Can Workforce Pell expand opportunity without limiting students’ futures? This report examines how short-term workforce credentials could reshape K–12 education, college and career pathways, and counseling, while offering recommendations to protect long-term student success.

Where someone lives should not determine whether they get the chance to earn college credit before they graduate high school. But that is exactly what is happening today. Decades of research show that dual enrollment, the practice of allowing high school students to take college courses, is one of the most effective tools we have for closing college access and completion gaps. Participants are more likely to enroll in college, persist through their first year, and earn a degree, even after controlling for prior academic achievement. Still, access still depends heavily on zip code, family income, and the resources of a student’s school.

As technology rapidly reshapes education, artificial intelligence promises scalable solutions to longstanding challenges in college and career counseling. With student-to-counselor ratios averaging 376:1 nationwide—far above the recommended 250:1—the appeal of AI-powered platforms is undeniable. Yet in our rush to solve the counselor shortage through technology, we risk sacrificing what makes guidance truly transformative: authentic human connection.

In today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, college and career counseling has never been more critical for students’ success. However, educators across the nation face unprecedented challenges, with excessively high student-to-counselor ratios leaving many young people without adequate guidance to navigate their educational and career pathways. This situation has been further complicated by recent disruptions to federal education funding, creating uncertainty for districts that depend on these resources to support comprehensive counseling programs.