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Engaging Student Voices to Shape Future Pathways

Insights from CFA’s Student Voice Project are Informing Pathways with Student and Family Feedback

 

OPPORTUNITY Educators can ensure that college and career pathways are centered around students to drive more effective pathways and increase student academic and career success. Educators should listen to students and families and leverage their input to improve the design and implementation of college and career pathways.

 

STRATEGIC ACTION Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) launched the Student Voice Project to listen to students' and families' needs and aspirations and ensure college and career pathways can be tailored to meet those needs. Partnering with Mesa Public Schools and Chandler-Gilbert Community College, we conducted focus groups and feedback sessions with high school and community college students, as well as parents. This three-step approach provided diverse insights to enhance career-connected pathways and can be used broadly by practitioners to improve their pathways designs:

  • Listen: Understand students' hopes, dreams, needs, and priorities for their futures.
  • Analyze: Develop data-driven insights to improve pathways.
  • Share: Collaborate with schools and stakeholders to implement the insights and strengthen early college career pathways.
 

INSIGHTS The Student Voice Project gathered invaluable insights that CFA and our partners across the state are leveraging to ensure college and career pathways meet all students and families where they are. Together, we are implementing new ideas and strategies that tightly connect parent-student communication about college and career and provide ample opportunity for families to engage with schools and support students’ educational and career pathway decisions.

Family Involvement: 50%

of students rely on their family for important life decisions.

Students value their parents' input

and want them to be involved in their journey, from high school to post-secondary to career.

Practical Learning

Students want to link school learning to future careers.

Enhanced Pathways:

New strategies are being implemented statewide to connect parent-student communication about college and careers.

I kind of have a plan. But there’s just a lot that is involved in that, a lot that needs to get done, and it’s not easy. There’s so much to consider, and having my parents' involvement will help me feel more confident about my next steps.

- High School Student

COLLABORATE

Join us in creating effective career-connected pathways that truly reflect the aspirations of those we serve and ultimately increase educational attainment and economic prosperity for Arizona. Please reach out to our team to learn more about our findings from students and families and partner with us on additional listening projects and other pathways efforts.

Quality Career Exploration Early College Programs of Study Work-Based Learning

We invite you to continue the discussion and work with us.