Career Readiness

New military recruits take the Oath of Office during a swearing in ceremony at a Salute to Service event at an NFL football game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville.
New military recruits take the Oath of Office during a swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 10, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. States' education plans call for tracking students paths from the classroom to college, career, or the military, but they've struggled to access enlistment data from the U.S. Department of Defense. Through a new agreement, five states will pilot a data-sharing process with the Pentagon with hopes to expand to additional states.
Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
States What Happens to Students Who Join the Military? A New Effort Aims to Find Out
A pilot will allow states to use Pentagon data to track students from the classroom to the military.
Evie Blad, March 18, 2026
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3 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on College and Career Readiness
Schools are blending career and technical education, internships, and AI skills to prepare students for college, careers, and beyond.
March 13, 2026
Successful male and female in leadership achieve target. Embracing success confidence holding winner flag on top of mountain peak.
Education Week + iStock/Getty
School & District Management How Top Principals Are Improving Schools Across the Country
Principals must empower student and teacher voices.
Olina Banerji, March 13, 2026
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7 min read
Job seekers listen for information on employment during a hiring fair at Fair Park in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.
Job seekers during a hiring fair at Fair Park in Dallas, on Jan. 14, 2026. States must improve their academic standards and identify the skills students need to compete for evolving jobs, said a workforce commission assembled by the Bipartisan Policy Center. A new report from the commission includes recommendations for employers, government, and K-12 education.
LM Otero/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Bold Changes Needed to Prepare Students for AI-Fueled Disruption, Commission Says
A commission calls for a unified federal strategy to address rapidly changing workforce needs.
Evie Blad, March 12, 2026
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6 min read
Thu., March 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
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College & Workforce Readiness Webinar Building for the Future: Igniting Middle Schoolers’ Interest in Skilled Trades & Future-Ready Skills
Ignite middle schoolers’ interest in skilled trades with hands-on learning and real-world projects that build future-ready skills.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
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Two young people standing in speech bubbles and shaking hands. Meeting an make deals online. Concept of partnership, business acquisition, deals, cooperation, teamwork. SEL communication skills.
Education Week + Anton Vierietin/iStock
College & Workforce Readiness What SEL Skills Do High School Graduates Need Most? Report Lists Top Picks
A review of "portrait of a graduate" documents from hundreds of districts identified key skills.
Arianna Prothero, March 6, 2026
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5 min read
As part of the program, the Business students at Donald M. Payne Sr. Tech Campus in Newark, NJ on Feb. 26, 2026m have access to computers with subscriptions to the latest software to help them prepare for the workforce.
Business students at the Donald M. Payne Sr. School of Technology in Newark, N.J., work in a computer lab on Feb. 25, 2026. A U.S. Department of Education grant was helping students in business and other fields at the school access enrichment programming, college courses, and financial support after graduation. But the department terminated the grant, along with 18 other similar awards across the country, last summer.
Oliver Farshi for Education Week
Education Funding The Trump Admin. Says It Supports Career-Tech. Ed. It Canceled CTE Grants Anyway
Nineteen projects—many in rural areas—lost funding that was helping students prepare for college and careers.
Mark Lieberman & Lauraine Langreo, February 26, 2026
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12 min read
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
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College & Workforce Readiness Whitepaper Building a Sustainable Cyber Pathway for Students
What happens when educators get the tools to turn student curiosity into action? See how one D.C. school partnered with CYBER.ORG to laun...
Content provided by Cyber.org
Abou Sow, the owner of Prince Abou's Butchery in Queens, shows students from George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School how to separate short rib from rib eye at Essex Kitchen in New York, May 21, 2024.
Digital Promise has a new initiative to identify barriers, design solutions, and scale practices around learner-centered career pathways. Abou Sow, the owner of Prince Abou's Butchery in Queens, shows students from George Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School how to separate short rib from rib eye at Essex Kitchen in New York, on May 21, 2024.
James Pollard/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A Nonprofit Launches New Career-Readiness Effort, Looks Beyond the 'Linear Path'
Digital Promise has launched an initiative to help create career pathways for students.
Lauraine Langreo, February 23, 2026
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4 min read
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on Where Learning Meets Opportunity: Connecting Classrooms to Careers Through Real-World Learning
This Spotlight highlights a growing shift toward career-connected learning, which blends academic content with real-world applications.
February 13, 2026
Chase Christensen, superintendent of Sheridan County School District #3 in Wyoming, teamed up with other district leaders in the state to get rid of a barrier to work-based learning. Students can now meet an English course requirement while completing an internship. He presented on the strategy at a conference hosted by AASA, the School Superintendents Association, on Feb. 12, 2026.
Chase Christensen, superintendent of Sheridan County School District #3, presents a panel at the National Conference of Education in Nashville, on Feb. 12, 2026.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness In These Districts, Students Get an English Credit for On-the-Job Internships
Districts must get creative about addressing barriers to student internships, leaders said.
Evie Blad, February 12, 2026
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5 min read
Thu., February 12, 2026, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Artificial Intelligence Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: AI Could Be Your Thought Partner
How can educators prepare young people for an AI-powered workplace? Join our discussion on using AI as a cognitive companion.
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February 12, 2026
College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on How Schools Can Elevate Their CTE Offerings
CTE is evolving to meet the demands of a high-tech economy by including AI literacy, advanced technical skills, and real-world experience.
February 11, 2026
Adaora Umeh and daughter Weluchu Umeh, a sophomore, learn about a digitized cadaver used by dental students including, Makaylen Martinez, center left, and Katie Pham, right, during an open house at Garland ISD s Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026 , in Garland.
Adaora Umeh and daughter Weluchu Umeh, a sophomore, learn about a digitized cadaver used by dental students Makaylen Martinez, center left, and Katie Pham, right, during an open house at a Garland ISD career and technical education center on Feb. 9, 2026, in Garland, Texas. Districts around the country are partnering with colleges and local employers to offer students more learning opportunities connected to future careers.
Angela Piazza/Dallas Morning News via TNS
College & Workforce Readiness Schools Must Prepare for Jobs of the Future, Superintendents Say
How to set up students for success in local workforces is top of mind among superintendents.
Evie Blad, February 10, 2026
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3 min read
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