State policymakers are in a unique position to enable the innovations in education necessary to prepare students for a rapidly changing world. Working with 8,000 educators nationwide, the Aurora Institute identified the top 10 issues to address in state policy for transforming the K-12 education system: (1) Profile of a Graduate; (2) Innovation…

COVID-19 has exposed vast and systemic inequities, and calls for a redesigned education system are growing in number and volume. Top-of-mind issues, such as what reopening should look like, administering in-person versus remote instruction, and keeping students and staff safe, are incredibly important. But now, however, is also the time to…

The goal of this report is to inform schools, families and communities about the potential of personalized learning and empower them with ways to support the shift to student-centered learning. The authors define personalized learning and describe why it matters. They highlight examples of personalized learning in action to show how personalized…

As school districts deliberate over reopening schools with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, we've developed this report with strategic guidance on how to harness our current opportunity to transform K-12 education. "Education Policy Issues for the COVID-19 Era: Policy Actions and Responses to Leverage the Moment for Future Readiness"…

This paper explores and reflects on the issues state policy needs to address in the long-term to support a transformation of K-12 education systems. Personalized learning and competency-based education systems, designed to ensure equity, hold promise to prepare all students for success in college, career and civic life. This report shares…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), enacted in December 2015, presents a historic opportunity for the United States to begin to transform K-12 education toward personalized, student-centered learning. Across the country, state leaders are shifting from a focus on compliance toward continuous improvement and systemic change, in order to support…

Performance-based learning is one of the keys to cracking open the assumptions that undergird the current educational codes, structures, and practices. By finally moving beyond the traditions of a time-based system, greater customized educational services can flourish, preparing more and more students for college and careers. This proposed policy…