Several states, communities, and cities have adopted WorkKeys as part of their economic development or educational initiatives. For example, the Louisa-Muscatine School District uses WorkKeys as part of a School-to-Work initiative.
To give students an assessment of the skills they'll need for the workplace and college, two states are making WorkKeys exams part of graduation requirements for all high schoolers in the state. Starting in 2001, two WorkKeys tests – Applied Mathematics and Reading for Information – became part of the Prairie State Achievement Examination for all 11th graders in Illinois, along with the ACT test.
In 2007, the Michigan Department of Education made the WorkKeys Reading for Information and Applied Mathematics exams a part of its Michigan Merit Exam, a mandatory exam for 11th graders that also includes the ACT test.
Many states use WorkKeys for economic development initiatives, to prove to businesses looking to relocate that residents possess high job skills. These state initiatives include skill credentialing programs that are affiliated with the National Career Readiness Certificate.