The Urban Institute has launched the Student Upward Mobility Initiative with a $3 million grant aimed at uncovering which skills acquired in pre-K-12 education truly lead to success in adulthood, according to Education Slice.
The initiative seeks to replace guesswork with evidence by funding research that connects student competencies, such as math and noncognitive skills like teamwork and communication, to economic mobility and long-term success.
The initiative is focused on developing new metrics that better reflect career preparedness and social capital among students, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This research will explore how different factors, including a teacher’s race and a student’s social network, impact economic outcomes.
The overarching goal is to identify key pre-K-12 skills that contribute to lifelong success and to develop new methods for measuring these skills that go beyond traditional metrics like test scores. This could potentially transform how schools support students, making education a more effective tool for combating intergenerational poverty.
Education Slice
