As a result of the Shapiro Administration’s historic investments in K-12 education and a focus on ensuring that all Pennsylvania students have the skills they need to chart their own course to success, Pennsylvania earned the top spot among all 50 states in a national study of how schools across the country are preparing middle school students for careers.

Building on this progress, in October, Shapiro Administration officials from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) joined a coalition of teams from Arizona, Kentucky, Washington, and Arkansas to accelerate efforts nationwide to prepare American students for success beyond high school. The coalition formed from the “Extending the Runway” report that ranked Pennsylvania with the highest possible score for middle school career exploration. As part of  the coalition, Pennsylvania is continuing to lead the way by working with our schools on a new career-readiness program that will put students in an advisory role, focus on hands-on learning experiences, and leverage community partnerships. 

The “Extending the Runway” report follows Pennsylvania’s designation as the first state in the nation to meet a performance-based federal indicator for K-12 Career Readiness under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Pennsylvania’s Career Education and Work academic standards require schools to provide all students with meaningful career-exploration opportunities from kindergarten through high school.

In recent years, Pennsylvania has accelerated its nation-leading efforts to prepare young learners for future careers through Career Ready PA, a PDE initiative that facilitates training and resources to support educators with best practices and resources to prepare learners with employability skills necessary for postsecondary success. With a required career plan in grade 8 and strong cross-sector partnerships in every region of the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania is equipping students with the tools, experiences, and guidance they need to explore their interests and build a path toward lifelong success.

At the same time, Pennsylvania is delivering the support our students need to learn, grow, and succeed. The Governor’s 2024-25 bipartisan budget delivered a record $1.1 billion increase in K-12 public education funding — the largest year-over-year increase in Pennsylvania history — strengthening school safety, ensuring fair and adequate funding, supporting educators, and helping every child chart their own path to success.

Pennsylvania is also bringing career and technical education (CTE) back into our classrooms and has increased funding CTE and apprenticeships by $65 million – 50 percent more than the day Governor Shapiro took office. Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal continues to build on this progress and creates more opportunity for Pennsylvania students with another $5.5 million increase for CTE programs.

CTE gives students the opportunity to learn practical, hands-on skills and knowledge directly applicable to in-demand careers across the Commonwealth. CTE students can explore different career pathways, earn industry credentials, college credits, and gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, helping them make informed decisions about future education, career, and life goals — whether it’s pursuing postsecondary education, joining the military, or entering directly into the workforce.

To further assist students in making those decisions, PDE encourages educators and families to visit the Pennsylvania CareerZone website with young learners. This free resource available to all Pennsylvanians – including adults looking to make a career change or pursue a new credential – offers a Pennsylvania-focused tour of the career landscape. Explorers can practice budgeting, research occupations and credentials, assess their personal interests and skillsets, begin building a career plan, and much more.

Pennsylvania is also using CTE to ensure it has a pipeline of new workers in critical industries, like nurses and teachers. For example, the new CTE program in Education for high school students has also shown promise in helping students earn industry-recognized credentials prior to graduating high school.

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