Lifelong Learning Skills for College and Career Readiness: Considerations for Education Policy

Lifelong Learning Skills (LLS) provide the foundation for learning and working. They broadly support student thinking, self-management, and social interaction, enabling the pursuit of education and career goals. Collectively, LLS are the means by which students master academic content and translate knowledge into action.

There is a growing consensus among researchers that LLS are discretely identifiable and actionable levers of support for college and career readiness and success objectives. In an attempt to highlight this and consolidate some of the key evidence behind LLS, AIR developed an annotated bibliography, which summarizes a broadly applicable and representative sample of LLS research.

This policy brief provides a synthesis of the key takeaways from the annotated bibliography, and describes policy considerations for integrating LLS into education objectives. Staff working in state education agencies can use the resources found in the annotated bibliography to provide a rationale for integrating LLS into a state’s college and career readiness strategies and initiatives.