At the ninth annual Reagan Institute Summit on Education (RISE) held in Washington, D.C., policymakers, business leaders, and education advocates from across the political spectrum gathered to confront a foundational question facing the nation: What is the purpose of education in America?
The convening brought together diverse perspectives to debate pressing challenges, ranging from the escalating costs of higher education and the threat of "cognitive surrender" driven by artificial intelligence to the broader, enduring goal of fostering a well-rounded and deeply educated citizenry. Amidst the panels and breakout sessions, one topic consistently dominated the discourse: the urgent need to realign what students learn in classrooms with the dynamic realities of the modern workforce.
During the panel discussion titled "Beyond Achievement: Knowledge, Skills, and Human Flourishing," Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, zeroed in on the critical importance of looking five, ten, and fifteen years down the road. Flynn emphasized that educational systems must anticipate the future demands of employers rather than preparing students for a job market that no longer exists. Following her session, EdSurge sat down with Flynn to explore the intricacies of school-to-workforce connections, the superiority of broad career awareness over prescriptive readiness, and what it truly takes to prepare young people for an increasingly uncertain future.
Public Confidence and the Changing Workforce
The urgency of these discussions is underscored by recent data reflecting widespread anxiety among American families. A new Gallup poll shows that while 51 percent of parents trust K-12 schools to prepare students for new technology, far fewer parents feel confident in schools’ ability to prepare their children for the current world of work, with only 27 percent expressing trust in this area. Furthermore, confidence drops significantly when it comes to teaching critical thinking and problem-solving, which stands at 29 percent, and effective artificial intelligence use, which sits at just 34 percent.
When asked if these statistics serve as a warning sign that societal priorities are misaligned, Flynn confirmed that the education system is not doing enough to ready students for an unpredictable future. She noted that while this gap has existed for years, the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence and shifting business practices have made the disconnect glaringly apparent. The fact that parents are actively picking up on this trend raises a critical systemic question about how to address the problem at scale.
Addressing the low confidence parents report regarding AI preparation, Flynn pointed out that parents are learning at the same pace—or even slower—than students themselves. Consequently, educating parents must happen in parallel as new technologies continue to roll out across society. At the same time, Flynn admitted that the underwhelming figures regarding AI in schools do not come as a surprise. From an anecdotal standpoint, it is clear that formal educational institutions are lagging behind the private sector. School systems across both K-12 and higher education are scrambling to support teachers, while states and districts grapple with charting the right path forward. The reality that this conversation has moved out of exclusive policy circles and straight to the kitchen table is a telling sign of its urgency.
Defining AI Literacy for the Next Generation
As artificial intelligence permeates nearly every sector of the modern economy, questions remain regarding what specific competencies students should possess before they cross the graduation stage. Flynn argued that by the time students graduate from high school, every single one of them should possess basic AI literacy, comparing it to learning how to type in a traditional keyboarding class.
Whether this foundational knowledge is delivered in the form of a formal credential or built organically into classroom experiences over time, employers increasingly expect these skills as a baseline. However, Flynn stressed that checking a box is not enough; the ultimate goal must be building true fluency so that students can apply AI seamlessly to their day-to-day tasks.
When looking for promising models of AI education, Flynn pointed to pockets of progress scattered across different sectors, particularly in higher education. She highlighted Ohio State University for intentionally embedding artificial intelligence horizontally across various majors, as well as Miami Dade College for its groundbreaking work in applied AI education through initiatives funded by the National Science Foundation. Within the K-12 space, organizations like InnovateEDU are pioneering creative approaches to classroom integration. While these positive developments are encouraging, Flynn emphasized that the primary focus now must be on defining clear roles for states, districts, and local communities as they work to institutionalize these best practices.
Realigning Academics with Durable Human Skills
When discussing how to prepare students for a rapidly changing future, Flynn highlighted a fundamental misalignment between current school practices and what employers actually demand. Because future skills will continue to evolve at breakneck speed, educators should avoid teaching young people about specific jobs tied to specific employers. Instead, the baseline must consist of strong core academics paired with durable human skills—such as adaptability, resilience, and the capacity to learn and relearn throughout one’s life.
The misalignment often lies in how early and how broadly schools expose students to different career possibilities. High schools frequently remain hyper-focused on traditional college admissions metrics, inadvertently sidelining other viable post-secondary trajectories. If schools introduce career exploration much earlier—ideally embedding it deeply into middle school curricula—students can make far more informed, intentional choices by the time they reach the eleventh grade.
To better equip K-12 schools to help students connect their personal interests and passions to tangible career pathways, Flynn argued that structural tools and resources are paramount. For instance, expanding summer teacher externships can provide educators with firsthand, real-world work experiences that directly inform and enrich their classroom instruction.
Furthermore, educational systems must provide school counselors with the resources necessary to showcase opportunities well beyond the traditional four-year degree. Free exploration tools designed specifically for teenagers—such as the GoZig platform developed by Britebound in partnership with Jobs for the Future—can help students match their personal interests to a wide variety of pathways, including community college certificate programs and structured apprenticeships.
Employer Adjustments and the Early Labor Market
The shifting landscape is not restricted to classrooms alone; employers are also adjusting to profound changes within the early rungs of the labor market. With frequent headlines detailing how artificial intelligence is altering entry-level roles and leaving recent college graduates facing underemployment, stakeholders must get ahead of these trends to ensure the first rung of the career ladder is not entirely eliminated.
In response, employers are beginning to reevaluate their baseline entry-level requirements. Initiatives like Opportunity@Work and its "Tear the Paper Ceiling" campaign have actively encouraged major companies to remove unnecessary degree requirements for jobs that do not genuinely require a four-year diploma. Simultaneously, young people are increasingly seeking out "earn-and-learn" models, such as structured apprenticeships, which allow them to gain valuable work experience and income without having to choose between employment and education.
While significant progress has been made in bridging the divide between education and employment, Flynn reiterated that the ultimate solution comes back to ensuring young people fully understand the broad spectrum of options available to them as they transition into adult life.