Edmentum and Roadtrip Nation Q&A: Integrating Career Exploration into Core Curriculum
Edmentum has teamed up with Roadtrip Nation to launch its first-ever integration of real-world career storytelling directly into core, credit-bearing curriculum. Codesigned with Edmentum, this partnership brings Roadtrip Nation’s student-driven career exploration interviews straight into Edmentum Courseware, infusing lessons with authentic voices and lived experiences.
By embedding these stories seamlessly into evidence-based curriculum, we’re giving students meaningful, relevant connections that spark curiosity and support college and career readiness, all without adding extra work for teachers.
What is Roadtrip Nation?
Roadtrip Nation, known for its Emmy Award-winning career exploration videos available through PBS, produces unscripted interviews of professionals talking candidly about their paths, challenges, doubts, and decisions in their professional journeys. After engaging, 69% of students reported viewing their education as relevant to their lives.
These student-led conversations provide an honest look into people who have built meaningful careers, often in unexpected ways, to prompt thinking and curiosity. The results are clear: after watching, 61% of students discovered career paths they hadn’t previously considered.
Why are Edmentum and Roadtrip Nation collaborating?
The partnership is designed to directly address two of the biggest challenges facing K–12 education today—low student engagement, including chronic absenteeism, and the widespread lack of preparedness for postsecondary pathways. By weaving authentic career stories into everyday learning, the initiative brings real-world relevance into the classroom, helping students see purpose in what they’re studying. These genuine narratives not only make lessons more meaningful but also strengthen students’ sense of agency, empowering them to take ownership of their futures.
How will the videos be integrated into the curriculum?
Roadtrip Nation videos will be embedded directly into Edmentum Courseware lessons, enhancing learning without disrupting the proven curriculum already in place. Each video is carefully curated by Edmentum’s curriculum experts to ensure standards alignment and relevance, while the student-led interview style brings an authentic, curiosity-driven energy to instruction. This approach not only enriches the learning experience but also invites students to actively connect with real stories and real people.
What benefits does Roadtrip Nation bring to students?
Students will gain clear, real-world connections to the concepts they’re learning by hearing from diverse professionals who share their personal career journeys. These stories help students build a stronger sense of relevance and agency, sparking curiosity and opening their eyes to pathways they may not have previously considered. Backed by research, the integration also supports improved engagement and attendance, creating a more meaningful and motivating learning experience.
How does this help with student engagement?
Research shows the impact is already clear: in a San Jose study, nearly seven in ten students reported that their education felt more relevant after engaging with Roadtrip Nation content. Edmentum Courseware’s digital curricula augments that with a layer of mastery-based, active learning that keeps students motivated and engaged in learning, including in Clover, SC, where students using Courseware experienced 23% fewer absences.
How does Roadtrip Nation support career readiness?
Roadtrip Nation’s story-driven interviews give students an honest look at the many ways careers can unfold, helping them understand different trajectories and explore options they may never have encountered otherwise. By hearing directly from professionals about the challenges, choices, and growth they’ve experienced, students become more confident and better prepared for post-secondary opportunities. The impact is clear: in a Stanford study, more than 60% of participating students discovered new potential career paths after engaging with Roadtrip Nation content.
When will the integrated content be available?
The integration will roll out in phases, beginning with high school core courses for the 2026–27 back-to-school season. Middle school courses will follow, expanding access to these real-world career stories across grade levels. Additionally, select videos will be incorporated into Edmentum’s MajorClarity college and career planning platform, offering students even more opportunities to explore meaningful pathways for their future.
Which students and educators will benefit?
The integration is designed to support a wide range of learners and educators, whether students are using Edmentum Courseware in traditional classrooms or working with virtual instructors through EdOptions Academy. It also benefits teachers and counselors by providing curated, career-connected content that enhances instruction without adding to their workload, making it easier to bring real-world relevance into every learning environment.