Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Across the nation, in districts large and small, extraordinary work is taking place to ensure learning is increasingly engaging, rigorous, experiential and career-aligned. While bright spots have existed for decades, the gravitational pull of the status quo is strong and often prevents promising practices from taking root, sustaining and scaling. If we want millions more young people to thrive, it is imperative that we elevate exemplary practices, understand why they succeed and share lessons nationwide. Only then will we be in a position to transform the American high school at broad scale.

The Real World Learning (RWL) Initiative, supported by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, serves as a powerful example of regionwide educational innovation. The initiative is comprised of 34 districts and impacts roughly 100,000 students, across urban, suburban and rural communities, spanning Kansas and Missouri. The goal is to ensure that all high school students in the Kansas City region graduate with one or more “Market Value Assets” (MVAs)—be it through internships, entrepreneurial opportunities, or industry-recognized credentials. 

The results are impressive. In our recent conversation with Bill Nicely, Educator-in-Residence at the Kauffman Foundation, he shared that 52% of all high school graduates within the participating 34 districts now earn a Market Value Asset before graduation. Importantly, Bill underscores several of the catalyzing forces that have generated these promising results. First and foremost, close partnerships between school systems, local businesses and civic institutions have led to the creation of a broad array of immersive and profession-based learning experiences for young people. The work would not have happened without the broader community stepping up. Equally important, those doing the work are fiercely committed to connecting students’ ‘real world’ learning experiences with the academic core.  For example, during the summer, teachershave paid opportunities to integrate ‘client-connected’ projects into and across academic disciplines. In essence, the work supports students as they develop essential skills and  academic excellence.

Most importantly, the work in Kansas City is a powerful reminder that large-scale change is achievable when we harness the power of authentic community engagement, invest in strong partnerships between schools and civic institutions, and place real world learning at the heart of the educational enterprise. I hope you enjoy reading the conversation with Bill Nicely, and learning more about how stakeholders across Kansas City are charting a remarkable path forward for young people and educators, and reimagining high school as they do so.

In partnership,
Timothy Knowles
President, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching