Roundtable Webinar: Why We Created a Portrait of a Graduate

By: Kendell Hunter

Many states are pushing beyond traditional definitions of a successful graduate, such as GPA or college admittance, to create a ‘portrait of a graduate’ that identifies the skills students should possess upon high school graduation.

This shift redefines success by including attributes that will help students become ethical and global citizens. Importantly, this approach isn’t limited to secondary education – schools are increasingly aligning on this concept starting as early as elementary school, highlighting its significance throughout a student’s educational journey.

Watch this webinar to hear from three school leaders who have experience creating their district's portrait of a graduate. They discussed:

The process of identifying the essential skills and competencies that make up a portrait.
Alignment of a portrait with their school’s vision and mission.
Professional development and the need to advocate for student-centered pedagogies.
Community communication and celebration.

Tackling Inequities by Rethinking Education

The traditional model of schooling, with its uniform approach, doesn't always succeed in achieving equitable outcomes. To address this, it's crucial to empower students and families to actively participate in the design process, creating an education system that truly values and recognizes the unique experiences and identities of every student. This isn't just about minor adjustments; it’s about making significant changes to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to thrive. Innovation here is not just a buzzword but a vital tool to solve the pressing issue of inequity in education.

"I believe that the industrial model of school was never designed to get us equitable outcomes. And so, by nature, it is designed as a one-size-fits-all and is designed around some efficiencies and standards that don’t recognize the variability that our young people bring to schools. So, their lived experience is their life context, their identities, and so much more. We believe the way to truly move closer to equitable outcomes is to design with our young people and families. And so we wanted the importance of the Portrait of a Learner to exist in that – we wanted to walk hand in hand with our young people to define the set of experiences alongside them."

Crafting a Future-Focused and Holistic Vision

A Portrait of a Graduate envisions what students should become, both academically and personally. Through extensive community engagement, including students, parents, and educators, a vision is created that goes beyond traditional academic achievements. This vision is rooted in community values and is designed to prepare students for an ever-changing world. It focuses on developing a wide range of skills and competencies that will serve students well in the future. The goal is to create a broad and balanced definition of success, ensuring students are well-equipped for whatever challenges and opportunities lie ahead.

“Our Portrait of a Graduate is a reflection of our community’s collective aspirations for our students’ future and the promise we are making to ensure we adequately prepare them for futures that we haven’t imagined yet. And so, we wanted students at the center of that work. And what we recognized quickly was that if this is what we are saying for our learners, we needed to ask the question, “What do our educators need to do to provide that for our students?” And if this is what we want for our educators, “What do we need for our system in order to support that throughout?”

Embracing Student-Centered Practices for Continuous Improvement

Implementing a Portrait of a Graduate means putting students at the heart of everything done. This includes adopting student-centered practices such as project-based learning and integrating social-emotional learning into the curriculum. These approaches empower students to take an active role in their education, making learning more meaningful and engaging. The process is dynamic and iterative, with continuous feedback and refinement to keep the portrait relevant and effective. Schools are encouraged to pilot new ideas, gather insights from surveys and focus groups, and make necessary adjustments. This ongoing journey ensures that a Portrait of a Graduate not only sets a clear vision for student success but also guides the creation of learning environments that support this vision.

“What is our guiding principle in order to ensure students are successful, not just in the classroom, but beyond in the ever-changing world, with technological advances? A lot of the jobs our students are going to have don’t even exist today, so how are we preparing them to interact with critical thinking skills, and how are we ensuring that we provide a road map for both our teachers and our students and community members for what success looks like as a graduate?”

Learn How to Help Develop and Track Future Readiness Metrics with Otus

Related Resources

All Resources

Portrait of a Graduate

Jan 31,2024

Redefining Ready: How K-12 Schools Are Shifting a Focus to Life Readiness

Request a demo!

See exactly how Otus can help your school accelerate student growth and improve student outcomes – all while saving educators time.

Request a Demo