Massachusetts is one of the 10 states selected to participate in New Skills for Youth (NSFY), an initiative enhancing state efforts to increase the number of learners across the country who are prepared for success in both college and career. NSFY is a $75 million national initiative developed by JPMorgan Chase & Co. in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group.
Since the launch of NSFY, the Massachusetts team has laid the groundwork for new or enhanced college and career readiness initiatives. This effort included defining high-quality career pathways, developing new frameworks for work-based learning (WBL), and streamlining career pathways to align with postsecondary education requirements.
In 2018, the main areas of focus in Massachusetts were:
- Expanding access to high-quality college and career pathways (HQCCPs): Following the design of the HQCCP criteria in 2017, the NSFY team is designating and helping schools to implement new career pathways.
- Securing equitable outcomes for all learners: Massachusetts is working to identify and address regional and socioeconomic inequities that lead to limited access to HQCCPs for some students.
- Implementing My Career and Academic Plan (MyCAP): Working with school-based teams of administrators, faculty and counselors across the commonwealth, the Massachusetts NSFY team is helping to implement a new framework for college and career advising that focuses heavily on student-led goal-setting and planning.
To read more about the 10 New Skills for Youth states, visit the 2018 NSFY Snapshots series page.
