Running head: PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE IMPLEMENTATION

A 21st Century Vision of Education: Implementing the Portrait of a Graduate Framework

Meredith Mitchell Commented [R1]: This paper presents a case succinctly that
contains a number of important issues from the perspective or
leadership, management and social justice.
George Mason University
Thanks for your active and considered participation and leadership
in this class. I look forward to continuing to work with you as you
EDLE 816 Fall 2015 complete the degree.

Dr. Robert Smith

PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE IMPLEMENTATION

Abstract

Educational leaders are realizing the importance of providing students with opportunities

to develop 21st century skillsets (Voogt & Roblin, 2010; Kereluik, Mishra, Fahnoe & Terry,

2013). Focusing on these skillsets is a departure from the current educational paradigm rooted in

achievement on standardized assessments (Au, 2007). While the relevancy of a 21st century

learning framework is easily understood, it is not so simple a task to frame a plan to implement a

21st century learning framework and reshape a school divisions curriculum. Dr. Karen Garza,

superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, and a task force of stakeholders led the

initiative for developing the Portrait of a Graduate framework for this purpose. This case

provokes readers to consider the implications for unveiling a new curriculum framework,

consider the ways in which the new paradigm could be implemented and accounted for, and

poses questions around equity and access of the framework for a diverse population of learners.

Commented [R2]: You have exceeded by 55 words the 100

word JCEL limit for an abstract. Nevertheless, the abstract gives the
reader a clear sense of your paper.

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE IMPLEMENTATION

A 21st Century Vision of Education: Implementing the Portrait of a Graduate Framework

Todays educational culture is largely defined by accountability and student assessment,

which neglects to emphasize a broad scope of vital skillsets that students will need to be

successful in the future (Au, 2007). The wide range of skills that researchers and educators have

identified as contributing to students success in college and future careers can be encapsulated

in the term 21st century skills. While there are disparate definitions and multiple frameworks that

organize and frame 21st century skills (Voogt & Roblin, 2010; Kereluik, Mishra, Fahnoe &

Terry, 2013), it will be imperative for educational researchers and educators alike to identify and

implement these skillsets into classroom experiences.

Dr. Karen Garza made this a primary focus when she assumed the role of superintendent

of Fairfax County Public Schools on July 1, 2013 (FCPS, 2015). Her espoused mission is to

create success opportunities for every student beyond high school, whether that is going into the

workforce or on to college (FCPS, 2014). Garza set out to achieve this goal by constructing a

task force of 72 community members into a committee for the Portrait of a Graduate framework

(FCPS, 2014). The concept behind the Portrait of Graduate framework was that Fairfax would

devise its own conception of the skillsets stakeholders envisioned equipping FCPS students with

to prepare for their futures. The committee of stakeholders included school board members,

individuals nominated by the school board, teachers, school based leaders, parents, area business

leaders, faith based groups, and other community groups that work with youth in the area. The

committee was formed early in Garzas career as superintendent and met continually over the

2013-2014 school year with little attrition throughout the development period (Chris Powell,

personal communication, December 1, 2015).

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The Portrait of a Graduate committee was not the only source of community input for the

development of the framework; the committees primary role was to synthesize the extensive

feedback FCPS collected through various listening sessions which probed participating

community members to answer the question, What are the skills necessary for success?.

Additionally, a student advisory committee provided input for the Portrait of a Graduate

committees consideration, along with student feedback collected from teachers and

administrators that served on the development committee.

After several months, the committee converged on a framework that was adopted by the

Fairfax County School Board on September 25, 2014 (FCPS, 2014). The Portrait of a Graduate

framework was organized under five key characteristics: communicator, collaborator, ethical and

global citizen, creative and critical thinker, and goal-directed and resilient individual (FCPS,

2015). The communicator component encourages reading, writing, verbal, and technological

literacy for the purposes of learning and sharing information and influencing others. The

collaborator characteristic requires students to work together with a respect for others

perspectives and for the purpose of achieving shared goals. The ethical and global citizen

characteristic broadly encompasses fluency in other languages, a sense of responsibility in caring

for the community and environment, and a concern and acknowledgement of diversity. Creative

and critical thinker is an aspect of the framework that requires students to think innovatively,

express themselves, and to apply reason to interpreting information. The final characteristic is

goal directed and resilient individual which is characterized as the skillsets required to engage in

healthy practices and to pursue challenging tasks for personal growth.

These five characteristics are admirable goals for a vision of what students will embody

upon graduating, however, is it enough to simply develop the Portrait of a Graduate framework

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without any plan of action for how the school division will implement these ideals into the

curriculum? Dr. Garza and involved stakeholders in the Portrait of a Graduate framework have

disseminated the vision through a variety of informational videos, lectures, and presentations and

integrated it into FCPS strategic plan (FCPS, 2015), but as the superintendent, Dr. Garza is now

charged with how to implement and account for the implementation of her new educational

paradigm and do so equitably.

With the Portrait of a Graduate in its earliest stages and representing a dramatic shift

towards life skills and more global values, Dr. Garza will have to determine where this

framework best situates within the current administrative organization, or develop a new

organizational structure aimed at facilitating the implementation of the Portrait of a Graduate

framework. Of the separate central office divisions, one office has taken on the task of aligning

their work and reframing their ideology around the framework: the Advanced Academics

Program office (Chris Powell, personal communication, December 1, 2015). The AAP office is Commented [R3]: Has Dr. Garza or one of her deputies
assigned the task to AAP or did AAP assume the responsibility?

a division of instructional services that is in charge of managing curriculum and access for

students in need of rigorous academic programming. This office coordinates the implementation

of the International Baccalaureate program into eight high schools, as well as the IB Middle

Years Program in nine middle schools, and one IB Primary Years program in an elementary

school. Additionally the office is in charge of coordinating the accessibility of Advanced

Placement courses in non-IB high schools. Finally, the office coordinates local AAP centers that

consist of a tiered structure of academic programming to provide identified students access to

modified and more rigorous experiences. The AAP office has generated an alignment

framework between their current work in IB, AP, and AAP center schools and the mission of the

Portrait of a Graduate. Additionally, the Advanced Academic Program Advisory Committee is

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currently undergoing work to understand the multitude of ways, outside of these programs, that

the Portrait of a Graduate is being carried out within the school system (Chris Powell, personal

communication, December 1, 2015).

While the work in the AAP office is certainly serving as important first steps for the

implementation of the Portrait of a Graduate Framework, Dr. Garza must consider how best to

reach all students with the proposed framework. The current strategy of carrying out

implementation through the AAP office has brought about significant concerns from the local

community in regards to equity.

Tina Hone is the chair of the Coalition of the Silence, which is a group dedicated to

promoting equity and achievement for disadvantaged and marginalized students (Shapiro, 2014).

She has openly criticized the Portrait of a Graduate framework in Fairfax County as being a

shortsighted solution that ignores a larger problem surrounding equitable opportunities for

minority students in Fairfax County. Hone cited statistics at a school board meeting that

demonstrate the continuing achievement gap between white and Asian students compared to

students of color; namely, that the number of white and Asian students accessing advanced

courses exceeds that of black and Hispanic students by over 25% (Shapiro, 2014). This Commented [R4]: Perhaps this is Shapiros language, but it
seems odd to characterize Asian students in contrast to students
of color. Perhaps underserved or underrepresented would
discrepancy, coupled with the fact the implementation of the Portrait of a Graduate framework is work.

being carried out through the administrative office that coordinates the advanced course

programming, demonstrates how the framework may not universally reach students across the

county, especially minority students.
Dr. Garza is faced with a pressing dilemma of how to ensure the Portrait of a Graduate
Commented [R5]: I have the impression, based on discussion
with AAP teachers and coordinators who have been in our licensure
program, that the AAP offices priority is ensuring the broad
participation of students of color in advanced courses. Would this
be a logical extension of that mission?

framework, a framework whose purpose is to promote life, work and career oriented skillsets in

students, will be equitably implemented across the county so as not to widen an already existent

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achievement gap between white and Asian students and other minority groups. How will

students without access to advanced academic programming participate in these curricular

experiences? Dr. Garzas next steps as an educational leader will determine how a plan for

implementation and accountability for that plan will serve to promote equitable educational

opportunity for all Fairfax County students.

Teaching Notes

Educational leaders are realizing the importance of providing students with opportunities

to develop 21st century skillsets (Voogt & Roblin, 2010; Kereluik, Mishra, Fahnoe & Terry,

2013). Focusing on these skillsets is a departure from the current educational paradigm rooted in

achievement on standardized assessments (Au, 2007). While the relevancy of a 21st century

learning framework is easily understood, it is not so simple a task to frame a plan to implement a

21st century learning framework and reshape a school divisions curriculum. Dr. Karen Garza,

superintendent of Fairfax County Public Schools, and a task force of stakeholders led the

initiative for developing the Portrait of a Graduate framework for this purpose. This case

provokes readers to consider the implications for unveiling a new curriculum framework,

consider the ways in which the new paradigm could be implemented and accounted for, and

poses questions around equity and access of the framework for a diverse population of learners.

This case could be used to facilitate discussions around leadership practices in curriculum

development and implementation and the promotion of social justice and equity in education.

Discussion Questions Relating to Leadership Practices:

Looking at the four lenses of Bolman and Deals leadership framework (structural,

symbolic, political and human resources) (Bolman & Deal, 2008), how might an

educational leader approach a plan of action for implementing Portrait of a Graduate? Commented [R6]: Why would one use this framework?

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE IMPLEMENTATION

In what ways were these lenses addressed by Dr. Garza?

In what ways could the educational leaders better address the lenses?

Discussion Questions Relating to Equity:

In what ways is it problematic to centralize the Portrait of a Graduate framework

implementation work in the AAP office? Commented [R7]: Rephrase to avoid the assumption that it is
problematic.

What leadership actions could be taken to promote equity and access to Portrait of a

Graduate based learning opportunities?

How does an educational leader monitor and account for equitable implementation across

all schools and subgroups/populations?

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References

Au, W. (2007). High-stakes testing and curricular control: a A qualitative metasynthesis.

Educational Researcher, 36, 258-267.

Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership

(4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Fairfax County Public Schools. (2014, March 5). Interview: Dr. Garza, Portrait of a Graduate.

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ia_gCna9Now

Fairfax County Public Schools. (2015, November 21). Karen Garza. Retrieved from

http://www.fcps.edu/supt/suptoffice/suptbio.shtml

Fairfax County Public Schools. (2015, February 2) Portrait of a Graduate. Retrieved from

http://www.fcps.edu/supt/portrait/

Fairfax County Public Schools. (2015, October 20). Strategic Plan for FCPS. Retrieved from

http://www.fcps.edu/news/strategic.shtml

Kay, K. & Greenhill, V. (2011). Twenty-first century students need 21st century skills. In G. Wan

& D. Gut (Eds.), Bringing schools into the 21st century (pp. 41-65). Netherlands:

Springer. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0268-4_3

Kereluik, K., Mishra, P., Fahnoe, C., & Terry, L. (2013). What knowledge is of most worth:

Teacher knowledge for 21st century learning. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher

Education, 29, 127-140. doi: 10.1080/21532974.2013.10784716

National Research Council (2012). Education for life and work: Developing transferable

knowledge and skills in the 21st century. Committee on Defining Deeper Learning and

21st Century Skills, J.W. Pellegrino & M.L. Hilton (Ed.). Washington, DC: The National

Academics Press.

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE IMPLEMENTATION

Shapiro, T. R. (2014, September 17). Fairfax County School Board to vote on portrait of a

graduate concept. The Washington Post. Retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/fairfax-school-board-to-vote-on-

portrait-of-a-graduate-concept/2014/09/17/aa00b542-383a-11e4-9c9f-

ebb47272e40e_story.html

ERIC descriptors:

Curriculum implementation, 21st century skills, educational equity

Author Biography

Meredith Mitchell is a seventh grade math teacher in a highly diverse and high achieving

middle school in Fairfax County Public Schools. She holds two degrees from the University of

Virginia in Psychology and Elementary Education and is currently enrolled in the Educational

Leadership doctoral program at George Mason University. Her research interests including 21st

century learning, educational leadership, and promoting relevant and authentic learning

experiences for all students.

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