Kentucky 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.
In the first two years of the initiative, the Kentucky NSFY team built upon existing opportunities to create a more comprehensive foundation for career readiness. New efforts launched through NFSY include establishing regional career academies, improving training and supports for Career Technical Education (CTE) teachers, and updating labor market data collection and analysis.
In 2018, the Kentucky NSFY team focused on:
- Fully aligning all career pathways with labor market priorities: By the end of 2018, Kentucky transformed or phased out virtually every career pathway that was not well aligned with labor market demand.
- Implementing the regional career academy model and building upon lessons learned: The first cohort of three new regional career academies opened in the 2018-19 school year, and six more received funding and technical assistance for 2019.
- Expanding access to dual credit opportunities aligned to learners’ career pathways: The commonwealth moved to reduce barriers to entry for dual credit opportunities and minimize “random acts of dual credit.”
To read more about the 10 New Skills for Youth states, visit the 2018 NSFY Snapshots series page.
