State leaders in Wisconsin have adopted several policies to support high school transformation. Central to this effort is the “Every Child a Graduate” profile, which identifies core competencies essential for success beyond high school. The state’s graduate profile reflects a broad commitment to ensuring that students are not only academically prepared, but also equipped with in-demand, durable skills.
Wisconsin has also aligned high school graduation requirements with the state’s university system’s entrance requirements and is prioritizing work-based learning opportunities for students while they are in high school.
To further advance these goals, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is partnering with the Carnegie Foundation and ETS to develop new assessment systems that align with the durable skills and competencies in the state’s graduate profile.
To build on this work, state leaders could consider creating greater flexibility from seat time requirements and explore opportunities to launch a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.
