In the latest episode of EdGate Powers Education, host Rich Portelance spoke with Hillary Knudson, Vice President at Whiteboard Advisors, about how states are redefining what it means to be “ready” for the future.
Knudson explained that the Portrait of a Graduate movement emerged from clear feedback from employers: academic skills alone don’t ensure success. Students also need durable skills — communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and adaptability — that carry them through college, career, and life.
States Leading the Way
Knudson highlighted examples from Kentucky, which integrated its Portrait of a Graduate through the United We Learn initiative, and Indiana, which connects its Graduates Prepared to Succeed framework to real employment data through a statewide dashboard. These states, she said, are demonstrating how frameworks become meaningful when they are embedded in existing systems — not standalone policies.
The Role of AI and Emerging Competencies
As technology transforms the workforce, several states are now including digital literacy and AI competency in their portraits. Knudson emphasized that the goal is to make AI an additive part of learning — supporting creativity and problem-solving rather than replacing them.
Balancing Standards and Implementation
Aligning academic and CTE standards with durable skills is key to keeping high school learning relevant. However, Knudson cautioned that implementation must not add to teachers’ workloads. Instead, these skills should be integrated naturally through high-quality curriculum and instruction that already promote collaboration and critical thinking.
Assessing Future-Ready Skills
One of the biggest challenges is assessing these competencies meaningfully. Knudson pointed to initiatives like the Skills for the Future pilot — a multi-state effort involving ETS, Carnegie, and the XQ Institute — as promising models for evaluating non-academic learning outcomes.
Equity and Lifelong Readiness
Equity remains central to the Portrait of a Graduate framework. Knudson emphasized that durable skills should be developed from early grades through high school, ensuring every learner has access to meaningful, future-ready opportunities.
Looking Ahead
Rich Portelance closed the episode with an invitation to the upcoming December 17 webinar, where Knudson will join Keven Ellis, Member of the Texas State Board of Education, and Lisa O’Masta, CEO of Learning.com, to explore how these frameworks are evolving — and how states, educators, and EdTech partners can align to support them.
Listen to the full episode on the EdGate Powers Education podcast.
Read more and register for the December 17 webinar.