The Institute of Education Sciences has named Middle Tennessee State University as a partner institution on a nearly $1 million research grant awarded to the state â $926,761 to be exact. The grant, awarded by the Institute of Education Sciences, will support research on the effectiveness of Tennessee Pathways, a program developed in part by the Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Board of Regents. Tennessee Pathways "creates alignment between K-12, postsecondary education and employers so that students have a clear and guided pathway to move seamlessly into the workforce.â  The initiative guides students through K-12 advising, career and technical education (CTE), and educational and experiential opportunities that provide high schoolers industry-specific certifications or relevant credits at postsecondary institutions. Jobs can range across various fields such as education, health science, business and more.