In 2019, Knox County Schools began exploring how to better prepare students for success after high school. Through research, community engagement, and conversations with employers, a need emerged to redesign the high school experience around career pathways, real-world learning, and stronger connections to post-secondary opportunities.

Knox Education Foundation helped launch this effort by funding foundational research, facilitating community conversations, and convening leaders from education, business, and industry to help shape a shared vision for the future of student success.