K–12 education is entering a transformative shift.
Schools and states are adopting new standards that align students' skills with the needs of today’s employers.
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Over the next decade, how and what educators teach, and how students learn, will look fundamentally different from the practices of the past century.
The skills students need to excel are evolving rapidly as job descriptions and employers’ needs continue to shift with advancing technology.
While new technologies have gradually influenced classrooms over the past 25 years, from textbooks to Chromebooks, from pencils to keyboards, change is now accelerating.
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As artificial intelligence becomes a larger part of the conversation, so too does the urgency to ensure students develop the skills and proficiencies they’ll need to thrive in life and work.​
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Schools and states are adopting new standards that align students’ skills with the needs of today’s employers, often framed in terms like durable skills and a Portrait or Profile of a Graduate.​​
What are Durable Skills and a Portrait of a Graduate?
Durable skills, also known as soft skills, are the personal habits and traits that shape how we learn, work, and grow, as well as how we interact with others.
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A Portrait or Profile of a Graduate outlines the learning standards, competencies, and durable skills students should demonstrate upon graduation to be best prepared for today’s workforce.
Durable skills form the foundation of any Portrait or Profile of a Graduate, as the majority of its competencies are rooted in these skills.
