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Connecting Education & Opportunity: A Framework for Credential Impact in Tennessee

October 24, 2024

Tennessee stands at a crossroads where the future prosperity of its students and its economy depends on better supporting students through education toward workforce opportunities.  

In Connecting Education & Opportunity: A Framework for Credential Impact in Tennessee, SCORE presents a data-informed lens through which we can identify which postsecondary pursuits are also matched to high-demand, high-wage jobs. This framework is rooted in key measures of earnings, job outlook, and stackability that work together to give a clearer pathway toward student opportunity. 

Key Takeaways

When we better understand the impact of a credential on future opportunities, Tennessee can: 

  • Give students access to clear, reliable information about how different credentials impact their future earning potential and career prospects in Tennessee, offering insight into that credential's return on that student’s financial investment. 
  • Create more equitable pathways for historically underserved students, who are currently significantly less likely to enroll in and complete postsecondary education or workforce training.  
  • Coalesce as educators, policymakers, student advisors, and business leaders to guide students toward educational pathways that truly set them up for success and benefit the state’s economy. 

The Credential Impact Framework

The framework leverages data measures – annual earnings, job outlook, and stackability.

Watch the SCORE Institute on Impact Credentials