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Creating Pathways to Prosperity:An Update on the Pathways

Project

William C. SymondsDirector, Pathways to Prosperity ProjectHarvard Graduate School of Education

NCPN CONFERENCERichmond, VirginaOctober 19, 2012

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The Pathways Project: A Brief Review• LAUNCHED: FALL 2008

*Two Key Questions *The Research Phase

• THE REPORT * Release: February, 2011 * Response

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RESPONSE to the Pathways Report

• NATIONAL: *More than 30 states *Red AND Blue States

• EVERY GEOGRAPY * New England/ Mid-Atlantic * Midwest * West * Southwest and South

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THE CALIFORNIA RESPONSE

• Pathways Conference: Cisco; January, 2010• Community Meetings: **Napa **Sonoma County/ Santa Rosa **Palo Alto• Santa Clara County CTE Conference: 2010-12• CTA Conference: Los Angeles• Pathways Network: **San Bernardino **Long Beach

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THE WISCONSIN RESPONSE

• Wisconsin Legislature : Family Impact Seminar

• sySTEM Now Conference: Milwaukee• Project Lead the Way Conference:

Pewaukee• Fond du Lac/ Moraine Park TC• Appleton• Greater Milwaukee Committee• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel• Manpower

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WHY IS THERE SO MUCH INTEREST?• The Record of School Reform: Disappointing

at Best• The American Dream is at Risk: **Near-record youth unemployment: 53%

grad unemployment/underemployment **Soaring student debt **Middle class under pressure: Median income back to mid-90s• THE BOTTOM LINE: A HUGE CHALLENGE

AND A BIG OPPORTUNITY

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What is the Pathways Challenge?

The United States is increasingly failing to prepare young people to lead successful live as adults:

• The Key Role of Education in the American Century

• We have lost our global leadership in educational attainment and achievement

• Teen and young adults (20-24) are increasingly unable to find work

• Mounting social problems: Youth poverty; decline of the family; huge economic challenges

• THE DANGER: A WASTED GENERATION

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College for All does not mean everyone needs a B.A. Even in this decade most jobs do not require a B.A.

Source: March CPS data, various years; Center on Education and the Workforce forecast of educational demand to 2018.

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Good Jobs that DON’T require a B.A.• What is a “Middle-Skill” job?

**Education beyond HS, but less than BA **Pay Middle-Class Wages: $35,000 to $95,000• There are 29 Million Middle Jobs **More than 11 million pay $50,000-plus• EXAMPLES: **Healthcare: Radiation Therapists; Dental

Hygienist; EMTs **Blue-Collar: Commercial and industrial

construction; Power plant operators **IT: Including IBM

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What is the right goal for the U.S.?

“College for All” needs to be broadened to mean a meaningful “post-high school credential” for all

A meaningful credential can be earned in many ways:•Community college/Technical College•Apprenticeships•The military/community service•Four year college

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Despite two decades of reform, H.S. graduation rates have not changed much since the 1980s

Note: Does not include GED recipients. Unless indicated, does not include recent immigrants. Rates are for age group of 20-24 or 25-29 dependant on their age at the time of census

Source: Heckman and LaFountaine (2007), U.S. Census data, and other sources

Stagnant High School Graduation Rates

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U.S. “on time” college completion rates are alarmingly low

Note: Two-year schools have a three year graduation window. Four-year schools have a six-year window

Source: Higher Ed info-NCES/IPEDS Graduation Survey.

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The current U.S. reality: only 40% of 27-year olds have earned an A.A. degree or higher

Note: Represents data collected in surveys between 2006-2008; GED is approximation based on data from GED Testing Program.

Source: Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement.

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Are our youth Career Ready?

U.S. Employers increasingly complain that young adults lack “21st Century Skills”:•“Are They Ready To Work?” Report•Partnership for 21st Century Skills•Tony Wagner’s “Seven Survival Skills”

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Shrinking employment opportunities: Teens and Young Adults have been hit the hardest by the Great Recession

Source: Center for Labor Market Studies; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “CPS Labor Force Statistics”.

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Why Are We Failing To Prepare So Many Youth?• Our focus has been too narrow

• We need a broader, more holistic system of Pathways to Prosperity

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Lessons from Abroad

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In many European countries over half of upper secondary students are in vocational educational and training

Source: OECD (2008), Education at a Glance 2008, OECD indicators, Table C1.1, OECD, Paris.

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The Case for Vocational Education Training Pedagogical• Best way for many young people to learn• Apprenticeships support developmental

needs of young people

Higher attainment• Many countries with best VET systems

surpass the U.S.

Finding work• Facilitates transition to labor market

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The Bottom Line

• Foreign systems are far from perfect, and cannot be imported directly to the U.S.

• BUT: The U.S. is increasingly an outlier on vocational education

• We can use the principles and practices of the best VET systems to develop an improved American approach

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THE ROAD TO A PATHWAYS SYSTEM1. Multiple Pathways

2. An Expanded Role for Employers

3. A new Social Compact with Young People

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Multiple Pathways

Key Elements:• Elevate career education to world-

class levels• Provide high-quality career

counseling• Greatly expand and improve

opportunities for work-based learning

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Expanded Role for Employers

Goal: Businesses need to become full partners in the Pathways system.

Key roles for business/employers:•Career guidance•Designing/developing Programs of Study•Providing Opportunities for Work-based learning and Work

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The Payoff from a Better Pathways System:• FOR STUDENTS: more options; easier transition

to work; higher engagement/attainment

• FOR PARENTS: less financial stress/debt

• FOR EMPLOYERS: A strengthened pipeline; better-prepared workers; new ways to give back

• FOR COMMUNITIES: A stronger social fabric; a more vibrant economy; fewer social problems

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STATES TAKING THE LEAD

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The Goal: World-Class CTE

• “The Massachusetts Model:” Public School Choice

**How It Works **The Pay-Off **Boston: Can it work in Urban America?

• Oklahoma Technology Centers: Providing excellence despite a Red State philosophy

• Tennessee Technology Centers: Who says 2-

year colleges can’t have high graduation rates?

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The Illinois Pathways Initiative

• ORIGINS: A Direct Response to Pathways• The Framework: **Learning Exchanges: true business-

education partnerships **Focused on high-demand careers:

Manufacturing; IT; Health Science; R&D; Ag **Funding: RTT plus Industry Match• TIMELINE: **Formal Launch: February, 2012 **Exchanges selected: September **Three-year rollout

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The Policy Response:

• WASHINGTON: Career Pathways Act **Key provisions: --Promotes Career Exploration; encourages

students to select Career Majors --Promotes work-based learning --Encourages multiple Pathways• NEW YORK REGENTS: **The question: How do we define College

and Career Readiness **The answer: Alter existing assessments

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FORGING A SOCIAL COMPACT

• BUILDING AWARENESS/ WILL THROUGH PATHWAYS CONFERENCES:

**Nebraska/ Minnesota/ Wisconsin **NH/ Rhode Island/ Hawaii • THE PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY

NETWORK **6 STATES PLUS SOME CALIFORNIA **MAPPING EXERCISE **THE NEXT CHALLENGE

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EXEMPLARS FROM ABROAD

• CHAMPIONS OF THE “DUAL SYSTEM:” SWITZERLAND-GERMANY: **VAST CHOICE OF CAREERS **EXTENSIVE EMPLOYER INVOLVEMENT **INTEGRATION OF ACADEMIC/VOCATIONAL• GROWING INTEREST IN FAST-GROWING COUNTRIES: BRAZIL: **DOUBLING ENROLLMENT **RAISING STANDARDS

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NEXT STEPS FOR PATHWAYS

• “CREATING PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY:” * National conference: At Harvard :March 18-19 *Who Will Attend --Teams from Many States --Partner organizations --Business and Gov’t Leaders *Goals

• EXPAND THE PATHWAYS NETWORK

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QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

• How Can we Build a National Movement? **Overcoming the Cultural Barriers **Instilling “Pathways” Thinking into schools and colleges• How Can We Engage Business? **In Career Advising **In POS Development **In providing Work-based learning• What Can You do in Your Region• How can you get involved Nationally?