Now, more than ever, the nation’s schools face high demands to prepare students for an information-rich, high-tech, entrepreneurial, global economy that requires a highly skilled, knowledgeable, flexible, and capable workforce. Today, 80 percent of good paying jobs require postsecondary education, according to Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce. However, in 2017, less than 50 percent of Americans ages 25–64 years held a quality credential beyond high school, according to the Lumia Foundation. The statistics are even more alarming for Americans from historically underserved groups. Only about 24 percent of Latinos and about 30 percent of African Americans held an associate’s degree or higher in 2017.

The nation’s K–12 public schools must redefine teaching and learning to ensure that all students are prepared to pursue their postsecondary aspirations—whether those students plan to attend college, earn a certification, pursue a career directly after high school, or follow another pathway to success. They must ensure that more students take advantage of rigorous academic course work and follow interest-driven personalized routes to success. Consequently, district and school leaders must build their own leadership capacity as they rethink approaches to instruction and adopt innovative practices in curriculum, assessment, and professional learning.

FRS supports innovative educators to ensure that each student graduates from high school with the agency, passion, and skills to be a productive, successful, and responsible citizen.