Portrait of a Graduate Components: Understanding the Framework
Over the last twenty years, our world has become unrecognizable. From smartphones to laptops to self-driving vehicles–it’s safe to say that times have changed. This change has trickled into our education system and as a result, has left traditional academic metrics alone no longer adequate in preparing students for future success. As we look ahead, the only thing that will remain constant is the change itself. So, how do we prepare students for an uncertain but inevitable future? Enter the Portrait of a Graduate (PoG). A Portrait of a Graduate has emerged as a powerful response to this challenge, gaining momentum across the United States. This framework is redefining what student success looks like in the 21st century by upholding academic achievement as much as it upholds durable skills development.
A Portrait of a Graduate isn’t the buzzword it may be perceived as. Today’s research underscores the growing importance of this framework and why its implementation needs to be considered by districts everywhere. According to recent studies, employers are increasingly prioritizing durable skills over technical expertise alone. These skills, which form the core of many Portrait of a Graduate frameworks, are cited nearly four times more frequently than technical skills in job postings across industries (America Succeeds, 2021). America Succeeds analysis of over 82 million job postings revealed that durable skills account for seven of the ten most requested competencies, specifically in future-focused industries such as technology and healthcare.
The impact of the Portrait of a Graduate framework is becoming clear across the USA. Battelle for Kids and its EdLeader21 Network have supported over 135 school districts and three states in reimagining instruction using this approach, with impressive results. According to the National Soft Skills Association, 85 percent of job success is attributed to developing these durable skills (National Soft Skills Association, 2015). Participating schools have been more effective at connecting teaching to workforce needs and re-engaging students and teachers, highlighting the framework's potential to improve educational outcomes and future career readiness.
What is Portrait of a Graduate?
A Portrait of a Graduate–also known as Vision of a Graduate, Profile of a Graduate, or Profile of a Learner in some regions–represents a vision developed by educational communities to define the competencies students need to excel in life after graduation. A Portrait of a Graduate pushes the limits of traditional academic benchmarks to uphold durable skills, which will remain valuable throughout a person's career and personal life.
At its core, a Portrait of a Graduate is created through a collaborative effort, bringing together a range of voices such as educators, students, families, and community partners (Education Week, 2023). Approaching this framework holistically ensures that the framework reflects local needs and workforce demands. The result? A vision that acts as a guiding document to influence curriculum development and instructional and assessment methods.
Why is a Portrait of a Graduate Important?
The workforce of tomorrow is projected to face multiple challenges. Some of these challenges are job outsourcing and rising competition because of globalization, job displacement because of automation and artificial intelligence, and the emergence of the gig economy which will lead to fewer benefits and security of traditional employment options (Edmentum, 2024). Districts implementing Portrait of a Graduate frameworks are worried that the education system currently in place is not robust enough to give students the competencies they need to overcome these challenges.
So they’re looking toward a Portrait of a Graduate because of its unique way of creating well-rounded humans who can begin building the competencies that will make them successful after graduation and far into their futures. It helps with shifting a district’s focus from assessment scores to an educational system that promotes real-world applications and fosters student agency and engagement in the classroom (Getting Smart, 2024). Ultimately, creating humans who can think critically, solve problems, and approach new challenges and situations with empathy and curiosity so that they can adapt to the rise and fall of the upcoming workforce.
Portrait of a Graduate Skills and Traits
The skills and traits highlighted in a Portrait of a Graduate framework are crucial for student success. These competencies form the foundation of what students need to thrive in post-secondary and beyond.
Core Skills Development
Portrait of a Graduate skills encompass both technical and interpersonal abilities that students need to master:
- Critical Thinking and Analysis: Students learn to evaluate information, solve complex problems, and make informed decisions
- Digital Literacy: Understanding and adapting to emerging technologies while maintaining responsible digital citizenship
- Communication: Mastering both written and verbal expression across various mediums and contexts
- Collaboration: Working effectively in teams and leading group initiatives
- Innovation: Developing creative solutions and entrepreneurial thinking
Essential Traits for Future Success
Some of the most effective Portrait of a Graduate frameworks emphasize these key traits:
- Adaptability: Students learn to navigate change and uncertainty with confidence
- Cultural Competence: Understanding and appreciating diverse perspectives and global contexts
- Self-Direction: Taking ownership of learning and personal growth
- Ethical Leadership: Making principled decisions and positively influencing others
- Resilience: Developing grit and perseverance in facing challenges
Best Practices for Building and Implementing Your District’s Portrait of a Graduate
For a district to successfully create and implement a Portrait of a Graduate they must take a strategic and thoughtful approach. One that blends systematic support and outreach, technology, and professional development.
When a district is creating and preparing for the implementation of its Portrait of a Graduate, several factors will lead to a successful rollout. First up, consider a Portrait of a Graduate steering committee. They will be responsible for pulling inspiration from other Portraits and reviewing sample documents. The steering committee will then schedule regular design meetings to help guide the portrait along the process (Great Schools Partnership, 2024).
Next, seek community involvement and feedback. At this stage, you should be intentional about the educators, students, and community members you’re reaching out to to ensure you are gaining a robust understanding of what competencies a student should demonstrate to excel after graduation and wield that feedback to localize that vision (Great Schools Partnership, 2024).
Once you’ve established the right group of people and gathered comprehensive feedback it’s time to synthesize and make meaning of that input. Your steering committee will collect and review the feedback to identify patterns and themes to draft a Portrait of a Graduate. Through each iteration of the framework, it’s important to carve out time to share and collect input from stakeholders before finalizing it. Also, take this time to build community partnerships to provide real-world learning experiences for your students.
Before putting your Portrait of a Graduate into action you have to consider what technology tools your district will leverage to streamline documentation and assessment. One tool many districts across the US have found success with is digital portfolios. Digital portfolio platforms have emerged as foundational tools, allowing students to document their growth and reflect on their learning journey while providing educators, families, and administrators with valuable insights into competency development.
To ensure your Portrait of a Graduate framework is driving teaching and learning in your district, it’s important to establish focus groups to map out how elements of your PoG framework will be integrated into assessment, curriculum, digital portfolios, and other parts of the student experience (Great Schools Partnership, 2024).
Teaching Portrait of a Graduate: Implementation Strategies
Successfully teaching Portrait of a Graduate competencies requires a systematic approach that engages both educators and students.
Classroom Integration Methods
Effective teaching strategies for Portrait of a Graduate implementation include:
- Project-Based Learning: Real-world applications that develop multiple competencies simultaneously
- Cross-Disciplinary Instruction: Connecting learning across subjects to build comprehensive understanding
- Authentic Assessment: Using performance tasks and portfolio development to measure growth
- Student Agency: Providing choice and voice in learning experiences
- Community Engagement: Partnering with local organizations for real-world learning opportunities
Professional Development Framework
To successfully teach Portrait of a Graduate competencies, educators need:
- Ongoing Training: Regular workshops focused on competency-based instruction
- Collaborative Planning: Time for teachers to work together and align practices
- Mentoring Programs: Support systems for implementing new teaching strategies
- Technology Integration: Training on digital tools that support competency tracking
- Assessment Guidelines: Clear rubrics and evaluation methods for measuring student growth
Common Implementation Challenges
Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of a Portrait of a Graduate framework we’d be remiss not to mention some Portrait of a Graduate challenges. The biggest one being change management. Change management presents a significant hurdle, as shifting from traditional academic metrics to a holistic approach requires a major shift in mindset and practice for all parties. Both teachers and administrators have to adapt their methods while maintaining high academic standards in order for the Portrait of a Graduate implementation to be successful.
Your K-12 Guide to Navigating and Managing Educational Change
Another common challenge? Resource centralization. Without the proper tools and systems set in place, districts struggle to move their Portrait of a Graduate from poster to practice. This can lead to inconsistent implementation across classrooms and schools, diminishing the framework's impact and causing uncertainty and a lack of trust from stakeholders.
Many districts share they experience difficulties in:
- Supporting documentation of skill development across grade levels
- Sharing timely and meaningful feedback
- Tracking progress systematically across multiple competencies
- Engaging students in meaningful and impactful reflection about their learning
- Coordinating efforts across grade levels, schools, districts, and multiple stakeholders
- Balancing skill development with academic requirements
- Creating authentic assessment opportunities that measure true competency
Portrait of a Graduate Examples
If your district is looking to develop and implement a Portrait of a Graduate framework it’s important to consider other districts who have done it well. Across the US, many states have taken the lead in implementing a PoG framework, each with a tailored approach that reflects their communities' needs.
Kentucky stands out as one of the country’s frontrunners. The state developed a Portrait of a Learner that highlights local needs while focussing on essential competencies. Their Innovation Guide provides districts with a clear community engagement and framework development outline.
Next up, we have Nevada. Its state-wide emphasis on personalized competency-based education and its Future of Learning Network helped them develop their Portrait of a Nevada Learner. The state collaborated with its educators, families, and business leaders to develop its PoL which highlights skills like curiosity, communication, and resilience. Similarly, North Carolina's framework bridges the gap between K-12 education and career readiness, focusing on adaptability, empathy, and effective communication. Ultimately, the North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate ensures its students are well equipped for the widest range of post-secondary opportunities, be it college, military, or career.
These state-wide success stories spotlight the framework's impact. For example, Kentucky districts implementing Portrait of a Graduate have reported increased student engagement, improved graduation rates, and stronger connections with parents and local employers (Kentucky Innovation Guide, 2024). Nevada's approach has led to enhanced career readiness outcomes and a more inclusive and sustainable educational system (Getting Smart, 2024).
Measuring Portrait of a Graduate Success
Today, effective measurement of a Portrait of a Graduate's success combines qualitative and quantitative approaches upheld by digital portfolio tools. Modern assessment platforms offer analytics that help track individual student progress while providing insights into program effectiveness at classroom, school, and district levels.
Leading districts across the US are using measurement strategies that encompass:
- Performance-based assessments for real-world applications
- Digital portfolios showcasing competency development and growth
- Regular feedback loops between students, teachers, and families
The majority of these districts are implementing analytic tools that provide real-time tracking of competency development and dashboards for different stakeholder groups. These tools help identify trends across grade levels and schools, and aid in early intervention for struggling students while assessing commitment to PoG implementation and its overall impact.
Download Your K-12 Guide to Choosing a Digital Portfolio Platform.
The Path Forward: Creating Succesful Graduates of the Future
The adoption of a Portrait of a Graduate framework will continue to play an increasingly important role in preparing students for life beyond the classroom. US states seeking a successful implementation must be ready to commit to long-term change while remaining flexible so they can adapt and iterate on what they’ve built. By focusing on academic progress and durable skill development, schools can create learning environments that prepare students for the challenges and opportunities ahead. One thing all successful districts have in common? They approach implementation as a journey rather than a destination, continuously refining their method based on stakeholder feedback and student outcomes.
