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

Only half of high school students report feeling prepared for their postsecondary lives, according to a Gallup poll. In a separate survey by Morning Consult, two-thirds of young people aged 16-24 said they did not know what career to pursue, and only 44 percent of 19- to 24-year-olds who had not enrolled in college were satisfied with their career or education path. To help students make the connections between their K-12 schooling and work, state leaders are bolstering work-based learning (WBL).

The National Academy Foundation defines work-based learning as “a strategy designed to help students connect what they learn in the classroom with what is expected in the workplace by integrating learning with real-world applications in partnership with industry professionals.”3 Although WBL can include internships, job shadows, apprenticeships, volunteering or civic projects, part-time jobs, and other similar experiences, schools have historically provided only career and technical education (CTE) programs. …