Schools are expanding career education offerings, but a new FutureEd report from Georgetown’s think tank argues students still lack access to the counseling and information needed to make realistic career decisions. The report points to chronic counselor staffing shortages as a primary barrier to effective career exploration and navigation. FutureEd cites national data showing 372 students per school counselor in 2024–25, well above the American School Counselor Association recommended 250:1 ratio. Even when counselors are present, caseloads and competing responsibilities can push proactive career planning behind immediate crises. The report also finds limited evidence that many CTE programs align cleanly with industry needs, and it notes ongoing obstacles including a “college for all” mindset, confusion around credential and certification quality, and gaps in labor-market data about which industries anticipate future hiring. The result is a mismatch between rapidly proliferating career pathways and the student support infrastructure required to use those pathways effectively.