School Counselors
This August 2026 report from RAND examines career-connected learning in U.S. public schools, drawing on nationally representative surveys of school district leaders, principals, and students during the 2025–2026 school year. It explores how schools support college and career planning, career exploration, and work-related learning, and whether students are able to participate in the experiences they intend to pursue.
The findings highlight gaps between students’ plans and their participation in workplace visits, internships, and apprenticeships, along with an emphasis on four-year college pathways that can leave other options underrepresented. The report also examines how schools track career and postsecondary planning and identifies opportunities for education leaders and policymakers to strengthen career-connected learning and better support students with different goals after high school.
The findings highlight gaps between students’ plans and their participation in workplace visits, internships, and apprenticeships, along with an emphasis on four-year college pathways that can leave other options underrepresented. The report also examines how schools track career and postsecondary planning and identifies opportunities for education leaders and policymakers to strengthen career-connected learning and better support students with different goals after high school.
This Pathway2Careers report explores the importance of structured career exploration beginning in middle school. Drawing on national research and practical implementation examples, it outlines how early exposure to careers helps students develop self-awareness, connect academic learning to future pathways, and build essential planning skills.
The report offers evidence-informed strategies for embedding career exploration into middle school curricula, school counseling, and advisement systems to support equitable access to postsecondary and workforce opportunities.
The report offers evidence-informed strategies for embedding career exploration into middle school curricula, school counseling, and advisement systems to support equitable access to postsecondary and workforce opportunities.
This peer-reviewed article highlights the scale of pandemic-related setbacks among American K-12 schools and reaffirms tutoring as a proven strategy for accelerating learning, especially when delivered as high-impact tutoring that is frequent, targeted, and embedded in the school day.
Using research and real-world examples, the authors identify practical lessons for implementing and scaling tutoring programs and emphasize the value of tutoring as supplemental, small-group or one-to-one instruction aligned with classroom teaching. Framed as a public health approach, the findings connect improved academic outcomes to long-term student well-being.
Using research and real-world examples, the authors identify practical lessons for implementing and scaling tutoring programs and emphasize the value of tutoring as supplemental, small-group or one-to-one instruction aligned with classroom teaching. Framed as a public health approach, the findings connect improved academic outcomes to long-term student well-being.
Career exploration introduced early in a student’s academic career can improve career aspirations and long-term planning—a core belief behind P2C’s innovative curriculum.
The findings indicate that when career examples are embedded within core content, career exploration becomes a pervasive part of the student experience. Increased self-awareness and career awareness foster purpose and meaning, which in turn strengthen students’ self-direction and hope for the future.
The report also suggests that early career and skill development supports more cohesive curricula aligned with students’ postsecondary and career plans.
The findings indicate that when career examples are embedded within core content, career exploration becomes a pervasive part of the student experience. Increased self-awareness and career awareness foster purpose and meaning, which in turn strengthen students’ self-direction and hope for the future.
The report also suggests that early career and skill development supports more cohesive curricula aligned with students’ postsecondary and career plans.
Reviews evidence that middle school career exploration improves student awareness of interests, aligns aspirations with education, and supports early career planning
Reviews middle school career interventions, finding structured programs improve career awareness, decision-making, and self-efficacy, with school counselors playing a key role
Explores how the Youth CareerConnect program improves attendance, credit gains, and readiness through career pathways and partnerships
Examines the utility of Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) and Career Maturity Inventory (CMI) in designing early career interventions
Analyzes 21 studies on career readiness interventions for middle school students, focusing on theoretical frameworks, intervention structures, evaluation systems, and outcomes
Evidence indicates that school-community collaborations and experiential career learning markedly improve students’ readiness for their next steps after graduation.