ESG’s blog is a place to share what we have learned from our projects, our education and leadership experiences, and perspectives on how to improve student success. Expect insightful commentary from the ESG team that highlights promising practices from states and communities, and is designed to make connections and spur deeper conversation. Breaking down barriers and siloes within the nation’s K-12, postsecondary and workforce systems begins with getting everyone talking.
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Co-authored by Adam Lowe Over 200 local, state, and national leaders in the Accelerate ED community gathered in Denver in March to showcase and advance innovative high school-to-college pathways programs. Practitioners from three dozen school districts, community colleges, intermediary organizations...
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
Co-author: Danesha Ward
Thursday, December 5, 2024
By Betsy Revell (EmployIndy), Tressie Fife (EmployIndy), and Hannah Smith (Education Strategy Group)
Wednesday, November 27, 2024
As the landscape of higher education evolves, among the most pressing challenges facing institutions is how to meet the needs of adult learners. The Racial Equity for Adult Credentials in Higher Education (REACH) Collaborative challenged leaders in six states and...
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Co-author: Kelia Washington, Senior Associate Do students who participate in college and career pathways have greater educational and economic attainment? This seemingly simple question is frustratingly difficult to answer.
Wednesday, November 13, 2024
What would it take for every high school student to have the opportunity to complete a semester of college credits without the financial burden?
Friday, November 1, 2024
It’s true that I ended up in this field because I was passionate about supporting diverse learners and wanted to make a difference in education, especially as it relates to equity. It’s also true that in some ways, I ended...
Friday, October 4, 2024
I grew up as a military brat, moving around and bouncing across continents, countries, states, and their local K-12 school systems. This gave me a unique vantage point into, and across, education systems. Incredibly, many systems—domestic and foreign—seemed to produce...
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
The historic investments of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS) present a unique opportunity to transform the U.S. workforce. These federal funding streams, while focused on near-term needs in...
Friday, September 6, 2024
This is part one of our “Social Capital and Me” series. Check back in the coming weeks for more stories from ESG staff about how social capital has impacted their experiences navigating the education to career pathway. Ever since I...
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
By 2031, at least 70 percent of working-age people in the U.S. will need a degree or other quality credential beyond high school to fulfill labor market needs. That’s 16 percentage points higher than our current postsecondary attainment rate, meaning...
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
At ESG, we recognize the profound value of work-based learning for both professional and personal development. Studies prove that paid internships are linked to many positive benefits for students, including having higher-paying jobs after graduation and an increased confidence that...