Akron Public Schools (APS) hosted the Carnegie Learning Leadership Network (Carnegie LLN) from March 5–7, 2024, to showcase their innovative College and Career Academies of Akron model. The focus of the network, which is part of the Foundation’s larger Future of Learning portfolio, is to support, showcase, and study systems that create engaging, equitable, and effective learning experiences for secondary students. As a Ford Next Generation learning community, APS has transformed secondary education by integrating career-themed learning experiences and fostering partnerships with local industry and nonprofit organizations. This three-day event brought together education leaders from across the country to explore how to better prepare students for the future by enhancing engagement, equity, and effectiveness in education. 

Akron Site Visit Activities

Throughout the event, visiting district teams explored APS’ wall-to-wall career academies model, exchanging insights, lessons learned, and feedback crucial to their system transformation efforts. The network spent time at the Akron Community Foundation (ACF), learning about the enduring partnership between APS and ACF, which has bolstered middle school transformation efforts and galvanized support from various civic and nonprofit organizations. Diverse panels featuring students, educators, and business partners provided nuanced perspectives on the interconnected relationships underpinning middle school experiences and future readiness. At the Hyre Community Learning Center, student-led tours offered firsthand glimpses into campus life and the profound impact of student-driven initiatives on the Akron community. Stirring student speeches underscored the power of youth agency in addressing community challenges. A comprehensive day of sessions hosted at the University of Akron delved into partnership dynamics between APS and diverse stakeholders, showcasing collaborative efforts to design innovative learning experiences that extend beyond traditional school hours. From forging alliances with corporations and hospitals to nurturing teacher-led ambassador programs, attendees gleaned actionable insights aimed at improving student outcomes and fostering community engagement.

Lessons Learned

Here are a few key learnings from the Carnegie LLN site visit at Akron Public Schools: 

• Coalitions between school districts and community foundations have the power to transform schooling by offering students meaningful, hands-on localized learning opportunities. APS has forged a unique, collaborative relationship with the Akron Community Foundation (ACF) to create opportunities for students to engage with local industry and nonprofit partners. ACF has supported programs and services benefitting more than 750,000 APS students, namely by plugging into APS’ middle school focus on nonprofit discovery and engagement. As part of the district’s guaranteed experiences, every APS sixth-grade student participates in a non-profit discovery day where they are matched with an organization based on their interests – whether it be the Akron Food Bank, Humane Society, or a human trafficking survivor center – where they volunteer, learn about the mission of the non-profit and services provided, and engage in discussions with staff about career opportunities in their field. By shrinking constraints and serving as a resource hub for non-profit partners and schools, ACF’s partnership has led to more than 100 non-profits participating in the middle school program. This initiative has increased student exposure to philanthropy, community investment, and local challenges, strengthening students’ connection to their community. 

• Coalitions between school districts and community foundations have the power to transform schooling by offering students meaningful, hands-on localized learning opportunities. APS has forged a unique, collaborative relationship with the Akron Community Foundation (ACF) to create opportunities for students to engage with local industry and nonprofit partners. ACF has supported programs and services benefitting more than 750,000 APS students, namely by plugging into APS’ middle school focus on nonprofit discovery and engagement. As part of the district’s guaranteed experiences, every APS sixth-grade student participates in a non-profit discovery day where they are matched with an organization based on their interests – whether it be the Akron Food Bank, Humane Society, or a human trafficking survivor center – where they volunteer, learn about the mission of the non-profit and services provided, and engage in discussions with staff about career opportunities in their field. By shrinking constraints and serving as a resource hub for non-profit partners and schools, ACF’s partnership has led to more than 100 non-profits participating in the middle school program. This initiative has increased student exposure to philanthropy, community investment, and local challenges, strengthening students’ connection to their community. 
• Clear portraits of a graduate representing a community’s aspirations of what students will accomplish upon graduation can unite stakeholders around a shared vision. APS’ clearly defined portrait of a graduate highlights the knowledge and skills that the local community values upon graduation from high school. Young people living in poverty cannot afford a poverty of expectations from educators. The districtwide portrait of a graduate provides a north star and high expectations for students, teachers, school-based leaders, and district personnel. The district and local community began defining student expectations by articulating their high school portrait of a graduate and then created a portrait of an elementary learner that aligns with the high school vision. There is not a middle school portrait as the goal is not just to leave middle school but to graduate from high school. This intentional coherence across K12 creates immense connectivity between everyone working within the district to work towards the same goals. Importantly, the competencies embedded within the high school portrait of a graduate align with the skills that local industry partners have expressed they are looking for in new employees. 
• A focus on middle school redesign can prepare students for high school by offering experiences that empower them to be agents of their own learning. APS’ focus on middle school redesign is unique. Not only are students developing deep civic capacity and responsibility, but they are also participating in learning experiences that foster student voice, agency, and leadership. For example, students leverage their voice in student surveys to be matched to non-profits that align with their interests. Later in middle school, students can deepen their understanding of local issues and work with classmates and a nonprofit to identify solutions to a local challenge. Through these experiences, students are prompted to reflect on their participation, thereby demonstrating their learning. Network members witnessed this reflection in action while engaging with a panel of phenomenal middle school students who thoughtfully articulated how their experiences volunteering at the humane society and a survivor’s center taught them the importance of safe spaces and the difference between dismissive and empathetic listening. Each student described how it felt to help people and had insightful advice for visiting district leaders about the importance of teaching to different learning styles, having multiple counselors to support student mental health, and recognizing that hurt people hurt people. 
• Cross-district alliances foster productive thought partnership to push system transformation forward. The site visit provided an opportunity for APS to receive focused feedback from visiting teams about the success and opportunities for innovation in their system. Visiting district teams challenged each other to remain user-centered while always striving to better understand the student experience. The network has built upon its learning from previous convenings and site visits, demonstrated by increased mutual vulnerability. APS gained valuable insights by participating in a reverse fishbowl exercise, intently listening to feedback from visiting districts to push their system transformation work forward.

Closing and Next Steps

The Carnegie team is grateful to the APS team for hosting the spring Carnegie LLN site visit. The APS team thoughtfully created a dynamic, informative, and collaborative learning environment leading to generative discussions for network members. 

The Carnegie LLN will have the opportunity to reconvene in-person this June for a network convening at the Carnegie Foundation headquarters to continue their journeys toward secondary school system transformation.