The Student Outcome Score for Career Readiness

The Career Readiness Index™ (CRI) is the first comprehensive, dynamic score that measures career readiness as a student outcome, not an activity. The CRI measures a student's readiness for life after high school across 8 dimensions of career preparedness, while they're still in school.

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The Problem

Schools Measure Participation. Students Need Outcomes.

Every spring, districts compile the same numbers. CTE enrollment. Work-based learning hours. Post-secondary acceptance rates. These figures go into grant applications and board presentations as proof that students are career-ready.

They aren't proof of that. They're proof that students showed up.

A student can complete a full CTE pathway, get accepted to a four-year university, and still graduate without a direction, a plan, or a clue what they want to do with their life. The school's metrics looked fine. The student wasn't.

44 states require some form of career readiness measurement. Almost none are measuring the right thing.

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What Schools Currently Report

CTE Enrollment Rate

Input only

Measures students in a program

Graduation Rate

Input only

Measures diplomas issued

College Acceptance Rate

Proxy metric

Measures post-secondary enrollment

Work-Based Learning Hours

Proxy metric

Measures time logged, not growth

The Solution

Introducing the Career Readiness Index™

Think of it like a credit score. A single, comprehensive number that captures every dimension of a student's career preparedness and tells them exactly how to improve it.

Students Take the Growth Assessment

A structured reflection that establishes a grade-adjusted baseline CRI score, benchmarked against peers at the same grade level. Takes about 15 minutes.

They Receive a Personalized Roadmap

Every student sees exactly where they stand across 8 dimensions and gets a tailored list of milestones to raise their score, inside and outside the platform.

Their Score Grows With Them

As students complete milestones, build skills, and gain real-world experience, their CRI score updates in real time. Counselors and districts see it all in one dashboard.

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Orchard’s AI career readiness platform helps students explore careers, identify strengths, and build a personalized path to success.

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Who It's For

Clarity, direction, and a score that grows as your students do.

For the first time, districts have a performance metric tied to student outcomes, not just activity completion.

Most students don't have a clear picture of where they stand or what to do next. The Orchard's Career Readiness Index™ changes that.

See exactly where your students stand across 8 dimensions of career readiness
Get a personalized roadmap of milestones tailored to their goals
Watch their score grow as they take action, in school and out
Benchmark your students against peers at the same grade level, fairly
Build the self-awareness, skills, and experience that actually matter
Enter post-secondary life with a plan, not just a diploma

What people are saying about Orchard

Orchard living and breathing their promise to deliver meaningful career exploration! Kudos on meeting students where they are.

Mallory W.

An unsustainable path for the next generation. Glad we have platforms like Orchard to guide parents and students!

Raj N.

Wow, this is really cool! I know I would've loved to use this with my students when I was in the classroom -- and I know my kid will love this now.

Erika D.

So cool! Wish I had something like this when I was in high school. Would’ve saved me 4.5 years of engineering in college.

Alyson B.