Oklahoma was one of the 10 states selected to participate in New Skills for Youth (NSFY). NSFY, launched by JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 2016, is a $75 million, five-year initiative, aimed at strengthening and expanding high-quality career pathways for youth. As part of this initiative, the Council of Chief State School Officers, Advance CTE and Education Strategy Group worked with states to improve their career readiness systems.
This snapshot profiles the work Oklahoma did to enhance its career readiness system across the entire NSFY initiative. Between 2016 and 2019, Oklahoma:
- Implemented and scaled Individual Career and Academic Planning (ICAP): With the passage of House Bill (H.B.) 2155 in May 2017, Oklahoma began implementing ICAP, a statewide system of career and academic planning for grades six through 12 that was integrated into state graduation requirements beginning with the graduating class of 2023.
- Enhanced the state accountability system: Oklahoma updated its state accountability system in 2017 to value career readiness achievements in school and district report cards.
- Developed the Oklahoma Edge website and online learning community: To support its holistic approach to career planning, Oklahoma developed an information- and resource-sharing platform for students, parents, educators and businesses.
- Expanded teacher externships: Oklahoma expanded teacher externship programs, which provide worksite placements for teachers that allow them to gain hands-on experiences and later impart the knowledge gained to their students.
To learn more about the history of the New Skills for Youth Oklahoma initiative, visit any of the following resources:
To learn more about 10 New Skills for Youth states, visit the New Skills for Youth Impact Snapshots series page.
