What Are We Really Preparing Students For?

Guided Overview

Begin with the guided overview before proceeding.

The guided overview provides a shared introduction to the framework. It explains why preparation for life beyond high school matters, what students need in a rapidly changing world, and how districts can create more coherent systems that support student success beyond graduation.

Open Guided Overview

What You Will Learn

The guided overview helps leaders understand:

why life beyond high school preparation matters now
what students need to know, do, experience, and successfully navigate before graduation
how future direction, meaningful learning, support, and adaptability contribute to student success
why district coherence matters when preparing students for life beyond high school
how the framework helps leaders examine student preparation from multiple perspectives

The goal is to help leaders develop a clearer understanding of what students need for success beyond high school and how schools can work together to support that preparation.

Local-control toolkit: Districts use the materials through their own approved document-sharing, communication, review, and record-keeping systems.

Why This Work Matters Now

Students need preparation that reaches beyond graduation requirements.

The need is not simply about whether students graduate. It is about whether they leave high school with direction, adaptable skills, meaningful experiences, and the practical ability to navigate postsecondary, career, civic, and adult life.

22%

felt very prepared

A 2024 survey of recent public high school graduates reported that only 22% felt very prepared for life after graduation.

Survey report

49%

wanted more real-world skills

Recent graduates in the same survey identified real-world skills as the area they most wished high school had emphasized more.

Survey report

80%+

question workforce readiness

A 2025 College Board and U.S. Chamber of Commerce survey reported that more than 80% of hiring managers did not view current high school graduates as adequately prepared for the workforce.

Workforce readiness report

39%

of core skills may change

The World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025 estimates that 39% of workers' core skills will change by 2030.

Future of Jobs Report

What Districts Gain

Move beyond isolated initiatives and build a clearer picture of student preparation.

This framework helps districts move beyond isolated initiatives and develop a clearer understanding of how students are being prepared for life beyond high school.

Districts gain:

A shared definition of what student success beyond high school should look like
A district-wide implementation model that buildings can adapt by grade band
Building-level feedback connected directly to implementation progress and support needs
Clearer visibility into pathways, authentic learning, support systems, and student experiences
A process for moving from framework to building action, evidence review, and quarterly follow-through
Greater coherence across schools, initiatives, and leadership teams

Choose Your Path

District teams and building teams use the same framework, but they begin with different tools.

Use the path below that matches your role. The shared framework stays the same, but district leaders and building teams use different tools to launch, implement, review evidence, and request support.

District Launch Path

Use this path if you are introducing the framework, supporting implementation across schools, and reviewing quarterly building updates.

Review the district implementation plan
Introduce the framework, launch supports, and Building Implementation Guides
Clarify the quarterly update process
Review Summary Reports and return district responses

Building Implementation Path

Use this path if you are part of a school team translating the framework into grade-band action.

Use the Building Implementation Guides
Select the grade bands served by your building
Plan practical routines, projects, supports, and evidence
Submit quarterly implementation updates to the district

View Implementation Workflow

This work is not meant to become another disconnected initiative.

Its purpose is to help districts build a clearer and more coherent system so students leave high school with stronger preparation for the world they are about to enter.