The 2026 Future Forward Summit marks a pivotal moment in Tennessee’s work to ensure all students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to successfully move from education into the workforce. As the state continues to advance pathways that prepare students for success beyond high school, this year’s convening will focus on priorities, policies, partnerships, and systems that help students earn credentials and degrees aligned to economic opportunity.
Tennessee has made important progress in expanding education-to-career pathways that prepare students for a rapidly changing economy — yet too few students are on pathways that lead to economic independence, and many still experience fragmented transitions from K-12 to postsecondary education and into the workforce. More can be done to ensure every student is supported through intentional high-quality work-based learning experiences, strong advising and coaching, and access to credentials aligned to today’s labor market demands — all while building the skills to adapt as those demands change.
This year's summit responds to this moment by focusing on what happens next: how Tennessee’s education-to-career pathways are translating statewide priorities into real programs, partnerships, and policies, and how, together, we can turn a shared vision into widespread impact. The convening will spotlight where pathways are working well, where alignment can be strengthened, and how these efforts can be scaled to support students’ economic independence, build stronger talent pipelines for employers, and drive long-term prosperity for Tennessee’s economy.
What to Expect & Areas of Focus
The 2026 Future Forward Summit will highlight the key levers required for lasting impact, focusing on system-level alignment grounded in statewide priorities and real-world implementation so that participants leave with practical strategies they can apply in their context and community.
K-12 Pathways to Economic Independence
Participants will examine how high-quality pathways to economic independence begin in K-12 by aligning credentials to industry needs, expanding work-based learning, and strengthening advising to support students as they transition into postsecondary education and careers.
Postsecondary Credentials and Degrees That Deliver Value
Sessions will focus on strengthening credential quality and transparency, expanding nondegree and stackable credentials, aligning affordability strategies, and ensuring postsecondary offerings connect clearly to workforce demand and opportunities.
Employer-Led Partnerships that Strengthen Local Talent Pipelines
Participants will hear directly from employers and practitioners about effective partnership models, including how employers codesign pathways to ensure students earn skills and competencies to meet employment needs, identify priority sectors, and align talent development with hiring and advancement needs.
Who Should Attend
Understanding that system change requires different sectors and partners coming together, the summit is designed for a broad cross-sector audience working to advance education-to-career pathways across Tennessee, including:
- K–12 education leaders
- Postsecondary education leaders
- Employers and industry partners
- Policymakers and state agency leaders
- Workforce boards, intermediaries, and community organizations
- Partners invested in education-to-career pathways innovation
New in 2026: Introducing the Future Forward Webinar Series
To build momentum leading up to the 2026 Future Forward Summit, SCORE is launching a Future Forward Webinar Series to make the April convening even more actionable. Designed as a lead-in to the convening, the series will spotlight timely topics, surface real-world examples, and create shared knowledge around what strong education-to-career models look like in practice.
The webinar series extends the Future Forward Summit experience beyond a single day. By the time attendees arrive at the summit, they’ll come with deeper context, clearer expectations, and a stronger foundation for action.
Visit the Future Forward Webinar Series page to explore upcoming virtual sessions.