By Clare Buckley Flack, John Sludden, Michelle Flores, Emma Alterman, and Cassie Wuest

(February 2026)

The Research Alliance and MDRC are conducting a mixed-methods study of the recent expansion of career-connected learning (CCL) in New York City’s public education system. Career-connected learning is an umbrella term gaining popularity among policymakers, educators, and employers across the United States. It refers to a vision for schooling that bridges the divide between college and career preparation, emphasizing integrated educational experiences and systematic, cross-sector coordination that sets students up for “gainful employment and fulfilling lives” (Bierly & Smith, 2024).

This report, the first from the study, examines two CCL initiatives, Future Ready NYC (FRNYC) and the Career Readiness and Modern Youth Apprenticeship (CRMYA) program. It outlines their design and goals, alongside those of longstanding Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, and describes how the adoption and spread of these initiatives have changed the landscape of CCL offerings citywide. CTE and FRNYC offer career-connected pathways for students, which combine career-themed instruction and experiences geared toward college and career opportunities in a specific industry. CRMYA features universal career readiness instruction (i.e., not tied to a particular industry) and paid apprenticeships. 

Key findings from the report include: 

• New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) added formal CCL offerings in nearly 100 schools between the 2021–2022 and 2024–2025 school years. So much growth in a three-year period is a considerable accomplishment given the challenges of implementing CCL.
• The increase in CCL programs has been driven primarily by the expansion of FRNYC pathways in high-wage, high-demand sectors (i.e., Technology, Healthcare, Business, Human and Social Services, HVAC and Building Decarbonization, and Teaching). 
• By design, a relatively small share of schools have been offering CRMYA. As CRMYA schools add Future Ready pathways, apprenticeships are increasingly available as capstone experiences for FRNYC students.
• On average, FRNYC pathways are aligned to occupations that require more postsecondary education than occupations that are the focus of CTE pathways. Prior research in New York City has shown that schools with CTE pathways aligned to careers requiring a bachelor’s degree or higher have positive impacts on Regents’ diploma receipt and immediate college enrollment, and CTE-Dedicated schools featuring college-aligned pathways are most cost effective in terms of generating additional high school graduates and college enrollees. 

Looking ahead, our study will explore connections between student and school characteristics, participation and persistence in CCL program components, and student outcomes. This work will shed light on the conditions under which CCL is associated with positive outcomes, and for whom. The rapid growth of CCL in NYC schools presents an unusual opportunity to learn about the supports and strategies that are most helpful for establishing new programs. Our study aims to uncover lessons about what works for scaling high-quality CCL, informing NYC’s continued expansion of Future Ready NYC, as well as the development of career-connected pathways in other large districts.