The document discusses pathways to economic opportunity through regional networks that integrate college and career experiences into high school. It summarizes research showing gaps in high school graduation, college enrollment, and degree attainment rates based on income, race, and ethnicity. Models like early college high schools and career academies aim to address these gaps by providing work-based learning opportunities and a clear path to postsecondary credentials. Regional networks in California are working to co-design, co-deliver, and co-validate learning experiences across high schools and colleges to better prepare young people for careers. While this approach shows early progress, challenges remain around leadership capacity, community buy-in, and coordinating competing initiatives.

2. PATHWAYS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
Joel Vargas
Jobs for the Future | September 21, 2016
Skills Development Scotland
USING REGIONAL NETWORKS TO INTEGRATE
COLLEGE AND CAREER EXPERIENCES INTO
HIGH SCHOOL

3. PHOTOGRAPH © 2008 Jerry Davis
OUR MISSION
JFF works to ensure that all
young people and workers
have the skills and credentials
needed to succeed in our
economy
OUR VISION
The promise of education
and economic mobility
in America is achieved for
everyone.
ABOUT JOBS FOR THE FUTURE

4. OUR GOALS
1. PREPARING FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER:
All young people graduate high school on a clear path
to college completion and career success.
2. EARNING POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALS:
All students gain the skills they need to earn
postsecondary credentials with high labor market
value.
3. ADVANCING CAREERS AND ECONOMIC
GROWTH:
All workers obtain the education and training required
to move into family-supporting careers with clear
paths for advancement.
4
ABOUT JOBS FOR THE FUTURE

5. TRANSLATE RESEARCH
INTO ACTION
• Building tools and
resources that bring the
evidence to life and spark
local innovation
PROVIDE
IMPLEMENTATION
SUPPORT
• Assist partners in the field
to apply the evidence to
change policy and
practice
BUILD THE EVIDENCE
BASE
• Pilot, test, evaluate,
document, and
disseminate the
strongest education and
workforce development
strategies
ACROSS: SECONDARY, POSTSECONDARY, WORKFORCE
HOW WE WORK

6. PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2016): http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_coi.asp
Gaps in High School Graduation:
Adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) for public high school
students, by race/ethnicity: School year 2013–14

7. PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2016): http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cpa.asp
81%
64%
52%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
High-Income Middle-Income Low-Income
Gaps in College Enrollment by Family Income:
High school completers who were enrolled in 2- or 4-year
colleges by the October immediately following high school
completion (2014)

8. PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL

9. PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
54%
31%
26%
69%
22%
38%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
White Black Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander American Indian/Alaska
Native
Two or More Races
Gaps in Degree Attainment by Race:
Percentage of 25- to 29-year-olds who completed an
associate’s or higher degree, by race/ethnicity
2015
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (2016): http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_caa.asp

10. PROBLEM OF THE HIGH SCHOOL
NOTE: Poor is defined to include families below the poverty threshold, and nonpoor is defined to include families at or above the poverty threshold.
For information about how the Census Bureau determines who is in poverty, see
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/about/overview/measure.html.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), Annual Social and Economic Supplement, 2015. See
Digest of Education Statistics 2015, table 501.30.
Percentage of young adults ages 18 to 24 who were neither enrolled in
school nor working, by age group and family poverty status: 2015
National Center for Education Statistics (2016):
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_col.asp

11. WHAT ARE EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS?
Theory of change:
A significant number of college credits earned in high
school will ensure underprepared students attain the
AA degree and are on the path to the BA.
By changing the structure of high school, compressing
the number of years to a college degree, and removing
financial and other barriers to college, early college
high schools will increase the number of
underrepresented youth attaining an AA degree and
the opportunity to earn a BA.

12. 12
EARLY COLLEGE STUDENT POPULATION
NATIONALLY
Source: JFF Student Information System, 2010-2013 Averages

13. 13
EARLY COLLEGE OUTCOMES
Source: Garet, M., Knudson, J., & Hoshen, G. (2014). Early college, continued success: Early college high school initiative impact study.
Washington, D.C.: American Institutes for Research
Year 5, and 23.7 percent had received at least one degree by Year 6 (see Exhibit 2.6). In
contrast, very few comparison students had earned a college degree by the same points in
time (0.7 percent, 1.3 percent, and 2.1 percent, respectively). Of course, it will be important
to follow the students in all cohorts at least through four years after high school, and
perhaps even longer, to see the eventual differences in degree attainment rates. See the
College Degree Attainment Trends for the Two Oldest Cohorts text box for degree
attainment patterns through Year 7 for our two oldest cohorts.
Exhibit 2.6. Percentage of Students Who Earned a Postsecondary Degree by Year 4, by Year 5, and by
Year 6 After Starting Ninth Grade for All Cohorts, by Study Group
n = 2,458 students (1,044 Early College, 1,414 comparison)
SOURCE: National Student Clearinghouse, 2005–2013
NOTES: Early College means are unadjusted means, and comparison group means were computed by subtracting estimated
treatment effects from the unadjusted Early College means.
* p < .05; ** p < .01; *** p < .001
20.9%*** 22.4%*** 23.7%***
0.7% 1.3% 2.1%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
By Year 4 By Year 5 By Year 6
PercentageofStudentsEarninga
PostsecondaryDegree
Time Period
Early College
Comparison
American Institutes for Research Early College High School Initiative Impact Study 16

14. 14
CAREER ACADEMY OUTCOMES
Source: Kemple, J. J., & Willner, C. J. (2008). Career academies: Long-term impacts on labor market outcomes, educational attainment, and
transitions to adulthood. New York: MDRC.
Career Academies Evaluation
Impacts on Average Monthly Earnings and Components of Earnings
for Young Men
Exhibit 3
$1,647
$2,558
$1,386
$2,197
$0
$400
$800
$1,200
$1,600
$2,000
$2,400
$2,800
Years 1-4 Years 5-8
MonthlyEarnings(2006Dollars)
Average Monthly Earnings
38.5
41.0
35.7
38.2
0
12
24
36
48
Years 1-4 Years 5-8
Months
Months Employed
34.0
37.6
30.0
33.5
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Hours
Average Hours Worked per Week
Impact = 4.1**
Impact = 2.9*** Impact = 2.8***
Impact = $260***
Impact = 4.0***
SOURCES: MDRC calculations from the Career Academies Evaluation Four-Year and
Eight-Year Post-High School Follow-Up Surveys.
Impact = $361**
18
Career Academies Evaluation
Impacts on Average Monthly Earnings and Components of Earnings
for Young Men
Exhibit 3
$1,647
$2,558
$1,386
$2,197
$0
$400
$800
$1,200
$1,600
$2,000
$2,400
$2,800
Years 1-4 Years 5-8
MonthlyEarnings(2006Dollars)
Average Monthly Earnings
38.5
41.0
35.7
38.2
0
12
24
36
48
Years 1-4 Years 5-8
Months
Months Employed
Academy Group
Non-Academy
Group
34.0
37.6
30.0
33.5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Hours
Average Hours Worked per Week
Impact = 4.1***
Impact = 2.9*** Impact = 2.8***
Impact = $260***
Impact = 4.0***
SOURCES: MDRC calculations from the Career Academies Evaluation Four-Year and
Eight-Year Post-High School Follow-Up Surveys.
NOTES: Earnings and wages are reported in 2006 dollars.
Impact = $361**
18

15. PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY GOAL FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Complete high school with
at least 12 college credits
and work-based learning
experience
Attain postsecondary
credential with value in
regional labor market
Advance in career and
pursue further education
as interested
Launch a career in a high-
demand, high-growth,
high-wage occupation
ALL YOUNG PEOPLE:
COLLEGE & CAREER

16. WORK-BASED LEARNING
http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/publications/mater
ials/WBL-one-page-061516.pdf

17. WONDERFUL COMPANY

18. 18
• Deciding on and designing together courses, curricular pathways, and support
systems, as well as professional development opportunities and data platforms, that
impact what and how students learn.
CO-DESIGN
• Sharing and coordinating faculty and staff, facilities, and other resources to carry out
the co-designed learning experiences and supports.
CO-DELIVERY
• Accepting agreed-upon assessments, successful completion of performance tasks
and experiences, and other indicators of learning as evidence of proficiency,
including for placement in credit-bearing, college-level courses.
CO-VALIDATION
PRINCIPLES OF PARTNERSHIP

19. CALIFORNIA REGIONAL NETWORKS

20. EXAMPLE OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE

21. EXAMPLE OF REGIONAL NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS

22. EARLY PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES
Early Progress Challenges
Distributed Leadership Capacity and Credibility of Staff
Engagement of Community Leaders,
Employers, and Postsecondary Institutions
Activities v. Culture, Strategy, and
Capacity Building
Shared Identity Formation and
Communication
Competing Regional Coordinating
Initiatives

23. JOEL VARGAS
jvargas@jff.org
TEL 617.728.4446 FAX 617.728.4857 info@jff.org
88 Broad Street, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02110 (HQ)
122 C Street, NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001
505 14th Street, Suite 900, Oakland, CA 94612
WWW.JFF.ORG