Career Exploration Starts in Middle School. Here’s Why That Matters in Tennessee
Tennessee doesn’t just encourage middle school career exploration; it requires it. Since 2021, state law has made career exploration in middle school mandatory, not discretionary, and districts must administer a career aptitude assessment and share available CTE program information with 7th and 8th graders. Level All’s Career Finder is built to make good on that requirement, free, for every student.
One Tool. Used for Years, Not Just One Afternoon.
Level All’s Career Finder and career assessment aren’t a one-time exercise. They’re built to be revisited year after year, matching how Tennessee’s own High School & Beyond Plan is designed to work.
- 7th grade. The assessment helps a student start identifying interests and strengths, exactly the required career-interest inventory Tennessee law calls for.
- Building the plan of study. Results feed directly into a student’s initial plan of study, completed before entering high school.
- Choosing a pathway. Career Finder surfaces real Tennessee CTE programs in high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand fields, matched to what a student is actually drawn to.
- After high school. That same foundation feeds into the two years of postsecondary planning the HSBP extends into.
Why This Matters in Tennessee
- A real mandate, not a suggestion. What used to be encouraged is now required by law: career exploration for every middle schooler, not just the students at well-resourced schools.
- A discovery problem, not an opportunity problem. Tennessee’s CTE programs and career clusters already exist. The gap is making sure every student experiences real exploration before that required 7th-grade assessment, not cold.
Built to Connect the Dots
- From interest to pathway. A student exploring an interest in health sciences before 7th grade arrives at their required career-interest inventory already knowing what to build on.
- For counselors. Fewer students showing up to their assessment with nothing to add, and more walking in with real, specific interests already explored.
Free for every Tennessee student from their very first year of exploration. Reach out at tennessee@levelall.com.
