North Carolina Embarks on Education Transformation with Skills for the Future Project
In a groundbreaking move, North Carolina has introduced the Skills for the Future project, aiming to integrate essential durable skills into the educational framework. This initiative, involving four pioneering school districts, marks a significant step in aligning education with real-world demands.
The project kicked off with professional development sessions in Mooresville Graded School District and Iredell-Statesville Schools on September 9 and 10, followed by events in Edgecombe County Public Schools on September 22 and Caldwell County Schools on September 26. These sessions provide hands-on experiences emphasizing collaboration, a key component of North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate.
Shaun Kellogg, senior director of the Office of Research and Promising Practices at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), stated, “This initiative is about ensuring that every student in North Carolina has the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills they need for success, not only academically, but in their careers and communities.” The project aims to make these skills a reality in every classroom.
Supported by a nearly $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the Skills for the Future initiative is a collaborative effort among states including Indiana, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Nevada. The project partners with ETS, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Battelle for Kids/AASA, and the University of North Carolina to develop the “Skills Suite” platform. This platform will offer performance-based learning insights and a mastery-focused transcript.
The project’s goal is to issue skill transcripts to 6,000 students and engage 400 educators in specialized training by its conclusion. This initiative aligns with NCDPI’s strategic plan to enhance college and career readiness by modernizing student assessment methods. For more details on the strategic plan, visit NCDPI’s strategic plan.
State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green emphasized the project’s potential, saying, “This is a transformative opportunity for North Carolina to lead the nation in measuring the skills students need to thrive after high school graduation. We are not only expanding how we define achievement — we’re empowering educators and communities to co-create the future of learning.”
The initiative is built around the North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate, which highlights crucial skills such as adaptability, collaboration, communication, critical thinking, empathy, learner’s mindset, and personal responsibility.
The recent events showcased an interactive agenda, including:
- Exploring the importance of collaboration in preparing students for future challenges.
- Demonstrations of durable skills in action with insights from industry leaders, educators, and students.
- A case study on FUNctional Spaces emphasizing collaboration in education.
- Design sessions with AI support and peer feedback to refine teaching strategies.
- Engagements at Futures CoLab to discuss the project’s impact on students, families, and the workforce.
Dr. Jason Gardner, superintendent of Mooresville Graded School District, expressed enthusiasm about the project, noting, “We know that durable skills are essential to the future success of our students in the workplace, and we believe this work will be a key element of the transformation of the high school experience.” Gardner highlighted the district’s history of innovative practices and its commitment to preparing students for success.
For more information on North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate and the Skills for the Future initiative, visit go.ncdpi.gov/pog.
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