(LEX NEWS) — The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, in partnership with Education Strategy Group, is rolling out a new advising tool designed to help Kentucky students plan earlier and more intentionally for college and careers.
The free resource, developed through the Kentucky Advising Academy, aligns K-12 career studies standards with high school graduation requirements.
Amanda Ellis, senior vice president for Student Access and Success for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, said the tool fills a long-standing gap.
"It's very much in line with what we should be doing in partnership with K-12," Ellis said.
The tool is designed for a wide range of users.
"It could be a middle school student who digs in on this, it could be a returning adult who may want to complete an education they didn't complete or pursue additional credentials," Ellis said.
When asked what feedback the tool has received so far, Ellis said the response has been clear.
"Where's this been, we've needed this," Ellis said.
Ellis said training continues for districts using the new tool, with different modalities available for how it can be delivered.
Leslie Slaughter, Director of Transition, Workforce and Innovation for Spencer County Public Schools, is among those in Frankfort this week discussing the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education's holistic approach and participating in Kentucky Advising Academy training on the new resources and how they will be implemented across Kentucky school districts.
Slaughter said the framework addresses a critical need.
"To have a framework by which we can really be intentional on how we advise kids about their futures, I think is critical," Slaughter said.
Slaughter said the tool is personalized and contextual to Kentucky specifically.
"This scope and sequence provides a playbook," Slaughter said.
The need for a resource like this is underscored by recent data. In 2024, only 47.5% of Kentucky high school students immediately enrolled in college courses. That same year, more than 2,600 high school students entered a Kentucky public college without a declared major.
