Portraits in progress
by Katie Wilczak, Head of Product Learning and Design, Pearson & Kyle Dunbar, Learning Experience Researcher, Digital Promise
What we’re learning about future-ready skills assessment
Across the country, momentum is building around Portrait of a Graduate frameworks, future-ready skills, and student-centered learning. States and districts are increasingly aligning their educational visions with these priorities, recognizing that success in today’s world requires more than academic knowledge—it demands skills like critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Recent moves by states such as New York and Massachusetts who adopted Profiles of a Graduate within the past few months—along with a growing interest in ESSA waivers that grant greater flexibility in state-level assessment and accountability systems—reflect a broader policy shift toward more holistic, learner-centered approaches.
Read more