High-Impact Practices That Support Purposeful Pathways

This action guide, High-Impact Practices That Support Purposeful Pathways, is a companion resource that helps regions and states apply that vision by introducing eight examples that illustrate the integration of two or more components of the framework. It is designed for executive leaders who champion the vision and practitioners who implement programs within cross-sector partnerships. The practices are intended to serve as a starting point: communities can replicate or adapt them based on local context. The practices are designed to ensure all students experience high-quality advising, accelerated coursework and career-connected learning that cultivates purpose, belonging and social capital.

What this guide includes

• • Eight high-impact practices that show how communities integrate key pathway components in real settings
  • Promising examples within each practice
  • Practical entry points for cross-sector teams to strengthen connectivity and reduce fragmentation in student experiences

Work supported by this action guide

• • Integrating advising into the classroom
  • Connecting students to “near peers” for mentorship and guidance
  • Combining different forms of accelerated coursework
  • Onboarding students and employers so career-connected learning cultivates social capital
  • Creating opportunities for students to reflect on their purpose and career vision
  • Embedding college advisors into high school
  • Partnering with employers on project-based learning experiences
  • Blending accelerated coursework and career-connected learning (“learn and earn”)

Learn more about purposeful pathways

All high school students should have access to purposeful pathways, regardless of where they’re getting started or where they want to go. Explore the Commission’s full report and accompanying action guides to learn more:

• • A Launchpad for Life: A Vision for Purposeful Pathways for All Students introduces the framework and the Commission’s recommendations to implement purposeful pathways at scale.
  • Scaling and Sustaining Purposeful Pathways Through Enabling Conditions outlines the policies, systems and structures that regions and states can strengthen to sustain and scale purposeful pathways.
  • Measuring Purposeful Pathways: Measurement Action Guide provides a student-centered measurement framework and practical guidance for teams to align on shared metrics and use data for continuous improvement.

About the Commission on Purposeful Pathways

The Commission on Purposeful Pathways brought together youth representatives and cross-sector leaders from K-12, higher education, workforce systems and intermediary organizations to develop a shared vision and blueprint for purposeful pathways that lead to economic mobility and thriving. The Commission was led by Education First with support from the Gates Foundation.

Learn more about the Commission and its members on the Education First website.

The Role of the Pathways Impact Fund

The Pathways Impact Fund builds on the Commission’s vision by mobilizing investment in regional intermediary organizations that help cross-sector partners work together to design and scale purposeful pathways. The Fund also supports the enabling conditions — governance, funding, policy, data and shared learning — needed to sustain this work.

Learn more about the Pathways Impact Fund.