“To date, no study has examined the impact of specific IRCs [industry-recognized credentials] earned at the high school level on the various employment or postsecondary outcomes they are meant to improve. To address this gap, this study uses data from Texas—a state that has taken an especially thoughtful approach to IRCs—to examine their impact on those outcomes and begin to assess which IRCs are making a real difference in students’ lives.” – Thomas B. Fordham Institute, August 24, 2022