Portland Public Schools Partners with SpacesEDU by myBlueprint to Bring Their Portrait of a Learner to Life
Centered between Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan, Portland Public Schools, a district of over 2000 learners, will soon benefit from digital portfolios that operationalize their Portrait of a Learner.
SpacesEDU will serve as a central hub in supporting students to document, reflect upon, and demonstrate their key competencies tied to Portland's Portrait of a Learner, ensuring that every student graduates as Mindful, a Thinker, a Problem Solver, a Communicator, and Resilient.
A Thoughtful Path Toward K-12 Implementation
Portland Public Schools is actively scaling toward a full K-12 implementation. The district will begin with a thoughtful 40-teacher rollout before moving toward full district-wide use.
Through this partnership, Portland Public Schools will support:
- A phased rollout toward full K-12 implementation
- Digital documentation of student learning and growth
- Reflection tied to Portland’s Portrait of a Learner competencies
- Continued student access to portfolios after graduation
All 2,100 learners will feel this impact as they build evidence of learning and growth that supports their unique learning pathway.
Turning Portland’s Portrait of a Learner Into Meaningful Practice
District leadership championed the move to address a promise to the community. As Portland grows and demographics change, district leadership aims to preserve the close-knit culture of their small town. William Heath, district Superintendent, shared his belief that SpacesEDU will help to operationalize their Portrait in a way that they weren’t able to before and better support their goals to teach, track, and develop these foundational traits for every learner.
“Our Portrait of a Learner is more than words on paper. It's a commitment to every student and family that Portland Public Schools will intentionally provide opportunities at every grade level for students to learn, practice, and demonstrate the skills and dispositions they need to be successful in school, in work, and in life. What makes our Portrait special is that being Mindful, a Thinker, a Problem Solver, a Communicator, and Resilient all build toward something bigger: becoming a Contributor," shared William Heath, Superintendent of Portland Public Schools.
SpacesEDU helps us bring that commitment to life in a way that's easy for staff and students to use, gives students regular opportunities to reflect on their learning, makes growth visible in each area year after year, and keeps the process centered where it belongs: with the student.
Mr. Heath went on to say, "Through this digital portfolio, students will not only capture their growth within our Portrait of a Learner but also demonstrate what it means to be a Contributor in the classroom, in our community, and beyond. What has made this partnership especially meaningful is that the SpacesEDU team has listened to what we're building in Portland, cares about our vision, and shares our excitement for where this work can go.”
This three-year partnership is SpacesEDU's first in Michigan, and we’re excited to support student success and future readiness across the state and beyond.
Connect with our team to learn how we can help your district take your Portrait from poster to meaningful practice.
About Us
SpacesEDU by myBlueprint is a digital portfolio, Portrait of a Graduate documentation tool, and competency-based education platform built to capture, communicate, and celebrate student growth. Interested in learning how SpacesEDU can support your district's goals? Connect with our team.
