easier to understand. Students should receive guidance well before important decisions are made, not after opportunities have passed.

This work also needs to be repeated. A single meeting is not enough. Students need opportunities to revisit their plans, ask new questions, and adjust as they learn more about themselves and their options.

Advising should help students understand where they are, where they may want to go, and what steps can help them get there.

4. Help Students Use What They Learn

Students need chances to apply what they are learning in school; that is one of the most effective ways schools can support career and college readiness.

Applied learning can take many forms, including projects, research, presentations, design challenges, internships, and service learning. What matters is that students are doing more than just completing an assignment; they are thinking, creating, explaining, solving problems, and communicating effectively.

While this type of learning helps students practice skills they will need later, it also gives teachers a better understanding of what students can actually do with what they know.

A student may understand a concept on a worksheet but struggle to apply it to a new situation. Another student may demonstrate understanding more clearly through a presentation, a project, or a hands-on task. Applied learning creates more ways for students to demonstrate growth.

Schools need to be very clear about how this work is designed. Applied learning should not be busywork or a project added on at the end of a unit. It should be designed to intentionally connect to the learning goals and still include clear instruction, structure, feedback, and expectations.

When done well, applied learning helps students move beyond completing assignments and start actively using the skills they are building.

5. Make CTE Part of College and Career Readiness

Career and technical education��should not be viewed as separate from college preparation. For many students, CTE can be an important part of both college and career planning.

A strong CTE experience can help students explore a career field, build technical skills, earn credentials, and better understand what a career pathway may require. It can also strengthen academic skills.

The value of CTE is not only about whether a student takes a job in that field right after high school. Some students will, but others may go to college, change direction, or use what they learned in a different setting.

CTE helps students learn more about themselves. It gives them a better understanding of what they enjoy, what they are good at, and what they may want to pursue next.

Schools can support college and career readiness��by making CTE part of the broader conversation about student pathways, rather than a separate option only for certain students.

6. Prepare Students With Skills That Last

College and career readiness��is not only about knowing which career sounds interesting or which college a student may attend. Students also need to be exposed to skills that help them handle challenges, manage responsibilities, and keep learning.

That includes communication, organization, collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, and follow-through. It also includes digital skills, such as evaluating sources, using technology responsibly, and communicating clearly in a variety of different settings.

These skills are built through regular school experiences while students work in groups, revise work after receiving feedback, explain their thinking, manage a project, solve a problem, or ask for help.

Schools can reinforce this connection by highlighting these skills when they appear, providing students with regular chances to practice them, and helping students see how these skills relate to life after graduation.

Students should understand that readiness is not just about their grades on a final transcript. It is also about how they approach work, respond to challenges, and make decisions.

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How Has College and Career Readiness Changed Over the Last 5 Years?

The idea of college and career readiness��has changed because the world students are entering has changed.

Five years ago, many conversations focused on whether students were prepared for college, had taken the right courses, or had a general career plan. Those questions still matter, but they are no longer enough.

Students now need to understand all available pathways. They need to think about college, technical training, military service, work-based learning, and careers that may continue to evolve.

The school’s role in college and career readiness��has also changed. Schools are being asked to help students connect academic learning to future planning in more direct ways. Families want clear, accurate information, employers want students who can communicate, solve problems, and learn, and students want to know why the work matters.

That is why college and career readiness��can no longer supplement the school experience. It needs to be actively connected to instruction, advising, career exploration, CTE, student support, and family communication.

Supporting Readiness in a Way Students Can Use

How to support college and career readiness��comes down to making the work clear, connected, and ongoing.

Students still need strong classroom instruction. They also need guidance from adults who understand different pathways, opportunities to explore careers and apply what they are learning, clear information for families, and time to build the skills and confidence to make decisions about their future.

College and career readiness��is not about having all the answers before graduation. It is about ensuring students leave school with a stronger understanding of their options, the skills to continue learning, and the confidence to move forward.

That is where schools can make a real difference.

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Financial Literacy Guide for Educators

Dr. Becky Cahill — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:42:55 +0000

Key takeaways

A complete education should incorporate skills that prepare students for future success. Many school districts create learner or graduate profiles to encapsulate the capabilities they want to cultivate in their students. Examples include clear communication, personal responsibility, continuous learning, and critical thinking. All of these areas are part of financial literacy.
The current generation of students is concerned about their financial future. By providing the relevant financial literacy competencies before high school graduation, they can immediately apply these life skills. The ability to budget, save, invest, set goals, and develop strong monetary habits will serve students in the short and long term.
Providing students with a background in multiple literacies, including financial literacy, will allow students to see the personal impact of their learning. Financial literacy is a perfect way to move from conceptual understanding to full integration within a student's future life.

One of the main goals of the US educational system has always been literacy. In the traditional sense, literacy is the ability to read and write. However, the purpose of literacy is to enable individuals to understand and interact effectively with the world around them. With this expanded definition in mind, students are exposed to literacy across a variety of fields, including media, health, and financial literacy.

The incorporation of financial literacy into public education provides students with a framework for success in their adult lives. The skills embedded within financial literacy align with multiple content areas within the school curriculum. School districts strive to teach and strengthen skills in areas such as self-management, problem-solving, and critical thinking through primary and secondary school.

What is Financial Literacy?

Financial literacy is the knowledge and behaviors that allow a person to make sound decisions about money. Traditionally, the acquisition of this knowledge and skill set was reliant upon family members. A child or young adult might not be exposed to financial understanding until it was time to make real-world decisions.

Financial literacy is a term used to connect practices to build financial stability. Most experts agree that the main components include budgeting, spending, saving, investing, planning, debt management, credit and borrowing. The principles in these areas might not change for new generations, but the tools to manage wealth have evolved.

Budgeting is creating a plan for balanced expenses and spending. It is important for a young adult to understand how much money is coming in versus how much is going out. This understanding allows for decisions about purchases of both wants and needs. The concept of spending relies on calculations of fixed expenses that can be expected, as well as variable expenses that could occur.
Credit is the ability to borrow money, which will need to be repaid with interest. There are revolving credit accounts with a limit or loans which are usually disbursed in one lump sum. It is important that a borrower understands the terms of their credit repayment.
Saving is a way to build wealth to create financial security. By having money saved, a person can plan for the future as well as prepare for emergencies. One way to increase savings can be through investments. This approach can lead to more financial returns later but does come with risks based on the specific details of the investment.
Debt is the money that a person has borrowed and now owes. Experts stress the difference between good debt and bad debt. Good debt should increase your net worth over time. These are often purchases or loans that will provide a positive return, such as mortgages or student loans. With student loans, it is important to ensure that the loans are manageable and can be paid responsibly. Bad debt relates to items that depreciate after their purchase, meaning there is no return on the money spent.

Why is financial literacy important to teach?

Financial literacy is important because it can provide stability in life. By introducing children and young adults to concepts pertaining to money, they can make informed choices allowing them financial freedom in the future. Recent findings show that adults between 19 and 29 years of age have accrued over . By providing basic knowledge as part of a public education, future generations can start their financial journeys on the right foot. By incorporating financial literacy into existing curriculum, educators can create student-centered learning with real-world applications.

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10 Engaging Financial Literacy Activities

Online Games and Apps: There is no shortage of games and apps online to help students learn about and practice financial literacy skills. As a parent or educator, be sure you are selecting a trustworthy site and that the content is age-appropriate.

Elementary School Activities

Handling Money: The early elementary years are a great time to introduce students to coins and bills. Rather than just learning how to count money, consider giving students “play” money to trade for items they might want from a treasure box or school store. This is great practice for saving versus spending.

Class Stores: Let students see both sides of the consumer process. Have students create a product that they can make and sell at school. They will need to consider how much their materials cost and how much they can charge for the product. This is also a great way for students to raise funds for a local charity or community organization.

Stock Market Game: Developed in the 1970s, it has been used by teachers for years. There are simple versions that ask students to track a particular stock, and more sophisticated events that are actual state competitions focused on making the best investments in the current market.

Middle School Activities

Shark Tank: This activity covers a variety of content areas in a fun way. Students can work independently or in groups to develop, market, and plan the production of a new product. All students are given the same starting budget, and the best ideas and investment decisions win.

Emergency Funds: Even with preparation, things can happen. This activity is an important way for students to consider how they will manage their money in emergencies. All students start with the same amount of money, but they draw different cards that create emergency situations. This lets students consider what they can save and what they have to spend.

Class Salary: Assigning students classroom responsibilities is not a new idea, but in this activity, they will receive a paycheck for their work. Teachers will then create scenarios where students can save, spend, or invest their money. This activity can be done in a single day or over an extended period for a more meaningful experience.

High School Activities

Building a Budget: As students get older, they can consider more elements of financial planning. By creating their own budget, they will need to understand salaries, housing, bills, credit, long-term goals, and immediate needs. For additional interest, consider allowing students to select their occupations (but don’t forget they need to pay for college or career training).

Practice Purchases: High school students are getting their driver’s licenses, so this is a perfect age to practice buying a car. Students should compare the cost, loans, and interest rates of their dream car with those of a more modest option. They can also factor in the ongoing costs of ownership, including insurance, maintenance, and gas.

Learn How to Read (Financially): Once students grasp the general concepts of financial literacy, it’s time to let them read. Provide students with the terms and conditions of different credit cards, loans, mortgages, and investments. Have the students create their own method for making the best choices, and then take some time to highlight sustainable choices.

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Career Clusters: What They Are and How Students Can Choose One

Michael Healey — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 16:34:43 +0000

Key takeaways

Career clusters help students explore future career paths by organizing jobs and industries into broad, easier-to-understand categories.
The 16 career clusters give students a starting point for connecting their interests, strengths, coursework, and goals to real-world opportunities.
Choosing a career cluster should not lock students into one path. It should help them ask better questions, explore options, and make more informed decisions.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question we ask kids all the time, but for many students, it is not an easy one to answer. Most students know what they enjoy, such as science, technology, helping others, building things, or being creative, but they may not know how those interests connect to real careers.

That is where career clusters��can help.

As a superintendent, I often think about how schools can make learning feel more connected to life beyond graduation. This connects to the Portrait of a Graduate work that many districts are already doing. At its core, that work asks a simple question: what should students know and be able to do by the time they leave us? For most schools, the answer includes communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, adaptability, and career readiness.

Career clusters��and career exploration should feel like a starting point for students. Most adults do not follow one straight career path. People change jobs, switch careers, and rethink their goals over time. With that in mind, the goal is not to lock students into one path. It is to help them learn more about themselves, understand the options available to them, and build skills they can use wherever they go next.

What Are Career Clusters?

Career clusters��group similar careers based on the skills, knowledge, and types of work they share. They give students, families, and educators a clearer way to sort through a wide range of career options.

The benefit of career clusters is that they provide students with a starting point. A student does not need to know right away whether they want to be a nurse, a physical therapist, a lab technician, or a physician. They can begin with the Health Science cluster and then learn more about the specific pathways within it.

Giving students a place to start career exploration matters because many of them only know about the careers they have seen directly. Career clusters help them move from the familiar to the possible. They may already know about teachers, doctors, police officers, or business owners, but they may not know as much about logistics, cybersecurity, agricultural technology, advanced manufacturing, environmental science, public administration, or digital media.

It also helps us, as schools, have better conversations with students about the classes they choose, the electives they take, and the ��or work-based learning opportunities they may want to explore. When students can see how what they are learning connects to future opportunities, school feels more meaningful.

It is also important to point out that career clusters��do not replace strong academic programs. Students still need to build skills in reading, writing, math, science, communication, and problem-solving. Those skills matter no matter what career path a student eventually chooses. Career clusters��simply help students see how those skills can be used in different settings.

What Are The 16 Career Clusters?

The 16 career clusters��provide a framework for helping students explore different fields of work. Each cluster includes many careers, pathways, and levels of education or training. Some careers require a four-year college degree or a graduate degree. Others may require an associate degree, technical training, an apprenticeship, industry certification, military training, or on-the-job experience.

That is an important point for students to understand. There is more than one way to build a successful future. College is the right path for many students, but it is not the only path. Career readiness should help students see the full range of options available to them and understand what each path may require.

Here is a closer look at the 16 career clusters��and how students might begin thinking about each one.

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

The Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources cluster includes careers connected to farming, food production, animal science, natural resources, environmental systems, and sustainability. Students who enjoy science, the outdoors, animals, plants, conservation, or food systems may find this cluster interesting. It can include careers in agricultural business, veterinary science, forestry, environmental protection, food science, soil science, and renewable natural resources.

Architecture & Construction

Architecture & Construction focuses on the design, planning, construction, and maintenance of structures. It includes careers in architecture, construction management, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and engineering-related fields. For students who like hands-on work, design, problem-solving, or seeing a project move from an idea to a finished product, this cluster can be very interesting.

Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications

The Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications cluster includes careers in visual arts, design, journalism, broadcasting, video production, performing arts, digital media, and communication. Students who enjoy creating, designing, performing, writing, or producing may be drawn to this cluster. These careers often require creativity, technical skills, collaboration, planning, and communication.

Business, Management & Administration

Business, Management & Administration includes careers related to running organizations, managing people, planning projects, and helping businesses function effectively. Students interested in business, entrepreneurship, organization, or problem-solving may want to explore this cluster. Business-related skills apply to many industries, including health care, finance, construction, technology, nonprofits, and government.

Education & Training

The Education & Training cluster includes careers focused on teaching, training, and helping people develop knowledge and skills. This includes classroom teachers, teaching assistants, school counselors, administrators, and early childhood educators. As a superintendent, I can attest to just how important this cluster is. Schools depend on talented educators and support professionals who care about students and understand how to help them learn and grow.

Finance

Finance includes careers in banking, accounting, insurance, investing, financial planning, and business finance. Students who enjoy numbers, analysis, planning, organization, or helping people make informed decisions may be interested in this area. Financial literacy is also important for every student, even those who do not plan to pursue a career in finance.

Government & Public Administration

The Government & Public Administration cluster includes careers in public service, policy, local government, ��planning, and public administration. Students who are interested in leadership, community issues, government, law, public policy, or civic responsibility may want to explore this cluster. It helps students understand that communities need people who are willing to serve, organize, plan, and make decisions that affect others.

Health Science

Health Sciences includes careers focused on helping people maintain or improve their health. This includes doctors, nurses, physical therapists, dental hygienists, pharmacists, medical laboratory technicians, emergency medical technicians, and many other health-related roles. Some health science careers require advanced degrees, while others may begin with certification, an associate degree, or technical training. That helps students understand that there are many different ways to enter the health science field.

Hospitality & Tourism

The Hospitality & Tourism cluster includes careers in restaurants, lodging, travel, recreation, event planning, tourism, and customer service. Students who enjoy working with people, planning experiences, organizing events, cooking, or traveling may find this cluster appealing. It also helps students see the importance of communication, professionalism, teamwork, and customer service.

Human Services

Human Services focuses on helping individuals and families meet personal, emotional, and social needs. It includes careers in counseling, social services, family support, community services, and mental health support. Students who are empathetic, patient, good listeners, and interested in helping others may be drawn to this cluster. It also helps students understand the value of compassion, confidentiality, communication, and trust.

Information Technology

The Information Technology cluster includes careers related to computers, AI, networks, software, cybersecurity, data, technical support, and digital systems. Students who enjoy technology, coding, troubleshooting, or systems thinking may want to explore this cluster. It is also an important area for students to understand because technology is now part of almost every field of work.

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

The Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security cluster includes careers focused on protecting people, enforcing laws, responding to emergencies, and supporting public safety. Students who are interested in law, helping others, emergency response, investigation, safety, or community protection may be interested in this cluster. It is a good fit for students who can handle responsibility, communicate clearly, make sound decisions, and remain calm under stress.

Manufacturing

Manufacturing includes careers in automation, quality control, production, robotics, machining, and advanced manufacturing. Students who enjoy hands-on work, technology, mechanics, or problem-solving may be interested in this cluster. Today’s manufacturing is highly technical and often involves robotics, computer-controlled systems, and emerging technologies such as AI.

Marketing, Sales & Service

The Marketing, Sales & Service cluster includes careers focused on promoting products, understanding customers, building brands, selling goods or services, and supporting customer relationships. Students who enjoy communication, creativity, social media, business, design, or working with people may be interested in this cluster. It can help students see how communication, creativity, business skills, and data work together in many different careers.

Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

The Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) cluster includes careers that often require scientific research, engineering, math, design, testing, and innovation. These careers often involve creating new solutions, improving existing systems, and using evidence to solve real-world problems. Students who enjoy asking questions, solving complex problems, experimenting, building, analyzing data, or understanding how things work may be interested in this cluster.

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics includes careers related to moving people, products, and materials safely and efficiently. This includes aviation, automotive technology, trucking, shipping, storage, supply chain management, logistics planning, and maintenance. Students who enjoy vehicles, systems, planning, mechanics, operations, or problem-solving may be interested in this cluster.

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5 Tips for Choosing a Career Cluster

Choosing a career cluster should be an intentional process, but it should not feel like a final decision. It is important to remember that students are still learning about themselves. Their interests can, and often will, change as they are introduced to new classes, experiences, and opportunities. The goal is simply to help students begin exploring their options with more purpose.

1. Use Interests as a Starting Point, Then Look Deeper

Interests are a good place to start when students explore career clusters. They can help students start to recognize patterns in what they enjoy, what they are curious about, and what types of work may be worth exploring further.

Schools can support this by using career interest inventories. A career interest inventory can help students identify potential career clusters��based on their interests and strengths.

As they explore potential career clusters, students should also consider their skills, values, work habits, and the kinds of environments where they may be most successful. This helps students move beyond what sounds interesting and begin thinking more clearly about what may be a potential long-term fit.

2. Connect School Subjects to Career Possibilities

Students sometimes separate school from the “real world.” Career clusters��can help close that gap.

A student who likes math may want to explore Finance, Information Technology, Architecture & Construction, Manufacturing, or STEM. A student who enjoys writing may want to explore Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications, Marketing, Education, Government, or Law. A student who enjoys science may connect with Health Science, Agriculture, STEM, or Manufacturing.

This does not mean students need to love every subject. It means they should start noticing where their strengths show up. Sometimes a class gives students a clue about a future pathway they had not considered before.

3. Explore Several Career Clusters

Students do not need to just choose one career cluster. In fact, exploring more than one can be helpful.

Many careers overlap across clusters. A student interested in sports may explore Health Science, Marketing, Education, Hospitality, or Business. A student interested in technology may explore Information Technology, STEM, Manufacturing, or Finance. A student interested in helping people may explore Human Services, Health Science, Education, Law and Public Safety, or Government.

Exploring more than one cluster helps students compare different possibilities and keeps them from narrowing their options too soon.

4. Learn from People Doing the Work

Career exploration is more meaningful when students hear from people who actually work in a field. Guest speakers, career days, job shadowing, internships, and virtual connections can all help students understand what different careers are really like.

Students should leave these experiences with a clearer picture of what different careers actually involve. They should understand what a typical day looks like, which skills are most important, what training may be required, which parts of the work can be challenging, and what people often find rewarding. They should also begin to understand what steps can help them get started.

This is one of the places where schools can have the biggest impact. When educators connect students with real professionals and real workplace examples, career exploration becomes easier to understand. Students can begin to see what different careers actually look like and imagine where they might fit.

5. Focus on the Next Step, Not the Whole Future

Students do not need to map out their entire future before they take the next step.

Choosing a career cluster does not lock students into one path. It gives them a place to begin.

The next step may be choosing an elective, joining a club, taking a CTE course, attending a career fair, researching a career, talking with a counselor, visiting a workplace, or learning about certification programs. For older students, it may also mean comparing college programs, military options, or workforce training opportunities.

The question should not always be, “What do you want to do for the rest of your life?” For many students, that can feel too big. A better question to ask is, “What would you like to learn more about next?”

That shift matters. It helps students continue exploring without making the process feel overwhelming.

Career Clusters Help Students Connect School to Their Future

Career clusters��help students see more possibilities for themselves and understand that the skills they are building in school have value beyond the classroom. Reading, writing, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, professionalism, and perseverance all matter in the workplace. Students need to hear that message often and see what it looks like in real careers.

These clusters also help schools have better conversations with students and families. Instead of treating career planning as something that happens only near graduation, schools can introduce career exploration��earlier and build on it over time. Younger students can learn about broad areas of work, middle school students can explore interests and strengths, and high school students can connect those interests to courses, pathways, credentials, college programs, and ultimately, career goals.

The 16 career clusters��are helpful because they give students a way to organize their options. They do not make the decision for the student or determine the path they must follow. Instead, they help students better understand the range of possibilities available to them. For many students, that added clarity can make a real difference.

Career readiness is not about pushing students toward a specific job. It is about helping them understand their options, build useful skills, and prepare for these opportunities. Career clusters give schools, families, and students a way to start that process.

In today’s world, students need more than academic knowledge to succeed after graduation—they need real-world skills, confidence, and the ability to adapt to an ever-changing workforce.

Students don’t become career-ready just because they complete the traditional requirements for graduation. They develop these skills when schools provide purposeful learning, real experiences, and connections to the world beyond the classroom.

Understanding what career readiness is, why it matters, and how to build it into the school experience is essential for helping students succeed in college, careers, and life.

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15 Career Readiness Classroom Activities for Students

Alisa Kaczorowski — Thu, 28 May 2026 16:45:11 +0000

Key takeaways

Career readiness activities help prepare students for a successful transition from the school environment to the workplace.
It is critical that schools prioritize incorporating career readiness activities into the classroom for all grades.
Career readiness activities help build valuable soft skills such as communication, collaboration, teamwork, and professionalism.

Think back to when you finished high school or college. Did you feel prepared to transition from academic life to work life? Did you have the skills necessary to be successful in the workplace? If not, you’re in good company. Many students don’t feel adequately prepared for this transition, highlighting the importance of integrating career exploration and career readiness activities into the classroom.��

Career readiness activities help students build skills that are necessary and valuable in the workplace. Not only will these skills serve them well once they have a job, but they will also help students land a job and bridge the gap between being a student and being an employee.

There is a plethora of career readiness activities that can be incorporated into the classroom to address critical skills such as communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and teamwork, and help students succeed in the workplace. Below is a description of 15 such activities to use in your classroom.

1. Mock Interviews

Mock interviews are short practice sessions that simulate a real interview and help students build confidence in their interviewing skills. They can be facilitated by teachers from your school building or even local professionals whom you invite into the classroom for this purpose. Before the mock interview, students should be coached on a variety of professional skills, such as a firm handshake, eye contact, appropriate attire, and clear communication. It is also helpful to share common interview questions with students so they can be ready with clear, concise answers. After the mock interview is complete, it is critical that students receive timely, constructive feedback to help them further prepare for a real interview.

2. Resume Writing Workshop

When introducing resume writing to students, start by showing them a variety of sample resumes, both good and bad. It’s important that they see a broad spectrum of examples. Then, model writing a professional resume using your own experiences or those of a fictional candidate. Teach mini-lessons or have a variety of centers set up to focus on different aspects of resume writing, such as information gathering, writing a professional profile, listing skills, and using action verbs and adjectives. Consider providing a template for students to create their own resumes. As they work, be sure to provide constructive feedback and other resources that might be helpful. You might even consider inviting various professionals into the classroom to review students’ resumes and provide feedback.

3. Elevator Pitch Introduction

An elevator pitch introduction is a short, concise communication of a student’s experiences, skills, and interests. It can be used in a variety of situations and can be particularly useful during mock or real interviews. Students should receive explicit instruction on the key components of an elevator pitch introduction and be provided with constructive feedback after writing it. Helping students understand that it serves as a highlight reel for their resumes is important. Once their elevator pitch introduction has been fine-tuned, students should practice it so it sounds natural rather than rehearsed or forced. This practice can be done with other students or teachers from the school building.

4. Digital Footprint Audit

A digital footprint audit is the process of taking a good, hard look at your online presence to protect your privacy and reputation. This is particularly important for job hunters, as many employers rely on the internet to research candidates.

Key steps to take students through include: Googling themselves and reviewing the first few pages of information that appear, auditing their social media accounts by ensuring privacy settings are in place, reviewing any photos and posts they’ve been tagged in, removing all inappropriate or questionable posts, deleting unused accounts to minimize the risk of data breaches, and removing personal information by submitting opt-out requests to sites like WhitePages.

Additionally, it may be helpful to provide digital literacy instruction to students so that, after completing the audit, they know how to maintain a professional online presence as they transition from school to work.

5. Job Shadowing

Job shadowing provides high school students with short opportunities to observe individuals in careers or jobs they are interested in. You can use your own personal network, your school network, and local businesses to secure opportunities for students. Students should prepare to shadow by researching the organization or business, preparing questions to ask their host, and reviewing appropriate attire for that particular job. After the shadow, students should follow up with a thank-you note and have the opportunity to reflect on their experience. In a broader context, these job-shadowing opportunities should help students determine career paths that interest them and guide choices regarding higher education.

6. Career Day Panel

A Career Day Panel is an interactive session where students can interact with professionals from a variety of settings. Those professionals may discuss their job duties, the education or training required to do their jobs, highlight the best parts of their job, or answer students’ questions. Career Day Panels are a great way to connect classroom learning to real life by highlighting the skills needed in different businesses or industries and exposing students to a variety of career options. Career Connect is a valuable that can help you connect with diverse industry professionals.

7. Career Interest Inventory

A career interest inventory is a self-assessment tool that can be easily administered to students in the classroom. It helps them identify their interests and passions, then matches them to potential career paths. A career interest inventory is best used early on in a student’s high school career, as it is meant to be a starting point for career exploration and should be followed up with other career readiness activities. A variety of career interest inventories are available online.

8. Role Play

Role play is an extremely versatile career readiness activity. It can be used to practice a variety of scenarios students might encounter in the workplace, including handling customer service issues, resolving conflicts with colleagues, communicating with management, and pitching new products or ideas. This activity is meant to prepare students for real-life workplace challenges and instill confidence in their ability to handle them. Role play is also a great way to build a variety of soft employability skills necessary for success in the workplace.

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9. Debate

Even in the most positive work environments, disagreements and conflicts will arise among colleagues. Students need to be prepared for handling these conflicts appropriately. By allowing students to debate in the classroom, we can provide them with low-risk opportunities to practice a variety of necessary conflict-resolution and productive-disagreement skills that will prove valuable in the workplace. Debates can center on an ethical dilemma or a common workplace dispute. Be sure to outline the scenario to students, set goals or objectives for the debate, and communicate expectations or guidelines. Students should also be provided with constructive, real-time feedback.

10. Problem-Solving Task Cards

Problem-solving task cards provide realistic scenarios that students may encounter in the workplace. They provide students with the opportunity to think through potential workplace, safety, or customer service conflicts in a low-risk environment. These problem-solving task cards also allow students to practice key soft skills, such as critical thinking, conflict resolution, and decision-making, with an adult or peers. Many examples of problem-solving task cards are available online.

11. What Would You Do?

“What Would You Do?” is a career-readiness activity that uses situational questions to assess and practice a range of soft employability skills. Questions might involve how they would handle a difficult team member, prioritize and manage multiple tasks, or tackle last-minute changes to project goals. The goal of this activity is to get students thinking about common workplace challenges, how they might handle them, and to strengthen the soft skills necessary for success in the workplace. This is also a great way to help students “think on their feet,” a skill that will prove valuable in preparing for interviews.

12. Escape Room Puzzle

Escape room puzzles are an engaging way for students to develop career-readiness skills such as critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, problem-solving, and communication. These puzzles are widely available online and require students to work together to solve a challenge within a set time limit. The challenge can relate to a variety of career-readiness skills.

13. Vision Boards

Vision boards are a powerful tool for students preparing to transition from the academic environment to the work environment. They can help students map out their career goals and help them visualize success. A variety of materials can be used to create a vision board, and students should be encouraged to include any visual representation, such as pictures, words, and quotations that are especially meaningful to them, as they pursue their career goals and aspirations. Vision boards should be reviewed regularly to help students stay focused on their goals.

14. Design Challenge

Design challenges are similar to escape room puzzles in that they offer a fun, hands-on way for students to hone a variety of career-readiness skills. Students can be challenged to design just about anything, using all sorts of materials such as marshmallows, toothpicks, spaghetti noodles, tape, or cardboard. Be sure to provide students with clear expectations and review cooperative learning guidelines. Once students have completed the challenge or designed their prototype, they can present it to the class and receive and give feedback from peers, providing further practice in a variety of soft skills.

15. Budget Simulation

Financial literacy is a critical skill students need as they transition from school to work and from childhood to adulthood. Budget simulations immerse students in real-world decision-making involving financial topics such as income, expenses, savings, taxes, and unexpected costs. Students can practice living on different budgets and gain insight into the costs of items like groceries, gas, and insurance. Participating in this type of classroom simulation is a way for students to practice important life skills in a low-risk environment where they can learn from their mistakes under the supervision of an experienced adult.

What Skills Do Career Readiness Activities Help Build?

While attending trade or technical schools, certification programs, or college or university, students build the hard employability skills necessary to perform their specific job duties. Career readiness activities, on the other hand, help them develop the transferable skills that must be developed over time rather than being explicitly taught. These skills include communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability and flexibility, technical writing, and interviewing.

More often, employers are seeking candidates with a healthy balance of hard and soft employability skills, particularly in our rapidly changing, technology-driven world. No longer can a candidate get away with simply being adept at the technical skills required of a job. Leaders are looking to bring the human element back to their businesses by prioritizing candidates with strong soft skills.

Not only are these skills necessary for success in the workplace, but they also build key competencies such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision-making abilities. These skills help our students to be well-rounded humans, ready to tackle life’s challenges as they move from childhood into adulthood.

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Student Growth: How Schools Measure Progress and Set Goals

Key takeaways

Student growth helps schools understand progress over time, not just where students are at a given point.

Student growth should be measured with multiple sources, including assessments, student work, teacher observation, grades, attendance, and behavior data.

Student growth goals should give students a clear target, help teachers focus instruction, and help families understand progress.

What Is Student Growth?

What Are the Different Ways Student Growth Is Measured?

Career Readiness Resources

7 Examples of Student Growth Goals

1. Use Text Evidence to Strengthen Reading Comprehension

2. Build Writing Skills Beyond English Language Arts

3. Build Math Reasoning and Explanation

4. Help Students Take a More Active Role in Their Learning

5. Strengthen Attendance and Follow-Through

6. Help Students Manage Their Work

7. Connect Students’ Current Learning to Future Goals

Making Student Growth Meaningful

Career Exploration for Students K-12: A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Career exploration for students should begin before high school and continue as students learn more about themselves and their options.

Career exploration is not about asking students to choose one career too early. It is about helping them understand what is possible.

Schools can support career exploration by connecting classroom learning to interests, skills, future pathways, and real-world experiences.

What Is Career Exploration for Students?

Why Is Career Exploration Important?

Career Readiness Resources

When Should Career Exploration Begin?

How Can K-12 Schools Play a Part in Career Exploration?

Helping Students See What Is Possible

Inquiry-Based Learning: What It Is, the Four Types, and How to Use It

Key takeaways

Inquiry-based learning ranges from highly structured to fully student-driven.

Good inquiry is designed and requires deliberate planning, scaffolding, and facilitation.

There are concrete, actionable entry points.

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

What Are the Four Types of Inquiry-Based Learning?

1. Confirmation Inquiry

2. Structured Inquiry

3. Guided Inquiry

4. Open (or Free) Inquiry

Career Readiness Resources

Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning

Strategies for Bringing Inquiry Into the Classroom

Start with a high-interest question

Match structure to your students' experience

Build in time for reflection

Use protocols to guide group work

Provide access to varied resources, not just a textbook

Embrace productive struggle

Assess the process, not just the product

A Final Thought

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)? A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Career and technical education helps students connect school to real careers, workplace skills, and future opportunities.

A strong CTE program gives students a chance to explore interests, develop technical skills, and understand different career pathways before graduation.

CTE is not separate from academics. It can strengthen communication, problem-solving, collaboration, math, literacy, and career readiness.

What is Career and Technical Education (CTE)?

Why is Career and Technical Education Important?

Are Career and Technical Education Programs Worth It?

Career Readiness Resources

What is an Example of a CTE Class?

Building Stronger Career Pathways for Students

What is Digital Literacy? A Guide for Schools

Key takeaways

Digital literacy helps students evaluate information, communicate appropriately, protect their privacy, and make good decisions online.

Comfort with technology does not always mean students know how to use it well.

Schools can improve digital literacy by making it part of regular instruction rather than treating it as a one-time lesson.

What is Digital Literacy?

Why is Digital Literacy Important?

Career Readiness Resources

Why is Digital Literacy Necessary in Education?

How to Integrate Digital Literacy in the Classroom

How to Improve Digital Literacy in Students

What Are College and Career Readiness Standards?

Key takeaways

College- and career-readiness standards��help students build skills, explore options, and plan for life after high school.

These standards give schools a clearer focus for what students should know and be able to do before graduation.

Schools strengthen college and career readiness when classroom instruction, guidance, career exploration, and real-world learning work together.

What Are College- and Career-Readiness Standards?

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