Programs need to strengthen career pathways by integrating academic learning with real-world experiences. It endorses the expansion of dual enrollment opportunities, allowing high school students to earn college credits while still in high school, which helped reduce the time and cost required to earn a degree or credential while improving alignment between K-12 and higher education institutions.

• An examination of early college high schools by AIR found that the cost-benefit ratio for early college was 15:1. Their analysis shows that a public investment of $3,819 per student in covering the costs of offering the student tuition-free early college courses resulted in over $57,000 in benefits to both the student in the form of lifetime earnings and to the public through increased tax revenue.

• An analysis of Texas’ dual credit system from AIR found that “each dollar invested in dual credit returned $1.18 from students spending less time in college and entering the workforce earlier. Long-term monetary benefits (e.g. tax revenues) associated with a greater number of college graduates were almost five times the estimated cost of DE.”

• The University of Denver concluded that students who had access to Concurrent Enrollment in the state of Colorado had higher workforce earnings (approximately 10 percent higher) after five years than students who did not have access to Concurrent Enrollment.

The initiative also advances the notion of work-based learning by providing students with hands-on experiences through internships, apprenticeships, and job shadowing, equipping them with practical skills and industry exposure to enhance employability and career readiness.

• Completing a paid internship was associated with an increase of $3,096 in annual wages ONE year after graduation.

• Participating in ANY type of WBL during one's undergraduate education predicted a significant increase in annual personal income and a higher satisfaction with the career and education experience.

• Research indicates cooperative education, internships, and apprenticeships in high school boost employment after high school. For young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, participation in these programs is associated with having a higher-quality job at age 30.

It emphasizes the importance of workforce credentials by ensuring students had access to industry-recognized and highly valued certifications aligned with high-demand career fields, helping them gain the technical skills needed to enter the workforce or continue their education with a competitive advantage.

• The total yearly expenditures by educational institutions, employers, federal grant programs, states, and the military costs over $1.921 trillion.

• There are 967,734 unique credentials in the United States.

• Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) fields with lower college enrollment tend to have better employment outcomes.

The final pillar that is evident in effective career connected high school program is age-appropriate career navigation and advising that enhances career exploration and counseling services, giving students personalized guidance on career options, postsecondary pathways, and financial planning while supporting them in setting and achieving their career goals.

• Graduating seniors who used at least one career advising service received an average of 1.24 job offers. And, forFor every additional service they used beyond just one, their average number of job offers increased by 0.05. In comparison, graduating seniors who didn’t use any of the career center’s services averaged 1.0 job offers.

• Students who use the career center’s help to find an internship are 2.2 times more likely to get a paid internship than an unpaid internship or no internship at all.