Your Learning Network May 2017

Your Learning Network

May 2017

Feature Article

Preparing Students for What's Next

Policy Note
What About Title II?

Upcoming from VASCD
PreK/Kindergarten Conference June 19

Preparing Students for What's Next

by Steve Staples and Laurie McCullough

In 2014 the Virginia Board of Education began work to reform high school graduation requirements with a simple question:

Are Virginia’s high school graduates well prepared for what comes next?

The Board and Department of Education staff spent many months listening to a range of voices from around the Commonwealth, including educators, families, higher education, military and employers. They determined that the answer to the question was a resounding no . Though Virginia has terrific students and teachers who are working hard, they are working in an industrial age model that is not well aligned with 21st-century workforce needs. The Board resolved to improve this alignment, and began work on the Profile of a Virginia Graduate.

Changes in workforce needs demonstrate that a four-year college degree is no longer the only path to career success. In fact, a Virginia Employment Commission review of Virginia’s 45 fastest-growing jobs (paying at least $45,000) shows that 25 of these jobs require 2 years or less in training after high school, and some require only certification after high school.

Understanding how the workforce has changed is not an indictment of a four-year liberal arts education. Rather it is a recognition that there are now many more pathways to economic stability and quality of life after high school. To be well-prepared, our students should be informed about these pathways and prepared to pursue any of them that align with their interests and passions.

Knowledge is no longer the sole currency of success. Regardless of the career they choose, today’s students will need the skill to solve problems they have not seen before, to make decisions based on sound reasoning, to work collaboratively with those who approach problems in a variety of ways, and to engage as citizens and contributors in work, social, and community settings. In short, our students must begin “learning to….” vs. “learning about….” Educators therefore must create school experiences that more closely resemble life outside of school. This requires us to rethink the industrial model that currently characterizes high school - one in which everyone moves at the same pace- and move to a more personalized model that opens up increased opportunities and choices for our students. A significant part of this effort will be expanding students’ participation in a variety of internship experiences and service learning projects.