Toward the Big Blur: State Governance of a Unified Education-to-Workforce System That Works for Everyone

In this first in a series of case studies featuring leading-edge states, Jobs for the Future (JFF) documents key policies that Colorado is putting into place to erase the arbitrary boundaries between high school, college, and the world of work and open the opportunity for all young adults to move along a path toward a postsecondary credential and preparation for a career.

JFF spotlights a few of the most promising Big Blur-adjacent policies, as well as bills under consideration in the 2023 legislative sessions.

JFF’s vision for the Big Blur could be the future for community colleges if they work with high schools, dual enrollment students in community colleges, and employers to construct new grades 11-14 career preparation institutions.

A fifth year of high school can enable students to earn an associate’s degree at no cost while beginning to blur the lines between high school, college, and career.

This paper argues for a radical restructuring of education for grades 11–14—by erasing the arbitrary dividing line between high school and college—to open opportunities for the learners our current systems leave behind. We make the case for an entirely new type of institution—neither high school nor college—designed specifically to better meet the needs of young people after 10th grade and help prepare them to succeed in the world of work.

Policy redesign that puts people at the center and ensures informed choice-making.