On October 8, American Student Assistance (ASA) and Burning Glass Technologies debuted ground-breaking research on the implementation of high demand workforce skills, or “new foundational skills” in middle and high school classrooms.

Too often we think of high school as the time for post-secondary education and career preparation, when in fact middle school students are at a crucial time in development - cognitively and socially – to explore opportunities and find their purpose.

Far too many American youth graduate from high school without real clarity around their career aspirations, and without a solid understanding of what they want from life, what they’re capable of, and what they can do for society. Gaining this understanding early would set them up for a much straighter line from education to employment, but for some it would also eliminate a lot of the angst and indecision among the college-going population as they choose schools and majors.