Young people need clear pathways to navigate from K-12 education into careers that align with their interests, strengths, and life goals. But they often lack the information, support, and access to choose and complete postsecondary pathways that are right for them. 

The federal government can play an important role in bridging this gap, by providing guidance and funding to help states develop and support high-quality postsecondary pathways that provide the training, education, and credentials learners need. Delivering on this potential requires stronger, more cohesive, more equitable federal policies grounded in a clearer vision. 

Bellwether’s report, Finding a Way Forward: An Analysis of Federal Policy and Learner Pathways, provides an overview of the pathways landscape across the country, proposes a research-based vision for pathways participation, and elevates approaches to move federal policy forward on behalf of all learners 

As part of this project, Bellwether brought together ten leading organizations to reflect on challenges and opportunities in federal pathways policy. Those organizations will publish their own ideas and recommendations over the coming months, and we’ll link to the entire collection of reports on this page as they are published.