State Boards Seek Boost in Work-Based Learning

Alexandria, VA—Half of high school students feel unprepared for life after graduation and remain unsatisfied with their career paths after leaving high school, according to recent surveys. Many states are banking on expansion of work-based learning (WBL)—including internships, apprenticeships, and civic projects—to help students connect classroom learning with real-world applications. A new NASBE analysis highlights how state boards are leveraging graduation requirements, diploma seals, specialized high schools, accountability systems, and aligning with business needs to give opportunities to more students.

• Graduation Requirements: In 2023, the Indiana state board began requiring students to demonstrate employability skills before graduation through project-based, service-based, or work-based learning and last year doubled to 12 the number of elective credits in high school to allow students more flexibility in taking career and technical education courses and other areas of interest.
• Diploma Seals: Several states offer diploma seals to encourage WBL and allow students to customize graduation pathways. Indiana awards honors seals for students participating in WBL, Nevada offers a career- or college-ready endorsement, Virginia provides four seals that incorporate WBL, and Texas offers three.
• Specialized High Schools. Virginia’s state board approves proposals for STEM and health-science academies. North Carolina’s Cooperative Innovative High Schools target at-risk students by offering high-quality education on college campuses and increasing students’ access to work-study opportunities.
• Accountability Systems. Several states are incorporating WBL into school evaluation. Arizona uses an A-F system to grade its schools on several indicators, including one for college and career readiness. The Missouri School Improvement Program evaluates districts on “success-ready” indicators, such as their expansion of WBL offerings and the number of students completing advanced coursework or earning industry-recognized credentials.
• Alignment With Business Needs. Business, school, and community connections are essential to increasing WBL in high schools. North Carolina has aligned high school graduation requirements to fit local employer needs, while Tennessee has a statewide forum on career education policy that convenes business leaders, educators, and policymakers.

“By expanding the type, quality, and number of [work-based learning] programs across a state, state boards can help more students navigate the complexities of the workforce and find meaningful, gainful employment,” writes NASBE’s Valli Pendyala. “Increasing access to employers can help ensure that lower-income students and students of color earn higher wages in their first jobs than peers who do not engage in WBL.”

Read Expanding Access to K-12 High School Work-Based Learning.

NASBE serves as the only membership organization for state boards of education. A nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, NASBE elevates state board members’ voices in national and state policymaking, facilitates the exchange of informed ideas, and supports members in advancing equity and excellence in public education for students of all races, genders, and circumstances. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

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