Portrait of a Learner

The Kentucky United We Learn Council defines a Portrait of a Learner as an agreed upon set of skills that a learner will know and be able to do when they leave school. It is a framework that allows teachers to design instruction in a way that promotes real-world competencies and job readiness. Education cannot only be about mastering content, but also about fostering communication, collaboration, adaptability and other skills our students need to thrive. The Portrait of a Learner will help do this by serving as a more balanced measure, demonstrating a student’s growth and achievement and ensuring their readiness for civic life, career or college.

See Kentucky's Portrait of a Learner Below

(Adopted by Kentucky Board of Education in 2022)

Whether you are just considering a Portrait of a Learner in your district or already have one, we offer support at each level of implementation!

A "starting" district is working to

formally discuss the broad outcomes it hopes for students with their community.
define specific learning outcomes for a Portrait of a Learner.
attain school board approval of their Portrait of a Learner.
publicize their Portrait of a Learner through a poster or digital platform.

A "spreading" district is working to

construct a formal induction model to their Portrait of a Learner for students and families.
define specific learning competencies at each level for each element of the portrait.

A "sustaining" district is working to

develop a way to indicate student success on the Portrait of a Learner criteria on school report cards or transcripts.
utilize a defined digital portfolio platform system for collecting student artifacts.
implement a review and revision schedule for the Portrait of a Learner.
create a plan for yearly review of data and competencies.
develop a system for onboarding new teachers to their Portrait of a Learner.

For "starting" districts, we offer support with

introductory strategic planning sessions for district leadership team.
creation of design team of staff, students, parents, and community members.
co-facilitating design team sessions & survey with district administrators & leadership team as well as support with the work between sessions.
strategic implementation planning for staff.
planning to publicize your portrait beyond a poster on a wall. (graphics, social media, etc.).

For "spreading" districts, we offer support with

embedding your portrait in current systems.
developing an induction program for students/families.
establishing rubrics and best practices for developing leveled competencies.
professional learning sessions on learning competencies at grade levels.
continued planning to publicize competencies and roll them out at different grade levels.

For "sustaining" districts, we offer support with

indicating student success on the portrait criteria on school report cards or transcripts.
implementing a review, revise, recommit schedule for the portrait.
creating an onboarding plan for new teachers.
data analysis for yearly review of data and competencies.
implementing a defined digital portfolio platform system.

Additional Support Options

Reach out to connect with the Regional Innovation Specialist in your area for support.

See the map and contacts at the bottom of the "Connect with Us" page for RIS Team members by region and email addresses.

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