How Nevada leaders come together to create a new approach for the future of learning.
Nevada Superintendent of Public Instruction Johne Ebert welcomes a room of close to 100 community leaders to the first of four community briefings designed to dive deeper into the work of the Portrait of a Nevada Learner and Nevada Future of Learning Network. In the room, prominent community leaders, legislators, educators, and community advocates listen attentively to learn more about what the Portrait is building. Nevada leaders like
“We have the opportunity today to look at the work that has transpired over the last two years,” says Ebert. “The Portrait is about lifting up our children and moving them all forward. We want to take this time to innovate, lead the way, and figure out what else we need to do in this journey of rapid change.”
In Nevada, in addition to growing concerns over student absenteeism and severe teacher shortages, we know that 74% of hiring managers recognize a significant gap between students skills and workforce readiness. This skills gap not only impedes the capacity to retain academic knowledge, but also presents obstacles in securing stable employment and effectively managing the challenges they will face in life, citizenship, and work.
The most recent report produced by the Guinn Center, in partnership with the Nevada Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation, shows the highest enrolled CTE programs and the highest employed industries in Nevada have one thing in common – the need to learn how to work with people.
“The Portrait work encapsulates the importance of durable skills and interpersonal skills that students will learn in the classroom, that then translates into the careers that they are entering,” says Anna Colquitt, Director of Education Policy at the Guinn Center.
The necessity for interpersonal and durable skills is a must. Colquitt taught Civic Engagement at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for two years. She says for many of her students, this was the first time they felt their education mattered beyond a test score and for once, there was purpose in what they were learning.
“We need hard skills, but we also need students to know that working in a team is not what we traditionally think of – where one student takes the lead and the others are getting by. Working in a team needs to be a collaborative process.”
Throughout the community briefings, leaders sat in groups of 6-8 per table, listening to the milestones accomplished thus far and reflecting on what areas still need improvement. Perhaps the most refreshing and reassuring take came from a prominent national guest and former Executive Director of Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Tom Vander Ark.
An advocate for innovation in learning and a former Superintendent in Washington state, Vander Ark’s research entails visits to more than 2,500 schools. He is now the Chief Executive Officer of Getting Smart, where he advises schools, districts, networks, foundations, and learning organizations on the path forward.
“Learning and adaptability are the most important gifts that we can give young people, and I think your Portrait is the best summary of that,” adds Vander Ark.
Nationally, 17 other school districts have introduced a Portrait framework. States like Kentucky, South Carolina, North Carolina, Missouri, and California are some of the national spaces developing new learning systems. Nevada is leading the way in its own respect, inviting students to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into their learning.
“The process has been very thoughtful and it shows by the gathering of leaders in the room from different backgrounds,” adds Vander Ark about the Nevada Portrait. “This is such a different approach than my first year as a Superintendent in 1994, when I got the state standards and was expected to just follow them. How can we share this with the rest of our state and invite participation?”
The Portrait will continue to do just that. Nevada leaders have additional community engagements and thought-leadership roundtables planned through the summer and into the fall of 2024, in addition to policy work that will be formalized as the 2025 legislative session approaches. Youth leaders will continue to participate in this work, sharing their insights and being active participants in the development of new learning frameworks.
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