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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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5 Largest Education Trends for the 2026-2027 School Year

Michael Healey — Wed, 22 Jul 2026 13:26:41 +0000

Key takeaways

2026-2027 Education Trends will require schools to focus on the changes that matter most, not every new tool, program, or initiative.
AI, flexible learning, and new graduation pathways will require clear expectations so students are supported without lowering standards.
Students need learning that connects to life beyond school, including career readiness, real-world application, and the ability to manage challenges and responsibilities.

Every school year brings new priorities, but the 2026-2027 school year feels different because schools are responding to several changes at the same time.

Students are growing up with artificial intelligence, constant access to information, new career options, and changing expectations for college and work. Teachers are trying to help students build academic skills while also preparing them to think clearly, use technology responsibly, communicate well, and make decisions about their future.

That is a lot to ask of schools.

The biggest challenge is deciding which changes deserve time and attention. Schools cannot chase every new idea, tool, or program that comes along. They have to focus on the work that maximizes what students learn and how they grow, and prepares them for what comes next.

An effective k-12 learning platform can support that work by providing teachers with useful resources, helping students connect learning to the world around them, and supporting instruction across all content areas.

The following 2026-2027 Education Trends highlight key areas schools will need to consider in the year ahead.

Responsible AI and Digital Literacy

AI is not going away. Students are already using it, hearing about it, and seeing it show up in nearly every part of life outside of school. Schools no longer need to ask whether students will use AI; they need to decide how to help students use it responsibly.

That work needs to be integrated into the digital literacy instruction schools are already building.

Students need to understand that AI can be useful, but it is not always accurate. It can help with a number of tasks, including organizing ideas, explaining a concept, or supporting research, but it can also produce wrong information, incomplete or misleading responses, or work that does not reflect a student’s own thinking.

In the coming year, schools will need to teach students when AI is appropriate to support learning and when it is not. They will also need to help students understand academic integrity, privacy, and the difference between getting help from AI and having it complete the assignment for them.

Teachers need support with this, too. They should not have to create AI rules one classroom at a time. Schools need to support teachers and students by creating clear expectations and consistent messaging around AI use.

In 2026-2027, responsible AI use will become part of a larger conversation about��technology in the classroom. The goal should not be to use more technology, but rather to help students use technology better.

More Meaningful Graduation Pathways

Traditionally, graduation from high school has always been treated as crossing a single finish line. In order to receive their diploma, students must complete the required courses, earn the required credits, and pass the required exams. Those all still matter, but schools are also beginning to recognize that students often need different ways to show they are ready for what comes next.

That is why new pathways to graduation will continue to be an important trend.

We have long known that students do not all follow the same path after high school. The problem is that many schools have not created enough meaningful pathways to match that reality. That is changing. In the coming year, schools need to begin preparing students for different graduation options without lowering expectations.

That may include career and technical education, early college courses, internships, work-based learning, performance tasks, and other experiences that help students connect school to future opportunities while demonstrating the skills and proficiencies required for graduation.

This is where��career readiness fits into the larger picture. It should not be the only focus of high school, but it should be a significant part of how schools help students think about graduation, planning, and life after school.

The strongest pathways will still require reading, writing, problem-solving, and communication, but students will need more opportunities to see how those skills connect to the direction they may want to go.

Personalized and Flexible Learning

Schools are also transitioning to more personalized and flexible learning opportunities. That does not mean every student will get a completely different education. It means schools are now better at understanding and paying closer attention to how students learn, where they need support, and how they can demonstrate competency.

These personalized and flexible learning opportunities move away from the one-size-fits-all approach that has not always worked well for students or teachers.

In 2026-2027, schools will continue looking for ways to make learning more flexible without making it disorganized. That may include more small-group instruction, adaptive tools, student choice, flexible pacing, blended learning, targeted intervention, or different ways for students to demonstrate what they know.

Focusing on flexibility should not make the learning goal less clear. Students still need to know what they are expected to learn, why it matters, and what they need to do to improve.

This also depends on having good information to guide instruction. Teachers need to know what students understand and where they are struggling. That information can come from assessments, student work, discussion, observation, and digital tools, but it only matters if it helps teachers make better decisions.

This kind of learning requires planning and additional support for teachers. As schools move toward more personalized and flexible learning opportunities, they need to be thoughtful about how they use tools, schedules, and instructional strategies so flexible learning supports students instead of creating confusion.

Learning Beyond the Traditional Classroom

Students benefit when they realize that learning does not only happen inside the four walls of a classroom. More schools are looking for ways to connect learning to real places, real problems, and real experiences.

That may include things like community-based projects, internships, field trips, service learning, outdoor learning, local partnerships, guest speakers, or classroom projects connected to real-world topics.

The format can vary, but the idea is the same: students need opportunities to apply what they are learning.

This is one reason project-based learning continues to be part of the conversation. When planned well, it gives students a chance to work through a question or challenge in a deeper, more authentic way.

These experiences should not feel like extras that happen after the “real” learning is done. They should be connected to the learning goals. Students should still be reading, writing, analyzing, discussing, and explaining their thinking.

In 2026-2027, more schools will look for ways to make learning feel more connected to the world students are preparing to enter.

Embedded Student Well-Being and Readiness Skills

Student well-being will continue to be a major issue, but schools are starting to think about it differently. It cannot be treated only as a separate program or a lesson that happens once in a while. It needs to be part of schools’ regular work.

Students need to learn how to manage challenges, communicate with others, work through frustration, ask for help, and make decisions. These skills are connected to learning, attendance, relationships, behavior, and readiness for life after graduation.

This does not mean teachers need one more thing added to their plates. It means schools should look at where these skills already show up.

They show up when students work in groups, revise work after feedback, explain their thinking, listen to a different point of view, or keep working through a difficult task. They also show up in advisory programs, counseling, classroom routines, student leadership, extracurricular activities, and career planning.

In 2026-2027, more schools will focus on embedding student well-being and readiness skills into the full school experience. That includes helping students build confidence, communication, adaptability, responsibility, and the ability to keep learning.

These skills matter because students are preparing for a world that will continue to change. They will need academic knowledge, but they will also need to manage responsibilities, work with others, exercise good judgment, and respond to changes in plans.

Schools cannot remove every challenge students will face, but they can help students build the skills to handle challenges more effectively.

Preparing for the 2026-2027 School Year

The largest trends for the 2026-2027 school year all point to the same central theme: schools need to prepare students for a future that is changing quickly, without losing sight of what meaningful learning requires.

Students need to use AI and technology responsibly, have clearer pathways to graduation, and experience learning that is flexible enough to meet different needs while still focused on clear expectations. They also need opportunities to apply what they know beyond the classroom and build well-being and readiness skills throughout the school experience.

None of that happens through a single program or initiative. It happens when schools are clear about what matters and consistent about how they support students and teachers.

Every new school year brings new challenges, but these 2026-2027 Education Trends also give schools an opportunity to focus on work that can make a real difference for students.

The goal is not to do everything. It is to do the right work well.

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Back to School Checklist for Teachers: Your Complete Guide

Alisa Kaczorowski — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 13:55:51 +0000

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Core vs. Supplemental Curriculum: Key Differences for Schools

Michael Healey — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:53:30 +0000

Key takeaways

Core vs supplemental curriculum helps schools understand what each one is supposed to do and how both can support instruction.
Core curriculum provides the main instructional foundation for standards, pacing, lessons, and expectations.
Supplemental curriculum works best when it solves a clear problem, supports the core curriculum, and helps teachers meet student needs.

Curriculum decisions show up in classrooms every day. They affect what teachers teach, what students practice, how lessons are paced, and how schools know if students are learning.

That is why these decisions matter so much.

When curriculum work is clear, teachers have a stronger foundation to work from, and students experience lessons that build from one skill to the next. When it is unclear, teachers may have too many resources in front of them without a clear understanding of which one should lead instruction.

This is where the difference between the core curriculum and supplemental curriculum becomes important. A��K-12 online learning platform��can support this work, but the larger question for schools is still the same: what role is each resource supposed to play?

Understanding core vs supplemental curriculum��helps schools make better decisions, use resources more effectively, and keep the focus where it belongs: on teaching and learning.

What Is Core Curriculum?

The core curriculum is the primary instructional program schools use to teach required content. It is almost always connected to state standards, grade-level skills, and the order in which students should learn key skills and content.

In simple terms, the core curriculum is the foundation.

A district may have a core math program, English language arts program, science program, or social studies program. Those materials help define what students should learn, when they should learn it, and how skills should be built over time.

An effective core curriculum should give teachers structure without taking away professional judgment. Teachers still need to respond to the students in front of them. They need to adjust pacing, check for understanding, lead discussion, reteach when needed, and decide how to make a lesson work in their classroom.

But teachers should not have to create the entire road map on their own.

A good core curriculum gives teachers a common starting point and a clear destination. From there, teachers should still use their professional judgment to decide how to move their class through the lesson, where students may need more support, and when the pace needs to change.

That matters in a district. If every classroom uses different materials, students may not have the same access to important skills and content. Teachers may also struggle to plan together because they are not working from a shared structure.

The core curriculum should answer basic questions. What are we teaching? What skills should students build? How does this connect to standards? How will we know if students are learning it?

When those questions are clear, schools are better positioned to support both teachers and students.

What Is Supplemental Curriculum?

Supplemental curriculum is added to support the core curriculum, not replace it. These materials should help teachers fill gaps, provide additional practice, or give students another way to understand and apply what they are learning.

For example, a reading program may teach the main comprehension skill. A teacher might then use a short article or video to help students practice that same skill with new content.

Even a strong core program will not meet every student’s needs on its own. Students come to school with different strengths, interests, needs, and experiences. Teachers often need additional resources to make learning clearer, more engaging, or more connected to the world students know.

The key is that the supplemental curriculum needs a purpose.

When used well, supplemental materials strengthen instruction. If they are used without a plan, they can create confusion. Teachers need to know when to use them, why they are being used, and how they connect to the core curriculum.

Supplemental curriculum should have a clear reason for being used, whether that is to give students more practice, help them access a difficult concept, extend learning, or help them apply what they are learning. When that purpose is clear, supplemental materials become easier for teachers to use and easier for students to connect to the larger lesson.

What Are the Key Differences?

The biggest difference between core and supplemental��curricula��is the role each plays.

Core curriculum drives the main instructional plan. It helps determine pacing, alignment with standards, instructional priorities, and assessments. Supplemental curriculum should support the core plan and strengthen it, not compete with it.

Another difference is consistency. The core curriculum is usually used across a grade level, a department, a school, or a district. Supplemental curriculum is often used more selectively for students who need intervention, enrichment, a connection to a current issue, or additional practice.

There is also a difference in how decisions are made. Choosing a core curriculum is usually a major district decision. It may involve teachers, administrators, curriculum leaders, board approval, professional development, budgeting, and implementation planning.

Supplemental curriculum can sometimes be added more quickly, but it still needs to be reviewed. If too many tools are added without a clear plan, schools can end up with overlap, gaps, and confusion.

This is why��curriculum alignment��matters. Schools need to know where each resource fits, what needs it addresses, and how it supports the learning goal.

The core curriculum should be reviewed to ensure it aligns with standards, is clear for teachers, and is strong enough to guide instruction. Supplemental curriculum should be reviewed to ensure it aligns with the core curriculum, addresses a real need, and is easy for teachers to use.

The best supplemental materials do not distract from the core curriculum; they make it stronger.

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How to Know Which One Is Best for Your School

Schools usually need both core and supplemental curricula. The decision on which is best should start with the problem the school is trying to solve.

If a district does not have a consistent instructional foundation, the issue may be the core curriculum. If teachers are building everything from scratch, using very different materials, or struggling to align instruction with standards, a stronger core may be needed.

If the core curriculum is solid but students need more practice, enrichment, intervention, or real-world connections, then supplemental curriculum may be the better answer.

School leaders should start by looking at the current system. What materials are already in place? What are teachers actually using? Where are students struggling? Are there gaps in standards coverage? Are there too many resources? Are teachers clear about what is required and what is optional?

Teacher feedback is an important part of this process. Teachers know where materials are working and where they are not. Student work should also be part of the conversation. If students are consistently struggling with certain skills, schools should consider whether the curriculum provides sufficient instruction, practice, feedback, and opportunities to apply what they have learned.

Implementation matters too. Even quality materials will not help much if teachers do not have time to understand them, plan with them, and use them well. Curriculum decisions should include professional development, collaboration time, and a clear plan for how the materials will be used.

Making Curriculum Decisions That Support Learning

Curriculum decisions should make instruction clearer, not harder to manage.

An effective core curriculum gives schools the foundation for what students need to learn. It also creates consistency across classrooms and grade levels. Supplemental curriculum provides support where needed, helping teachers fill gaps, provide extra practice, extend learning, or connect lessons to real-world examples.

Both are valuable when they are used for the right reasons.

The important part is making sure they work together. Teachers should know which materials guide instruction and which materials support instruction. School leaders should know why resources were selected and how they connect to student needs. Students should experience learning that feels connected and organized.

That is why core vs supplemental curriculum��should not be treated as only a purchasing decision. It should be part of a larger conversation about instruction, student learning, teacher support, and district priorities.

Schools do not need more materials just to have more materials. They need the right materials, used in the right way, with enough support to make them work.

That is what leads to better learning.

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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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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.

Career Readiness Resources

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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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New Teacher Orientation & Onboarding Guide for School Leaders

Michael Healey — Mon, 18 May 2026 18:13:39 +0000

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An Educator’s Guide to Annual Strategic Planning for Schools

Michael Healey — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:05:35 +0000

Key takeaways

Strategic planning should give schools a clear direction by connecting goals to action, budgets, communication, and follow-through.
The most effective strategic plans focus on a small number of meaningful goals that reflect the school’s actual needs, not the latest trend.
Strategic planning for education only works when leaders involve staff, monitor progress, make adjustments, and build on what worked from year to year.

Each school year begins, or at least should begin, with a plan. Some of that plan is usually visible right away. For example, calendars are approved, teacher and student schedules are created, teachers prepare classrooms, and families receive supply lists and annual back-to-school information every summer. But the most important planning often happens behind the scenes, starting long before the first day of school.

For school leaders, this type of planning is not just about organizing the year. It is about setting direction.

That is why planning for schools matters. An effective annual plan helps a district or school stay focused on what matters most, even when the year gets busy, complicated, or unpredictable. It connects goals to action and helps staff understand priorities. It gives families and communities confidence that decisions are being made for a reason and with a specific purpose.

Annual planning is also important because school districts are being asked to manage increasingly complex issues. Districts are thinking about safety, student achievement, attendance, mental health, technology, budget pressures, effective communication, and future readiness. None of those areas can be improved by accident. They require focus, coordination, and follow-through.

A well-designed strategic plan will not solve every problem, but it can help school leaders make better decisions when challenges come up. It gives the district or school a clear guide for what to prioritize, fund, and communicate.

How to Plan and Execute Your Annual Strategic Plan for Your School

Start With Where You Are Now

Strategic planning for education should begin with a clear understanding of where the school is right now. Before setting future goals, leaders need to take an honest look at current strengths, challenges, and opportunities.

This doesn’t have to be a complicated process, but it does need to be based on real information. Review student achievement data, attendance trends, discipline patterns, graduation or promotion data, survey results, staffing needs, curriculum implementation, family engagement, and budget realities. Just as importantly, talk to people and listen to teachers, support staff, students, families, and community partners.

This is also the point where school leaders should be willing to ask the hard question: how can we improve schools in ways that will actually make a difference for students?

Focus on a Small Number of Clear Goals

That question should not lead to a long list of disconnected initiatives. In fact, one of the biggest mistakes schools make in annual planning is trying to do too much. When everything becomes a priority, nothing really is. A better approach is to identify a small number of meaningful goals that align with the district’s mission and your school’s current and future needs.

For example, one school might focus on improving student attendance, increasing student engagement, or strengthening academic intervention systems. Another school might need to focus on curriculum alignment, school culture, or career readiness. Whatever the focus, the goals should reflect the school’s actual needs, not just the latest educational trend.

Once these goals are identified, they need to be written in clear, understandable language. Staff, families, and board members should be able to understand what the school is trying to accomplish without needing a detailed explanation. This is important because a strategic plan should not only be a guiding document, but it should also be a communication tool.

Connect Your Goals to Action

After goals are set, school leaders need to identify the specific actions that will support them. This is where planning often becomes more difficult. It is easy to say a school wants to increase reading scores, improve attendance, or strengthen school culture. The harder part is identifying the specific steps that need to happen in classrooms, grade-level meetings, professional development sessions, schedules, and budgets to make these improvements possible.

For each goal, identify the major actions that need to take place.�� If the goal is to improve attendance, the plan might include early warning systems, outreach protocols, student support meetings, family engagement, and regular data reviews.

A plan should also be very clear about who is responsible for each action. This does not mean that one person is responsible for ensuring the goal’s success. But someone needs to monitor progress, organize next steps, and make sure the focus does not fade as the school year gets busy.

Build the Budget Around the Plan

The annual budget should also be part of the planning conversation from the beginning. Too often, schools create plans and then later try to figure out how to pay for them. From my perspective, a better approach is to let the priorities drive the budget, not the other way around. When staffing, resources, professional development, and technology needs are integrated into the plan early, leaders can make more informed decisions and avoid spending money on items that do not support the work.

This is especially important when districts are making decisions about instructional materials, technology, and professional learning. A k-12 online learning platform or other digital resource can support teaching and learning, but only when it is connected to clear instructional goals and teachers have the support to use it well. Technology should not be added simply because it is available. It should help solve a real instructional need.

The same is true when evaluating curriculum and resources. If a school is reviewing instructional materials, leaders should consider how those materials support standards, student engagement, differentiation, and teacher implementation.

Involve the People Doing the Work

Thoughtful strategic planning for education also depends on involving staff in meaningful ways. Teachers and staff are much more likely to support a plan when they understand why it matters and how it connects to their work. That does not mean every decision has to be made by committee, but it does mean people should have opportunities to provide input, ask questions, and understand how their role fits into the school’s overall direction.

Communicate the Plan Throughout the Year

Communication is one of the most important parts of execution. A strategic plan should not be introduced once and then forgotten. Leaders should talk about the plan throughout the year in faculty meetings, leadership team meetings, board updates, newsletters, and community conversations. The message does not need to be complicated. It should be consistent and include things like:

Here is what we are working on.
Here is why it matters.
Here is what we have done so far.
Here is what comes next.

That kind of communication builds trust. It also helps schools stay focused when new issues arise. Every school year brings unexpected challenges. A clear plan gives school leaders a way to decide whether a new idea, request, or initiative supports the school’s direction or detracts from it.

Monitor Progress and Adjust

Monitoring progress is another essential part of the annual strategic planning process. Annual strategic plans should include regular, scheduled check-ins, not just one end-of-year review. Depending on the goal, school leaders may choose to review data monthly, quarterly, or at key points throughout the year. The purpose is not to create more paperwork or meetings. The purpose is to see whether the plan is working and make adjustments when needed.

For example, if a school is working to improve attendance, school administrators should not wait until June to review attendance data. They should plan to monitor patterns throughout the year and respond as needed.

Meaningful annual planning also requires honest assessment. If something is not working, school leaders need to say so and adjust. That does not mean scraping the whole plan every time there is a challenge. That does not mean scrapping the whole plan every time there is a challenge. It means being willing to adjust the steps while staying focused on the larger goal.

Reflect Before Starting Over

Annual planning should also include reflection and discussion. At the end of the year, school leaders need to review what worked, what did not, and what work should continue. This should include both data and feedback from the people closest to the work. Teachers, support staff, students, and families can provide valuable insight into whether the plan made a difference.

Reflection also helps schools from starting over every year. Strong planning should be progressive and build from year to year. Some goals may continue. Others may shift. New needs may emerge. But the process should create momentum, not a cycle of disconnected initiatives.

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Turning the Plan Into Progress

Annual planning, in my opinion, is one of the most important responsibilities of school leaders. It helps turn ideas into action and gives staff, students, and families a clearer sense of direction. It is also where real change and improvement begin.

The best plans are not clear, focused, honest, and useful. They help school leaders make decisions, support teachers, communicate priorities, and keep student needs at the center of the work.

For school administrators, the goal of planning for schools should be simple: know where you are, decide where you need to go, and build a realistic plan to get there. When schools do that well, strategic planning for education becomes more than a document. It becomes part of how the school improves, one decision at a time.

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Employability Skills: Hard vs. Soft Skills Guide

Alisa Kaczorowski — Wed, 13 May 2026 17:21:11 +0000

Key takeaways

Employers are currently looking for employees with a wide range of employability skills, both hard skills and soft skills, for an ever-changing workplace environment.
Hard skills are technical, non-transferable skills that require training or education. Soft skills are non-technical, transferable skills that relate to how you work and are developed through modeling, intentional practice, clear feedback, and self-reflection.
Soft employability skills such as communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are in increasingly high demand in today’s technology-driven workforce.

In our high-tech, success-driven world, workplaces are rapidly changing, and employees need a variety of skills to land a job. Employers are looking for people who possess a healthy balance of employability skills – both technical abilities honed through education and training (often referred to as hard skills) and non-technical, interpersonal attributes that cannot be taught but rather are developed (often referred to as soft skills). This balance of skills helps employers ensure employees can perform their job duties effectively and efficiently, and results in a more productive and successful workplace.

What are employability skills?

Employability skills are the characteristics and abilities needed to succeed in the workplace. They can be divided into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are learned and easy to measure, while soft skills are developed over time and harder to quantify.��

In the workplace of the past, employees could get away with being qualified and experienced in a specific technical skill while lacking soft skills like communication and adaptability. Now, employees with a combination of hard and soft employability skills are most highly valued by leaders looking to grow their organizations and maximize productivity, teamwork, and overall organizational success.

While there are systems in place for learning or acquiring hard skills (e.g. trade and technical schools, colleges, and universities), soft employability skills are much more abstract and difficult to develop.

What are hard skills?

Hard skills are technical, non-transferable skills learned through education or training. They can easily be measured and are required to perform job-specific tasks. For instance, learning to operate a forklift is a hard skill that requires training and is not transferable to another job. Becoming an accountant is another example of a hard skill, as it requires education and certification to work in that field.

Hard skills are acquired through formal training at a trade or technical school or through education at a college or university. This type of employability skill takes time and effort to learn and prepares an employee to perform a specific job or task in the workplace.

What are soft skills?

Soft skills are non-technical, transferable employability skills. Soft skills are often considered personal attributes, competencies, or characteristics that define how an individual works and allow an employee to succeed in any work environment. They are sometimes referred to as “people skills” because they relate to how you interact with colleagues.

Soft skills can be broken down into four competencies: mindset, learning strategies, personal skills, and work ethic. These skills are highly valued by employers, as they help maintain productivity, foster teamwork, and enable team members to navigate changes in the work environment, leading to a more successful business or workplace.

This type of employability skill is developed through modeling, intentional practice, clear feedback, and self-reflection. While there are no formal systems in place to help students learn soft skills, as there are for hard skills, schools can help students develop and hone these skills through career readiness opportunities. These opportunities might include work-based learning initiatives, extra-curricular activities, and real-world practice or simulations. Additionally, a variety of are available to help schools implement such opportunities for students.

Soft skills are in particularly high demand right now, as employers compete with ever-changing technologies and artificial intelligence that are rapidly altering entire industries. Many leaders are returning to the basics of human connection in their businesses and workplaces, placing greater value on employees with strong soft employability skills to get ahead in their industries.

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Examples of Employability Skills

Job candidates with a combination of hard and soft employability skills are in high demand right now.��

Examples of hard skills include: data analysis, technical writing, computer programming, information technology (IT), project management, foreign languages, machine or tool operation, and accounting. These are all employability skills that require formal training, education, or certification. Most jobs require employees to have certain hard skills to perform specific tasks as part of their duties.

On the other hand, soft skills of employees examples include communication, teamwork, collaboration, adaptability, problem-solving, organization, self-management, and critical thinking, as well as traits such as reliability, punctuality, and initiative. These skills must be developed over time and consistently practiced. Many schools are now placing greater emphasis on developing these skills in students, as the job market changes and requires more of them.

Top 5 Most Common Hard Skills Employers Look For

While many hard skills are currently in demand in today’s job market, advancing technologies are requiring employers to spend more time and energy recruiting for these highly specialized, technical roles.

5 hard employability skills that employers are currently looking for include:

1. Artificial Intelligence

With artificial intelligence rapidly changing the landscape across many industries, employers are increasingly seeking employees with technical skills in programming languages, machine learning and deep learning, data management, and artificial intelligence frameworks. These artificial intelligence skills have rapidly become the most challenging to find in the labor market.

2. Cybersecurity

There is a wide variety of technical skills in cybersecurity that employers seek to keep their businesses and networks safe. These skills include proficiency in network and infrastructure security, cloud security, scripting, risk management, and incident response. As network security breaches become more common, cybersecurity skills are becoming increasingly critical to employers.��

3. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is a highly technical employability skill that many employers seek. Specific skills that are currently in high demand include knowledge of various cloud platforms, cloud security, artificial intelligence integration, and database management.

4. Digital Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

In our technology-driven world, businesses are relying heavily on digital marketing and search engine optimization (SEO) to sell their products and services. Thanks to ever-changing technologies and algorithms, finding employees with experience in sub-skills such as data analytics, keyword research, email marketing, web design, and content management systems (CMS) is crucial to the success of many businesses.

5. Data Analysis

With more and more information available at the click of a mouse, data analysts are a hot commodity. They are responsible for gathering, organizing, and interpreting data, and identifying trends and patterns critical to a business’s health and success. Specific expertise in statistical programming and analysis, database management, and data preparation is in high demand.��

Top 5 Most Common Soft Skills Employers Look For

In recent years, many employers have placed greater importance on recruiting employees with a variety of soft employability skills rather than relying solely on candidates with specialized knowledge and skills. These soft skills are quickly becoming as in demand as any hard skill, putting greater pressure on schools to support students’ development.

5 soft employability skills that employers are currently looking for include:

1. Communication

Communication skills include active listening, awareness of non-verbal communication and body language, and clarity and conciseness. Strong communication skills result in more effective collaboration among colleagues, stronger, healthier relationships with colleagues and clients, and reduced conflict in the workplace, making them a high priority among employability skills employers seek.��

2. Adaptability and Flexibility

Unexpected changes and challenges are bound to occur in the workplace. Employers seek employees who can adapt to these changes easily and pivot, as needed. Flexibility enables employees to quickly and seamlessly adapt to these obstacles while embracing them as opportunities for innovation and creativity.

3. Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills can be broken down into the following categories: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and decision making. These skills are crucial to the health and productivity of a workplace and to employees’ ability to collaborate, communicate, and resolve conflict. Interpersonal skills are a soft employability skill that can make or break a workplace culture, directly impacting employee satisfaction and retention.

4. Teamwork and Collaboration

The ability to be a team player and collaborate successfully with colleagues leads to greater innovation and creativity, increased productivity, and higher employee morale. The result is a strengthened organizational culture, fewer workplace conflicts, and happier employees.

5. Time Management and Organization

Employees with better time management and organizational skills have better work-life balance and less stress, reducing burnout and positively impacting the overall health and sustainability of the workplace.��

While acquiring hard employability skills through training, schooling, or certification programs remains necessary for most jobs, focusing on the growth and development of soft skills is critical to an employee’s success in the workplace.

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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

5 Largest Education Trends for the 2026-2027 School Year

Key takeaways

2026-2027 Education Trends will require schools to focus on the changes that matter most, not every new tool, program, or initiative.

AI, flexible learning, and new graduation pathways will require clear expectations so students are supported without lowering standards.

Students need learning that connects to life beyond school, including career readiness, real-world application, and the ability to manage challenges and responsibilities.

Responsible AI and Digital Literacy

More Meaningful Graduation Pathways

Personalized and Flexible Learning

Learning Beyond the Traditional Classroom

Embedded Student Well-Being and Readiness Skills

Preparing for the 2026-2027 School Year

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Back to School Checklist for Teachers: Your Complete Guide

Key takeaways

The first few weeks of school are stressful for everyone, so it’s critical that teachers are organized, planned, and ready for the first day with students.

Taking time before the start of school to think through, organize, and prepare your classroom environment, systems, and expectations will ensure a smooth start to the new year for both you and your students.

Get excited about the start of a new school year. That excitement will get students looking forward to spending the year in your classroom.

Essential Back-to-School Checklist Items for Teachers

Classroom Environment

Classroom Organization

Classroom Expectations

First Day of School Preparation

Self-Care

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Core vs. Supplemental Curriculum: Key Differences for Schools

Key takeaways

Core vs supplemental curriculum helps schools understand what each one is supposed to do and how both can support instruction.

Core curriculum provides the main instructional foundation for standards, pacing, lessons, and expectations.

Supplemental curriculum works best when it solves a clear problem, supports the core curriculum, and helps teachers meet student needs.

What Is Core Curriculum?

What Is Supplemental Curriculum?

What Are the Key Differences?

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How to Know Which One Is Best for Your School

Making Curriculum Decisions That Support Learning

6 Ways Schools Can Support College and Career Readiness

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.

What Is College and Career Readiness?

1. Start Career Awareness Earlier

2. Connect Learning to Real-World Uses

3. Make Advising Clear and Consistent

4. Help Students Use What They Learn

5. Make CTE Part of College and Career Readiness

6. Prepare Students With Skills That Last

Career Readiness Resources

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

Supporting Readiness in a Way Students Can Use

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

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 Are Career Clusters?

What Are The 16 Career Clusters?

Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources

Architecture & Construction

Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communications

Business, Management & Administration

Education & Training

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