Dear colleagues,
Every learner begins with dreams about their future. We hear those dreams when we spend time in schools and classrooms, listening to students consider the paths that excite them. Yet for too many students, especially those from Black, Latino, and low-income backgrounds, the path from high school to a fulfilling career feels fragmented and uncertain. Their potential is not the problem. The problem lies in the barriers that surround them.
Over the past six months, our team has focused on identifying and indexing the barriers learners encounter. Across every stage, from exploration and preparation to application, selection, and transition, students navigate disconnected systems, unclear guidance, and overwhelming decisions. And, for the parents, teachers, advisors, administrators, and other caring adults who step in to support learners, the resources and information available remain disparate, hard to access, and confusing.
While no list can capture every obstacle in this fast-changing landscape, our analysis highlights several core barriers that consistently stand in the way of smooth navigation:
- Limited access to affordable, high-quality skill-building opportunities that help learners translate their interests and motivations into post-high school pathways.
- Inconsistent guidance and advising capacity leave students and families without personalized support to understand what options exist.
- Confusing and fragmented technology and information systems make it hard to compare programs, requirements, or outcomes.
- Overwhelming and bureaucratic processes that complicate applications and financial aid.
We want to hear from you. What barriers do you see in your communities? What promising ideas or tools are helping students navigate these challenges more effectively? Your insights and experiences are vital to shaping the solutions that will move us forward.
A learner’s path should not depend on chance or privilege. It should be supported by quality advising, strong relationships, and systems that work together. Achieving that vision requires collaboration and shared learning. Educators, technologists, policymakers, and community leaders must come together to design and scale innovations that simplify the learner experience and make guidance accessible to all. By helping every learner succeed in these critical transitions, we can ensure that each will turn their aspirations into action.
Warmly,
Cheryl Hyman,
Director, Pathways
Quick takes
- When it comes to life after high school, “advising” can mean many things. Mandy Savitz-Romer is helping redefine what high-quality advising really looks like—starting in ninth grade, grounded in exploration, and treating every student’s path to college or career as a holistic journey.
- New research out of Texas points to the power of pairing acceleration with relevance. Students who take dual enrollment alongside AP or IB courses see stronger college and earnings outcomes, and those who combine dual enrollment with career and technical education (CTE) also show promising gains. Together, the findings suggest that expanding CTE-focused dual enrollment could open more routes to postsecondary success.
- California’s new Golden State Pathways Program is reshaping how students prepare for college and careers. With $500 million invested, reaching nearly half of all high schoolers, early results point to progress—and a looming opportunity to determine how to sustain work-based learning and dual enrollment once start-up funds fade.
- In the latest In the Know with ACCT episode, Texas community college leaders unpack how House Bill 8 is transforming dual enrollment. With students participating in dual enrollment, a fast-growing group, at the center, colleges are rethinking funding and partnerships to help more Texans earn credentials with real value.