The new school year is underway, and with it comes a continuing focus on how to improve schools for students.
Guiding my work and the work of so many others is the notion of something greater than a diploma or transcript, a profile of a learner or graduate profile.
What is that? It’s an agreed-upon set of school- or district-level aspirations for what every learner will know and be able to do when they leave school. And that doesn’t have to mean when they graduate high school, it can mean when they transition from elementary to middle school or middle to high school.
The skills, or competencies, that make up a learner profile include the most sought-after skills employers look for, such as creative thinking, adaptability, critical thinking, and more.
Content standards aren’t enough. Getting three math credits and four English credits isn’t a great measure of future success.
So much of our work with students should be aligned with these competencies, which are what our schools, parents, businesses, and community members have told us are the most important skills our students can take with them for a successful future.
Battelle for Kids, a thought leader in the Portrait of a Graduate space, released a report this year called “The Future of the Portrait of a…
