Work-based learning opportunities are an essential component of many high school students’ learning journeys– providing opportunities to acquire new skills, broaden understanding of career pathways, and enhance employability after graduation.

In 2021, Bellwether and American Student Assistance conducted an analysis of work-based learning policies in all 50 states and D.C. to establish a baseline. Making It Work: Ten Stories of Promise and Progress in High School Work-based Learning revisits 10 states to share their progress since then.

Each of the 10 states is taking a different approach to improving their policies, from launching new programs to providing additional funding to strengthening data collection. These examples highlight the progress states are making and provide inspiring models for similar improvements nationwide.