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, 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...
Thursday, June 20, 2024
2024 has brought some good news—and real momentum—for accelerated pathways programs at state houses across the country.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Accelerated pathways opportunities are becoming increasingly available to today’s high school students – which is good news for both students and their communities. High schools, colleges, and employers are regularly working together to connect students to meaningful postsecondary credentials and...
Monday, May 13, 2024
“I feel like there aren’t enough [opportunities to learn about careers in school]. I feel like we need more time to do it. Because it’s once a year and you get a five-day unit about what you want to do....
Monday, April 29, 2024
Brandon Bond was set to become the first member of his family to attend college. By the time he walked across his high school graduation stage, he was already looking forward to studying at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (U-M)....
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Co-Authored by Janice Le, Danesha Ward, and Erin Workman Over the past several decades, we have seen growing energy and emphasis put on building accountability into our education systems; yet, one metric is often deemphasized, or overlooked altogether: how prepared...