Portrait of a Graduate Gallery
Portraits of Graduates vary in presentation and construction. Typical Portraits contain a small number of elements with descriptive language for each. Each of these elements is then divided into a set of competencies which are tangible learner-facing expectations for what a graduate knows and can do.
Outcome Frameworks
XQ Learner Outcomes
The five XQ Learner Outcomes provide a north star for students—propelling them to engage deeply in their own learning and to master the knowledge and skills to meet the challenges—and opportunities—that their futures hold.
Unique Callout: “Original Thinkers for an Uncertain World”
Future9 Competencies
These nine essential skill sets identified by reDesign aim to “prepare young people to navigate, and help shape, our future world.”
Unique Callout: “Navigate Conflict”
Durable Skills from America Succeeds
America Succeeds surveyed thousands of industry representatives to identify the 100 most desirable skills, as well as the top 10 most important skills for the future of work.
Unique Callout: Growth Mindset
Potrait of a Powerful Graduate
Digital Promise analyzed 69 different Portraits from districts across the United States revealing six categories that capture 90 percent of attributes most important to districts nationwide.
Unique Callout: Collaborate Across Difference
World Economic Forum: Top 10 Skills
According to the third edition of the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report, which maps the jobs and skills of the future, technology will rapidly alter the labor force.
Unique Callout: Self Management
Real World Learning Market Value Assets
A Kansas City regional initiative consists of local agreements between numerous districts and industry representation that result in credentials for valuable learning experiences.
Unique Callout: Entrepreneurial Experiences
Statewide Examples
Nevada Portrait of a Learner
“By asking thoughtful questions and encouraging students to reflect on what they are learning and why, we can empower them to create their OWN portraits of who they are and who they aspire to be. This approach fosters joy, creativity, and authenticity in the process and expressions of learning. Importantly, it also helps learners develop the self-awareness and resilience necessary to thrive in today’s world.”
Unique Callout: Structured through questions
Iowa’s Universal Constructs
Iowa’s Universal Constructs are defined in the Iowa Core as “competencies and habits of mind needed for future successes in careers, college, and citizenry.”
Unique Callout: Complex Communication
Profile of a South Carolina Graduate
South Carolina’s PoG is a comprehensive and holistic view of both a successful student and person.
Unique Callout: Sustain Wellness
Utah’s Portrait of a Graduate
The State of Utah has put together a continua of competencies mapped by age levels that largely align to the Durable Skills.
Unique Callout: Civic, Economic and Financial Literacies
Washington State Profile of a Graduate
The vision of a Washington State high school diploma is: “Students are ready for success in postsecondary education, gainful employment, citizenship, and are equipped with the skills to be lifelong learners.”
Unique Callout: Self-Agency
Wyoming Profile of a Graduate
This profile asks the question “What does it mean to be a Wyoming high school graduate nearly a quarter of the way through the 21st century?”
Unique Callout: Emphasis on both Contribution and Thriving.
Kentucky Portrait of a Graduate
This portrait provides thoughtful adjectives to calibrate each of the core skills. “Empowered, creative, engaged” it’s a great portrait of what’s possible.
Unique Callout: Empowered Learner
North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate
The Portrait ensures that North Carolina students are well equipped for the broadest range of postsecondary opportunities, be it college, career, or military.
Unique Callout: Learner’s Mindset
Public School District Examples
Northern Cass Portrait of a Learner
Northern Cass is dedicated and passionate about relationships, learning and teaching, self-reflection, acknowledging greatness, and supporting the Northern Cass community.
Unique Callout: Adaptability
San Ramon Valley Strategic Directions
To supplement this strategic directions document, San Ramon Valley Unified School Districthas launched an initiative to embrace AI as a complement to leveraging digital in instructional design for deep learning and innovation. With this, educators can effectively develop the skills of the learner profile, integrate AI into their teaching practices, and create opportunities for deep learning and innovation.
Unique Callout: Deep Learning and Innovation
Bullitt County Graduate Profile
The Bullitt County Graduate Profile features durable skills such as communication, problem solving, mastery, a contributor to the community and collaboration.
Unique Callout: Self-Directed Navigator
Kettle Moraine Graduate Profile
The Kettle Moraine profile has six core competencies that stretch from K-12: Engaged Citizen, Communicator, Self-Directed & Resilient Individual, Continuous Learner, Collaborator, Creative & Critical Thinker.
Unique Callout: Resilience
Santa Ana Portrait of a Graduate
The Santa Ana Unified School District worked with parents, community and business partners to identify some unique descriptors of a graduate. Some of these outcomes are career communication, autonomy, confident spirit of inquiry.
Unique Callout: Architect of Their Own Life
Sonoma County Portrait of a Graduate
This PoG establishes a vision of what Sonoma County students need in order to be successful in our economy, in our community, and in life. This effort is made possible through a partnership between Career Technical Education Foundation of Sonoma County, Sonoma County Office of Education, and Cradle to Career Sonoma County.
Unique Callout: Ethics
Vista Unified Framework for the Future
The Framework for the Future highlights the key parts of the learner profile: kind, confident, curious, connected, capable and knowledgeable. Confidence is a key part of communicating future skills and competencies.
Unique Callout: Kind and Confident
Pasadena Graduate Profile
“Students are encouraged to explore academic disciplines while refining their individual talents and interests. Participation in athletics, extra-curricular activities, leadership, and community service is encouraged to foster personal and intellectual independence.”
Unique Callout: External & Internal Values: Culturally Competent Citizens
Lifelong Learning Spheres from Lindsay Unified School District
These spheres of living provide the focus for the Life-Long Learning Standards for students and have the capacity to drive all school curricula and to impact instruction. These standards include: A Well-Balanced Person (The Personal Sphere), A Self-Directed, Lifelong Learner (The Learning Sphere), A Caring, Compassionate Person (The Relationship Sphere), A Civic-Minded Person (The Civic Sphere), A Responsible Global Citizen (The Global Sphere), A Quality Producer & Resource Manager (The Economic Sphere), A Culturally Aware Person (The Cultural Sphere).
Unique Callout: A Quality Producer & Resource Manager
School Examples
One Stone’s Disruption Blob
The BLOB (Bold Learning Objectives) is a great roadmap for student voice and student agency.
Unique Callout: Voice.
Crosstown Competencies
Crosstown’s Competencies are painted up on the wall of the school, serving as a constant reminder of the various outcomes they strive for: Read Critically, Develop Self-Knowledge, Express Oneself, Engage as a Citizen and more.
Unique Callout: Sustain Wellness
DaVinci Rise Profile
The Da Vinci Rise Profile focuses on communication, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking and citizenship. “We want kids not only to graduate. That’s not our only goal. It’s really that they graduate knowing who they want to be, knowing where they’re going, and having the support to get there.”
Unique Callout: Participates in the Democratic Process
Teton Science Schools Competencies
Teton Science focuses on place-based education to develop young people’s creativity, science, community and wellness skills.
Unique Callout: Innovation
Network Examples
Building 21
Building 21’s set of student competencies was originally developed in partnership with the School District of Philadelphia. Today it is an essential part of their Lab Schools and all schools in the Learning Innovation Network.
Unique Callout: Habits of Success
New Tech Learning Outcomes
New Tech Network is 200 schools that share grade span rubrics on PoG elements including agency, collaboration, knowledge and thinking, oral communication and written communication.
Unique Callout: Oral Communication
NGLC MyWays
NGLC’s MyWays framework is a synthesis of 20 competencies for success in learning, work, and life. It highlights what learners will need to navigate in today’s “disorderly world” — both for their own personal advancement and fulfillment and to
work with others to address the world’s challenges
Unique Callout: Wayfinding Abilities
EL Education
EL Education brings to life a three-dimensional vision of achievement where students master Knowledge and Skills, develop Character, and create High Quality Work. This website explores one of these three dimensions to answer the question: What do we mean at EL Education when we say Character?
Unique Callout: Character
