Lessons Learned Report

From March to December 2022, a dozen teams from across the country – made up of leaders from across intermediary organizations, K-12, higher education, the workforce, and student-serving organizations – came together to form the Accelerate ED regional accelerator. Over the course of the nine-month design sprint, each team engaged in a process facilitated by Education Strategy Group (ESG) to create a Blueprint for expanding access to accelerated pathways to credentials for high school students, particularly students of color and students experiencing poverty.

This report details the lessons from the regional accelerator – as well as other leading states and communities – on strategies for successfully scaling accelerated pathway programs. This includes developing equity-driven programs with intentionally sequenced coursework, work-based learning opportunities, and targeted advising and student supports; identifying a set of key enabling conditions around policy, funding, and data that are necessary for scaling these programs; and building the capacity of intermediary organizations and partner organizations to foster alignment across systems.

Ultimately, with the right partners, a unified vision, and a plan for scale, the national movement around accelerated pathways to credentials has the potential to create seamless transitions for students from high school to college and beyond.

Click the image to view the report.