According to a presentation given at the meeting, the graduate profile will help the district create a clear vision for developing academic measures and plans.
“One of the areas that I saw as an opportunity to have some community input is in what we want for our students when they graduate,” interim Superintendent Tabitha Branum said. “When they walk down the stage and we hand them a diploma, what skills or mindsets do we want to guarantee from our graduates?”
Branum said the last profile analysis conducted by the district was in 2012-13, which was the profile of a learner. The superintendent said it is important for a district responsible for 37,000 students to define the academic benchmarks that Richardson graduates should embody.
The profile will allow the district to ensure that equivalent learning experiences are aligned while also enhancing a sense of community engagement.
As part of updating the profile, the district will partner with the education services company Engage 2 Learn to aid in the development of the profile. Based out of Austin, Engage 2 Learn offers professional learning services and integrated technology solutions to cater to educators wherever they are at in their education careers. The company has partnered with other Texas school districts, including Arlington ISD and Katy ISD, as well as Cincinnati Public Schools in Ohio.
Engage 2 Learn is tasked with helping the district define skills and standards for a RISD graduate. This involves organizing community summits, creating an online survey and convening focus groups over the next few months.
RISD officials said they plan for the graduate profile to be outlined by the end of the school year. The district plans to collect community feedback in March and April while the profile is designed throughout April and May. The profile is expected to be presented to the board by June for additional feedback.
