Every student in your school can graduate with a clear, achievable plan for college or a meaningful career—and the skills and support to get there. Becoming a Brilliant Pathways School turns that vision into a concrete, school-wide strategy.
For more than 35 years, Brilliant Pathways has partnered with K–12 schools to build a culture of college and career readiness grounded in mentoring, Essential Skills™, and intentional pathways to college and career.
What Schools Receive
Dedicated Program Director
- Who will help create and provide full implementation guidance for the 10-Point Plan.
- Remote and on-site programming designed to address your students’ specific needs, and to teach them the Essential Skills™, our tested building blocks for success.
Ongoing Professional Development
We invest in your team so the work is sustainable and school-wide.
- Annual planning workshop to align goals and implementation.
- A national fall symposium bringing together a global network of education, business, government and philanthropic leaders all committed to making sure underserved youth are ready for college and the workplace.
- Career and College Readiness Advisor Training to build internal capacity.
Digital Tools and Networks
- Access to the Brilliant Career Lab and interactive student college and career exploration tools.
- A national network of 200+ college partners offering campus visits and virtual programming.
- 200+ Corporate partners providing career panels, mentoring, and work-based learning opportunities.
Recognition & Impact
- Celebrations of your successes through our Schools of Distinction awards.
Brilliant Pathways provides the strategic roadmap to align school-wide efforts with state-mandated college and career readiness standards. We also work alongside school educators to ensure that existing partnerships and initiatives are integrated into a cohesive program approach.
Budget & Scholarships
Brilliant Pathways is committed to partnering with schools that serve high-need students and communities, and to making the program financially accessible through scholarships and braided funding.
- Annual program investment: $30,000 per school for a full year of support.
- Scholarship opportunities: Philanthropic and grant funding can significantly reduce the school’s cost share.
- Typical funding sources: Title programs, college and career readiness funds, local grants, and foundation or corporate support.
During the application process, we review your context, identify possible funding sources, and work with you to develop a sustainable cost-share model. If you are interested but unsure about funding, we encourage you to submit an inquiry so we can explore scholarship options together.
Impact in Their Own Words
Shari Brannock
SuperintendentShari Branock
“I knew that CFES Brilliant Pathways had a national reputation for turning rural and urban schools around with a focus on college and career readiness. They understood our needs and how to get us where we needed to go.”
Shameka Shoemaker
AlumnaShameka Shoemaker
“When Brilliant Pathways came to our school, it opened the door for me (and all of my classmates) to think about college. They showed us how to overcome obstacles like being first-generation or lacking financial resources, and how not to let those stop us.”
Tawyna Biascotti
MentorTawyna Biascotti
“I absolutely love working here. It’s a community. I’m part of a team and included in everything. It’s not a hierarchy; everyone is focused on helping kids—those kids are our priority.”
Lasana Drame
CFES ScholarLasana Drame
“Coming from an underrepresented community, it can be hard to find a good role model, and Program Director Angel was that for me. In college, I always remembered what he taught me about networking and leadership and tried to pass it along to the younger generation.”