Pathways Matter to Families

What Parents and Young Adults Believe and Want to Know About Education to Workforce Pathways

Pathways Matter to Families offers insights and actionable resources for students and families. The two complementary resources below are informed by original research investigating what parents and young adults think and want to know about education-to-workforce pathways and experiences.

Featured Resources

Executive Summary

Findings Report

Family Guide

Pathways Matter to Families is intended to inform state policymakers and education leaders how they can develop comprehensive policies and resources that can empower students and families to successfully navigate available pathways.

Your Child’s Pathway Matters is designed to help parents and families identify the information, questions and support they can use to ensure their child is on a fulfilling education-to-career pathway.

How can high-quality pathways help students meet their college and career goals?

Why do Pathways Matter to Families?

For too many students, their K-12 experiences are disconnected from, or even counterproductive to, their long-term goals. One of the most significant challenges lies in ensuring that students and their families understand the learning opportunities available to them. Equally important is that families are empowered to make informed decisions in navigating pathways leading to their individual pursuits in life, including postsecondary and career goals.

In Their Own Words

“I would encourage my child to take the classes necessary, but I would highly encourage him to seek actual hands-on experience in internships/work experience to see how the industry actually operates and more to the point, whether he actually enjoys it.”

—Parent of Middle Schooler

“For me to think our school offering was high quality, I would want to see a very specific outline. I would like to know the types of internships available, the number of students that complete the program, the number still in that career after five years, ten years, and the number that further their education within that pathway.” 

—Parent of High Schooler

“I wish I knew more about all the opportunities provided for my child and how it works for school credit.”

 —Parent of Young Adult

“I just feel like I got the bare minimum set of skills. Enough to get by but not enough to stand out.” 

—Young Adult

Pathways Matter establishes the first comprehensive learner-centered education to workforce continuum for state policy. Beginning in K-12 and extending to and through postsecondary and on to employment, Pathways Matter, takes the fragmented narrative and structure of state education to workforce policy efforts and turns it into a comprehensive policy continuum. 

Visit PathwaysMatter.org

 Credentials Matter, a first-of-its-kind analysis, examines how the credentials students earn align with real-world employer demand. This project includes a unique online tool presenting the most extensive collection and analysis of supply, demand and alignment data of industry-recognized credentials earned in states.

Visit CredentialsMatter.org