PATHWAYS TO
ADULT SUCCESS

For schools, their systems and communities to enable all youth, regardless of their needs, circumstances, place of residence and prior experiences, to obtain the competencies needed to persist and complete secondary schooling and a postsecondary pathway that leads to a family-supporting wage and adult success.

E

Early Warning Systems 2.0

E

Navigation Systems

E

Collaborations

E

Data

IMPROVING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
ADULT SUCCESS

The PAS Framework outlines foundational shifts in beliefs, practices, and structures required to improve postsecondary outcomes and perspectives for all young people to be able to embark on a meaningful career and achieve a family-sustaining wage.

DESIGNING EDUCATION PODAST

SEASON 2, EPISODE 8: A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO BE

Early Warning Systems 2.0

Using predictive indicators of postsecondary success to monitor school progress and provide support so ALL students can graduate high school prepared to thrive in pathways leading to meaningful careers: two- or four-year college, industry certification, or other substantial preparation.

Navigations Systems

Developing systems and structures that offer students and families the preparation, experiences, and guidance they need to make informed decisions for the future, and take necessary steps to navigate the complex world of postsecondary planning.

Collaborations

Creating effective, dynamic partnerships between K12 schools, institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and local businesses that generate the vision, person power, resources, and shared information to support young people on the pathway to adult success.

Data

Collecting, analyzing, and sharing meaningful data that enables institutions and collaborations to support young people effectively, monitor progress over time, and engage in continuous improvement cycles based on measurable outcomes.

Why we need to build better pathways to adult success

What the Data Says, Narrated By Robert Balfanz

N

Improve the future for America's youth

N

Provide equitable opportunities

HOW IT’S BEING DONE

Initiatives at all levels and in various areas — from expanded early warning systems to revised guidance approaches to collaborations with local business, non-profits, and colleges — have yielded insights of tremendous benefit to others exploring similar initiatives. In fact, a daunting amount of online and in-print information is available! With so many resources, where to start?

How to Begin

Starting something viable/ reasonable means starting something that is doable in the short term and is likely to produce early gains that help solidify buy-in; establish strong foundations for further development; and offer opportunities to evaluate and learn from early efforts.

Providing Postsecondary Pathways for All

Providing good postsecondary guidance involves helping students identify their interests and aptitudes, learn about career and academic opportunities that match those interests, and select courses they need to take in preparation.

Developing Collaborations / Partnerships

Collaborating with stakeholders is crucial to make sure the education students receive is relevant to the postsecondary opportunities available, and helps them to gain the skills and mindsets for lifelong success.

How to Use EWS Systems

Transition from a graduation-focused EWS to a focus on postsecondary success means taking a longer view of the mission of preK-12 schooling, so that the goal is not simply for students to acquire a high school diploma, but rather to complete high school well prepared to succeed in viable postsecondary education or career plans that will lead to adult success.

How to Work with Data Systems

A PAS data system will need access to data from multiple data systems like K-12 data systems, postsecondary data systems, department of labor data systems, and other local, state, and federal data systems that contain student information that can be used to support student success.

Pandemic Innovations

As we seek to turn the page on the painful realities of COVID, we’ve learned many things worth keeping and adapting to the needs of the post-COVID world.

In this report, we highlight some of those initiatives and innovations to better serve the ever-evolving needs of young people and offer them improved pathways to postsecondary success.A showcase of the innovative work the members of the Pathways to Adult Success community performed in unprecedented times.

2023-24 Design Challenge Recipients

The Everyone Graduates Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2023-24 PAS Community Collaboration Challenge stipends, made possible by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

We are excited about these innovative projects’ potential to improve young people’s prospects for future success as they navigate the challenges of the pandemic/post-pandemic world, and we look forward to learning from these collaborators’ experience in the field.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Supporting Students During COVID-19 and Beyond

Access past PAS Solution Forums and resources highlighted from members of the PAS Learning Community.

How to Help Students Get to College in the COVID Era

 What does the future look like for the high school classes of 2020 and beyond? As much as we’re rightly focused on what happens this fall, we also need to look ahead to next spring and beyond.

Keeping Secondary School Students Connected When Schooling is Remote

Why is school connectedness important and how do we succeed in keeping students involved during COVID-19 and beyond.

Can Dropout Factory Researcher Save COVID Generation?

This Week in Education with EJ Carrion sat down with Robert Balfanz to get his perspective on the most recent NSC report that showed that college enrollment for low-income 2020 high school graduates declined by 29.2 percent.

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