In the current K-12 education system, a high school diploma minimally signifies that a student was awarded credit for academic subjects by meeting seat-time requirements and receiving a passing grade. There is wide variability in preparedness by students who hold a high school diploma; it signals very little about what they know and can do. Meaningful qualifications focus on the knowledge, skills, and competencies a student has earned based on evidence of mastery. These qualifications are directly linked to the needs of higher education and the workforce. Coherent education systems designed around meaningful qualifications hold promise to motivate students by clearly linking studies with tangible outcomes.