Implementation of CTE Dual Enrollment: A report from the Annenberg Institute examines how state policy and local implementation affect access to CTE dual enrollment in Tennessee. In 2022, the state expanded dual enrollment funding support by allowing high school students to take coursework in nursing, welding and other fields at a Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) for free. The state has also invested over $150 million to expand high school and TCAT partnerships since 2019. 

Drawing on survey data from high school students and counselors, the researchers found substantial variation in how schools implement TCAT dual enrollment. Counselors in rural and town-based schools were more likely to report that their school offered TCAT dual enrollment (91%) than counselors in urban schools (66%). Of the 64% of students who reported not taking TCAT courses, about two-third said courses are not available at their school and one-third said they did not know whether courses were offered. 

In focus groups, counselors identified challenges, including limited availability of CTE teachers; lack of space or facilities, particularly for courses offered on a high school campus; and lack of available transportation to a TCAT campus. Counselors also noted that some perceive these courses to be not academically rigorous.  

Insights on Career Readiness and the Future of Learning: A report from Discovery Education examines how students, teachers and school leaders experience and prioritize career readiness. The researchers surveyed over 1,000 K-12 students, teachers, principals and other school leaders across the nation in May 2026. Interviews were also conducted to complement the survey data. 

The survey yielded several notable findings: 

• Nearly 90% of students said that early career exposure helps them feel more confident about the future. This includes 92% of elementary school students, 90% of middle school students and 88% of high school students. 

• More than 75% of students report forming their career interests before high school, and over half report doing so before middle school.  

• 37% of teachers said that career readiness is embedded into regular instruction, and 95% need more resources to connect classroom learning to careers. 

• • 80% of teachers believe that students learn about careers too late. 

• School leaders and teachers are more likely than students to say that career learning happens at least weekly. 

Increasing Student Access to Labor Market Information: A report from the Strada Education Foundation examines how postsecondary students and career services professionals access and use labor market information (LMI), such as occupational growth projections, in-demand skill and credential requirements, and earnings and employment data. Drawing on 37 interviews, the researchers organized their findings into three sections: 

• How Students Access LMI: College students are often on their own and primarily rely on independent research to find occupational data, leveraging government websites, search engines and AI tools. Other sources students use include peers and pre-college experiences, with many highlighting their exposure to LMI through CTE programs, career development experiences and community-based organizations.  

• How Students Engage with LMI: Few students report engaging with LMI through career services or faculty despite having a wide range of questions and needs. Many students are uncertain what their college’s career services offer beyond traditional job search support, such as resume tailoring. Coursework and interactions with faculty primarily focus on skills development and experiences such as internships and research but rarely include compensation, workforce trends and other information students seek. 

• How Career Services Professionals Communicate LMI: While students rarely described engaging with LMI, career services professionals reported embedding LMI into personalized student advising, career centers, courses, workshops and other experiences. The researchers note that this contrast between students and career services professionals presents an opportunity to increase visibility, consistency and reach of LMI experiences for students.  

Nondegree Credentials and Earnings: A new analysis from the U.S. Census Bureau examines nondegree credential (NDC) attainment and earnings data from 2019-24 for workers ages 25-64 who hold at least a high school diploma but no more than a bachelor’s degree. The author defines NDCs as job-specific credentials earned outside of traditional academic degree programs, such as educational and vocational certificates, industry certifications and occupational licenses.  

The analysis revealed that about 34% of workers have an NDC, with 22% holding a certificate and 24% holding a certificate in combination with an industry certification or occupational license. A larger percentage of women (36%) than men (33%) have an NDC, and about half of associate degree holders have an NDC. Workers ages 35-64 are more likely than workers ages 25-34 to have an NDC (35% compared to 29%). When examining attainment by race and ethnicity, Hispanic (29%) and Asian (30%) workers are less likely to hold NDCs.  

Workers with NDCs, regardless of educational attainment, have higher median annual earnings than workers without an NDC. This is especially true for workers with lower levels of education overall. NDC workers with only a high school education reported the strongest wage gains across all NDC types, earning up to 21% more than workers without an NDC.