Columbus, OH, March 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Commission on Purposeful Pathways released\u00a0A Launchpad for Life: A Vision for Purposeful Pathways for All Students<\/i>, its long-awaited blueprint for transforming how high school prepares young people for what comes next. Developed by 21 leading education and workforce experts\u00a0alongside three\u00a0young adult\u00a0commissioners, the report challenges how our education systems are currently built\u2014treating high school as a finish line rather than a launchpad\u2014and charts a path toward purposeful pathways that launch students into fulfilling careers and economic mobility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Within five years, 8 in 10 good jobs will require postsecondary education or industry-recognized credentials,” said Melissa Connelly, Commission co-chair and\u00a0OneGoal\u00a0CEO. “High-quality advising, challenging coursework, and real-world learning are strategies that work; what\u2019s missing is a connected system that ensures every student can navigate them.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
The need is urgent.\u00a0While 78% of Generation Z students believe\u00a0it’s\u00a0important to\u00a0determine\u00a0career plans before high school graduation,\u00a0only 13%<\/a>\u00a0feel fully prepared to do so.\u00a0Meanwhile,\u00a0the broader challenge is\u00a0evident:\u00a015 million young adults<\/a>\u00a0are unemployed, underemployed,\u00a0or working in roles beneath their educational attainment.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFor too long,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0swung between old-school vocational tracks and a \u2018college for all\u2019 message,\u201d said Paul Herdman, Commission co-chair and President and CEO of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware. \u201cThis report is about taking the best of both\u2014real skills and real credentials\u2014and making coherent pathways the norm for all students. That will take more than technical fixes or a few more dual enrollment courses; it requires very human, adaptive work to build student agency and cultivate real relationships across sectors so we can support economic mobility\u00a0at\u00a0scale. No state or community has this fully figured out yet, and\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0okay\u2014there\u2019s\u00a0an entry point here for all of us.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n A Launchpad for Life: A\u00a0<\/i>Vision<\/i>\u00a0for Purposeful Pathways for All Students<\/i>\u00a0[REPORT LINK<\/a>]\u00a0is an\u00a0actionable framework where every student has access to high-quality advising, accelerated coursework,\u00a0and career-connected learning that cultivates purpose, belonging,\u00a0and social capital. This vision requires cross-sector collaboration and a focus on the following four recommendations:\u00a0<\/p>\n However, the report makes clear that no single sector can solve this alone. Making purposeful pathways possible for all students requires K-12 systems, higher education institutions,\u00a0and employers to take shared responsibility. The report calls for the creation of strong regional teams that can formalize relationships across sectors, reduce friction,\u00a0and build trust among partners\u2014allowing data, dollars,\u00a0and design to follow students more seamlessly from classroom to career.\u00a0Central to these regional teams must be strong pathways intermediaries\u2014which can be independent nonprofits, colleges,\u00a0schools\u00a0or chambers of commerce\u2014who knit together K-12, postsecondary,\u00a0and workforce systems.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat makes this Commission\u2019s work so powerful is the range of perspectives at the table\u2014leaders from across education and workforce systems who came together around a shared goal: that by the time they graduate, every student can say with confidence, \u2018I know who I am, I know where I\u2019m going, and I know who can help me get there,\u2019\u201d said John Garcia III, Commission co-chair and Executive Director of the Pathways Impact Fund at\u00a0StriveTogether. \u201cThis vision is not theoretical; it is grounded in the work of partners who conduct research and provide direct support to students, families, and educators, and in evidence about which experiences and supports most effectively open doors for young\u00a0people\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0equipped not just for a job, but for a fulfilling life, meaningful career, and\u202flifelong\u202feconomic mobility.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The full report and companion resources are available at\u00a0[R<\/b>EPORT LINK]<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ml.globenewswire.com\/media\/ZjI0ODMwMzgtMGFmZS00ODU1LWFhMTYtOTRmYTllNzJmZjc0LTUwMDE1OTA4OS0yMDI2LTAzLTA0LWVu\/tiny\/Commission-on-Purposeful-Pathw.png\")
\n <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"