Nebraska, Arkansas, and Tennessee: Using Data to Improve Student Pathways

State and local education leaders have access to growing amounts of data about students’ experiences and outcomes, but turning those data into concrete strategies for improvement can be challenging. Leaders must determine which challenges to prioritize, understand what may be driving them, and identify actions that schools and districts can realistically take. These questions span the education-to-workforce continuum—from ensuring that students attend school consistently and stay on track for graduation to helping them build the skills and access the pathways they need to enter high-quality careers.

To demonstrate how the Education-to-Workforce (E-W) Framework can support this continuous improvement process, TNTP partnered with state and local education leaders in Nebraska, Arkansas, and Tennessee to examine two different challenges. In Nebraska, TNTP worked with the Nebraska Department of Education, the Nebraska Statewide Workforce & Educational Reporting System (NSWERS), and participating districts to better understand patterns in chronic absenteeism. State and district leaders used longitudinal data to identify where attendance challenges were most pronounced, examine potential root causes, and develop locally tailored approaches to strengthen student engagement and family partnerships.

In Arkansas and Tennessee, state and local leaders focused on strengthening connections between career and technical education (CTE), academic preparation, and opportunities in growing regional industries. Using state education, CTE, and labor market data, leaders identified a shared challenge: too many students lacked the math skills needed for high-wage, high-demand careers in their regions. Participating districts then examined the factors contributing to that challenge and developed strategies ranging from stronger coordination between math and CTE instruction to expanded career exploration and advising.

Across both efforts, the E-W Framework provided a common set of questions and indicators that helped leaders connect broad goals to relevant data, narrow their focus, explore root causes, and identify practical opportunities for action. The case studies offer concrete examples of how state and local leaders can use the Framework as part of an ongoing continuous improvement process. To read the full case studies, click "Learn More" below.

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