Four School Districts Pioneer National Effort to Measure “Durable Skills” in Classrooms

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina has officially launched its Skills for the Future project this month, positioning four school districts at the forefront of a groundbreaking national initiative to integrate and assess durable skills in K-12 education.

The program brings together educators, district leaders, and community stakeholders for a series of professional development events designed to advance the state’s Portrait of a Graduate vision. Mooresville Graded School District and Iredell-Statesville Schools kicked off the initiative on September 9-10, with Edgecombe County Public Schools following on September 22 and Caldwell County Schools concluding on September 26.

$4 Million Federal Grant Supports Multi-State Pilot Program

North Carolina’s Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) received nearly $4 million from the U.S. Department of Education last fall to pilot the Skills for the Future project alongside Indiana, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Nevada. The initiative represents a collaborative effort between ETS, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Battelle for Kids/AASA, and the University of North Carolina.

“This initiative is about ensuring that every student in North Carolina has the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills they need for success, not only academically, but in their careers and communities,” said Shaun Kellogg, senior director of the Office of Research and Promising Practices at NCDPI.

Ambitious Goals Target 6,000 Students and 400 Educators

The project aims to produce skills transcripts for 6,000 students and engage 400 educators in professional learning across the state by the end of the grant period. Partners will create a new “Skills Suite” platform that captures student learning through performance tasks, real-time insights, and a mastery-based transcript system.

State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green emphasized the transformative nature of the initiative, stating, “This is a transformative opportunity for North Carolina to lead the nation in measuring the skills students need to thrive after high school graduation. We are not only expanding how we define achievement — we’re empowering educators and communities to co-create the future of learning.”

Seven Durable Skills Form Assessment Foundation

The assessment tools center on North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate durable skills, which identify the competencies and mindsets students need for post-graduation success. These seven key areas include:

• Adaptability
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Empathy
• Learner’s mindset
• Personal responsibility

Interactive Professional Development Events Launch Initiative

This month’s kickoff events feature comprehensive learning agendas designed to immerse participants in hands-on experiences with collaboration tools and strategies. The programming includes:

• Deep exploration of collaboration’s role in preparing students for future challenges
• Showcase videos featuring industry leaders, educators, and students demonstrating durable skills in action
• Case study performance tasks on “FUNctional Spaces” highlighting authentic collaboration instruction
• AI-supported design sessions and peer feedback opportunities
• Evening community engagement at Futures CoLab to discuss implications for students, families, and the workforce

District Leaders Embrace Innovation

Dr. Jason Gardner, superintendent of Mooresville Graded School District, expressed enthusiasm for the initiative’s potential to expand student assessment beyond traditional multiple-choice formats.

“We know that durable skills are essential to the future success of our students in the workplace, and we believe this work will be a key element of the transformation of the high school experience,” Gardner said. “The teachers and leaders at Mooresville Graded School District have a long history of innovative practices, and we see this as the next step in our journey to provide the best possible experience for all students, so they are prepared to grow, thrive and succeed.”

Strategic Alignment with State Education Goals

The Skills for the Future project aligns directly with NCDPI’s recently released strategic plan and focuses on modernizing student learning assessment to increase college and career readiness. The initiative supports the state’s commitment to preparing each student for their next phase in life while leading transformational change in education.

For more information on North Carolina’s Portrait of a Graduate and the Skills for the Future initiative, visit go.ncdpi.gov/pog.