Nashville, Tenn. — On Feb. 13, 2025, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) convened nearly 350 national and statewide education and business leaders to take action on behalf of Tennessee students by engaging in cross-sector collaboration that can result in greater education-to-workforce opportunities.
The second gathering of its kind since 2023, the Future Forward Summit offered attendees a day of expert talks, panels and breakout sessions focused on creating career-connected pathways that guide students from their K-12 education to earning postsecondary credentials and into growing job opportunities in Tennessee that ultimately offer economic independence. Collaboration among educators, business leaders, policymakers and advocates further informed each presentation and conversation as attendees addressed both evidence-supported strategies and tangible solutions for Tennessee to pursue.
At the event, SCORE announced one such solution — the Future Forward Innovation Grant — to support education, community and industry leaders as they design, launch and scale innovative education pathway programs in their communities. Recipients will receive up to $75,000, one year of strategic consulting and participation in a cohort-style learning fellowship.
“We all know that on this journey from education to work, every student deserves more than a pathway that is based on luck,” said David Mansouri, president and CEO of SCORE. “At this moment in Tennessee, the most important thing we can do to support our state’s economy is to prepare talented students with the education and skills needed for the workforce of today and tomorrow. Student-centered and career-connected learning is the pathway that will unlock economic opportunity for our state.”
While we are seeing progress in learning outcomes, postsecondary completion, and degree and credential attainment in the state, students still face barriers in pursuing their next steps after high school and translating their education into a career that offers high wages and job growth. Statistics illustrate the gaps that summit attendees will work to close in the months and years beyond the gathering:
- Estimates show that, by 2031, 63% of jobs in Tennessee will require some form of postsecondary credential. Yet, today, only 49% of Tennesseans hold such a credential.
- Only 49% of postsecondary credentials earned align to high-demand occupations in Tennessee.
- Tennessee’s workforce participation rate is 59.8% and declining, while the national workforce participation rate is increasing.
- There is wide variation in earnings for postsecondary graduates. Some Tennesseans with a bachelor’s degree earn less than high school graduates and cannot meet their basic needs, while others make more than Tennesseans with a doctoral degree.
“Our state’s economy is rapidly growing, but for all Tennesseans to reach their full potential, we must ensure they have the education and skills needed to turn opportunities into lasting, thriving careers,” said Randy Boyd, president of The University of Tennessee System and a speaker at the event. “The ultimate goal is to equip learners to become part of the best prepared workforce — a workforce whose members thrive as individuals while also meeting the state’s economic development needs of today and the future.”
More than 30 speakers of national and statewide prominence offered insights and contributed to the conversations of the day, including:
- Randy Boyd, president, University of Tennessee System
- Paul Fain, author and journalist, Work Shift
- Sarah Oppenheimer, executive director, Opportunity Insights
- Kelli Rhee, president and CEO, Arnold Ventures
- Dr. Nicole Smith, chief economist, Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce
- Deniece Thomas, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, commissioner, Tennessee Department of Education
- Matt Sigelman, president, The Burning Glass Institute
As part of the event, Mansouri called on all in attendance to commit to a set of new statewide goals called TN2030. Launched last fall with input from statewide stakeholders, TN2030 offers a shared data-driven vision for Tennessee student success along the entire education journey. When these goals are reached, one student and one step at a time, our state anticipates groundbreaking achievement rates that can lead students to greater success in postsecondary pursuits and finding a career that enables economic independence for a lifetime.
More Information on Future Forward
For more information about the Future Forward Summit and SCORE’s work in advancing student success, visit the Future Forward landing page. Media-ready video clips and photos of selected speakers are available for download and publishing. Post-event interviews are available upon request. A full list of speakers and resources is listed on the event web page, with videos of each main talk and panel.