Creating Pathways to Prosperity: An Update on the Pathways Project

1
Creating Pathways to ProsperityAn Update on the
Pathways Project

• William C. Symonds
• Director, Pathways to Prosperity Project
• Harvard Graduate School of Education
• NCPN CONFERENCE
• Richmond, Virgina
• October 19, 2012

2
The Pathways Project A Brief Review

• LAUNCHED FALL 2008
• Two Key Questions
• The Research Phase
• THE REPORT
• Release February, 2011
• Response

3
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

4
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

5
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

6
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

7
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

8
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.
9
Good Jobs that DONT 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

10
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

11
Stagnant High School Graduation Rates
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
12
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 windowSource Higher Ed info-NCES/IPEDS
Graduation Survey.
13
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.
14
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 Wagners Seven Survival Skills

15
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.
16
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

17

• Lessons from Abroad

18
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.
19
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

20
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

21
THE ROAD TO A PATHWAYS SYSTEM

• Multiple Pathways
• An Expanded Role for Employers
• A new Social Compact with Young People

22
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

23
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

24
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

25

• STATES TAKING THE LEAD

26
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 cant have high graduation rates?

27
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 RD Ag
• Funding RTT plus Industry Match
• TIMELINE
• Formal Launch February, 2012
• Exchanges selected September
• Three-year rollout

28
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

29
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

30
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

31
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 Govt Leaders
• Goals
• EXPAND THE PATHWAYS NETWORK

32
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?