Back-to-school 2026/27: What’s new in Xello
This school year marks another milestone in a student’s postsecondary planning journey. As students explore opportunities for their futures, educators will be working right alongside them, supporting and advising them through every step.
To help make this a meaningful year for both students and educators, we updated several key features in Xello that focus on improving career exploration, student data, and advising.
Make career exploration more relevant to students
Career exploration involves much more than simply browsing job titles. Students need to see the full scope of their career interests and how they would fit into their life goals. The latest updates in Xello make it easier for students to dive deeper into careers that interest them, search according to preferences, and understand earning potential.
Local salary information
Students can now see salary information within career profiles based on their school’s location. Rather than relying on general salary data, students can make more informed career decisions based on the earning potential in their specific area. They can also compare these to other locations across the country to get a clearer picture of salaries in different regions.
New career opportunities for a changing world of work
As the workforce takes on new roles to accommodate emerging needs, students can now familiarize themselves with less familiar possibilities, from Digital Accessibility Specialist and Smart Home Technician, to Quantum Software Developer and Vertical Farming Technician.
Career profiles are researched by Xello’s in-house experts and written at a sixth-grade reading level, making it easier for students to understand and compare careers that match their interests and aspirations.
Easier career discovery
We updated the Explore Careers experience with more intuitive browsing categories and keyword search, making discovery easier and more personalized. With greater search capabilities, students can find best-fit careers that align with personal priorities, such as demand and salary.
See where students are headed and where they may need support
Collecting student data is common practice, but what are educators doing to turn that data into actionable support? Our updated Reports Hub and Student Intentions Report make it easier to see what’s happening across a school or district and distill broad trends into manageable plans.
Reports Hub
Educators know how difficult it can be to track down reports in different areas, remember where certain reports live, and navigate through multiple pages. When reports are hard to find, useful data can go underused.
Reports Hub brings all reports into one central place where educators can quickly find, access, save, and monitor reports with intuitive functions. Quickly locate reports using keyword search, then dive into data cards for key metrics and insights at a glance. Frequently used reports can be saved for easier access.
With less time tracking down data, educators can spend more time supporting students.
Student Intentions Report
Educators need a clear view of students’ shifting postsecondary intentions in order to identify trends, improve advising, and step in with timely support.
The Student Intentions Report helps educators see how students’ postsecondary plans are taking shape through key progress signals like college applications, FAFSA progress, and saved options. Detailed reporting reveals patterns and planning gaps across student groups, as well as specific student trends such as GPA, test scores, and counseling frequency.
The Student Intentions Report shows how student intentions align with the planning activity already in Xello, giving a more complete picture of progress compared to a static intentions survey.
Spend less time preparing for advising conversations
Advising conversations should be meaningful, productive, and rooted in context. But without the right tools, discussions often come with too much prep time and not enough details.
Xello Advising Assistant brings key student insights and AI-powered talking points together in one place, helping educators spend less time preparing and more time leading informed conversations. Built with responsible AI safeguards, it provides essential context for educators while protecting student data.
Student summaries offer a comprehensive look at goals, interests, strengths, progress, and recent activity, so counselors know exactly where to start conversations. Xello Advising Assistant also synthesizes personalized and research-based talking points, so counselors have some inspiration for thoughtful, relevant questions. Each advising session is saved so counselors can pick up future conversations where they left off, providing continuity over time.
Starting the school year off strong
Educators have the rewarding task of guiding students through a new year of postsecondary planning, and our team at Xello is committed to walking alongside them every step of the way.
As we begin a new school year, we’re eager to see how these updates enhance both student and educator experiences through comprehensive career exploration, streamlined access to student data and reporting, and more meaningful advising sessions.
