This policy brief from the Urban Institute — the third in a series on supporting youth opportunity in the Great Lakes region — examines policy strategies for promoting transitions to adulthood, higher education and the workforce for students in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.
Specifically, the brief highlights six policy strategies to strengthen pathways to college and the workforce:
- Career and college pathway programs at the high school level
- High-quality career and technical education
- Work-based and out-of-school-time learning opportunities
- Higher education systems reforms
- Labor market information and systems data
- Adequate funding for postsecondary education
Although focused on the Great Lakes region, this comprehensive Urban Institute paper draws forth relevant lessons and provides policy solutions that are applicable in other states, describing actionable strategies at both the secondary and postsecondary level.
