Sneakers, Signals, and Systems: A New Era in Education

There’s something in the water at education conferences — sneakers have become the new conference dress code. This shift toward individuality, comfort and practicality is also representative of transformations we’re seeing in education. The 2024 Carnegie Summit marked not just a gathering of minds but a convergence of ideas reshaping the education landscape. Key themes emerged, focusing on equity, improvement, and community collaboration.

Tim Knowles, President of the Carnegie Foundation, set the stage by emphasizing a mission to catalyze transformational change in education for every student’s well-being and success. “We are experiencing an erasure of history and book banning across the nation, which has become its own kind of pandemic. Standing down is not an option.” He highlighted the outdated nature of traditional metrics like the Carnegie unit advocating instead for a focus on meaningful learning experiences that prioritize student growth over compliance. “Our learning systems call for and, in some cases, are moving beyond traditional metrics like the Carnegie unit.”

Knowles also critiqued current signaling systems’ dehumanizing effects and advocated for a more human-centered approach, urging collaboration with organizations, colleagues, and communities to construct a new educational framework.

Signaling a New Era: Beyond Carnegie Units

In some cases, our learning systems are moving beyond traditional metrics like the Carnegie unit. The focus is now on competency-based personalized learning, where students demonstrate mastery through authentic, project-based experiences. The future of education lies in embracing holistic assessment frameworks, reimagining reporting mechanisms, and activating what Dr. Pam Cantor calls the biology of learning to unlock human potential. 

Brandi Hinnant-Crawford, the opening keynote speaker, echoed that improvement is a collective effort rooted in reflection and action. She emphasized the importance of addressing the needs of marginalized communities and sustaining change through collaborative vision and pragmatic action. “We must never underestimate the power of committed people to a common vision. I ask each of you to commit to pursuing justice and equity and to be critically pragmatic—even in the face of opposition.”

She continued, “The change we lead is more than one person and must stick. This work will meet with resistance, know the types and ready ourselves for the response.” 

Community Design: Where Every Voice Matters

The essence of community design is about creating inclusive spaces where every voice matters. Bill Nicely from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, along with his team and local superintendents, shared the Kansas City Real World Learning collaborative, which showcased a successful collaboration spanning multiple school districts and states. Through partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and schools, they provided real-world learning experiences to students, preparing them for success beyond graduation. 

During an ecosystem session sponsored by Education Reimagined and History Co:Lab, panelists shared how they created a more inclusive and supportive learning environment by involving the community in defining goals and strategies, which improved student outcomes and engagement. Through networked improvement science and community engagement, these partnerships can drive meaningful change and equitable outcomes. 

Karen Minshew of Cajon Valley School District highlighted the importance of clear communication with the community and the intentionality of this communication, which invites people into the work. “When we communicate with the community, stop using the educational jargon. Be specific and intentional about the words you use.”

Improvement Science: From Challenges to Solutions

Sessions on systemic change illustrated the power of improvement science in addressing evolving student needs. Summit attendees, like Paul Tritter, the Director of Professional Learning from the Boston Teachers Union, appreciated how the summit shared “the ways people are making Improvement Science work for them without getting hung up on the “capital I” and the “capital S.”  He shared further that hearing people’s stories of taking elements of the improvement framework to make a change in their contexts felt empowering and alleviated the reflective question of “Am I doing this right” that can stymy the execution of action. 

In this posture, learning systems can co-create personalized, competency-based learning pathways. By leveraging critical inquiry protocols and engaging students as co-creators, schools can transform from traditional models to dynamic, student-centered environments. “Students are voting with their feet. If students did not have to come to your school- why would they come? Dig into that,” said Ryan Cordia, principal at Northeast Career & Technical Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Often, it can be additionally impactful to put improvement science directly into the hands of students. During a student panel from DC Public Schools, a student shared that in addressing challenges such as chronic absenteeism, students used a design sprint and started with empathy interviews with their peers to iterate on testable solutions. Students were not just at the center of discussion, they were equipped to lead change and make an impact in their learning community. 

Coolidge High School students highlighted the importance of students’ voices going beyond mere presence to having a meaningful stake in decision-making. This includes providing spaces for students to contribute to design and be heard in staff meetings, hiring processes, and key decisions. Students exemplified this through Emphasizing, Defining, Ideating, and Sustaining. They used empathy interviews to address issues like chronic absenteeism, collaborating to create a more engaging and supportive school environment.

Forging Partnerships: Collaboration for Impact

Successful partnerships require alignment, flexibility, and a shared vision. Sessions on inclusive postsecondary pathways emphasized the role of community engagement in designing equitable learning opportunities. The focus on competency-based personalized learning signals a shift beyond traditional metrics like the Carnegie unit. 

Brooke Stafford-Brizard, Vice President of Innovation and Impact at the Carnegie Foundation, highlighted the importance of redesigning learning experiences and embracing holistic assessment frameworks. “We have come a long way from calling the skills that matter terms like ‘non-cog skills.’ An example of this is the incredible XQ Competencies.” The journey towards whole child education, equity-centered systems, engaging learning experiences, and supportive signaling is a testament to resilience, innovation, and collaboration as educators and stakeholders step into a future where every student can thrive.

Stepping into the Future

As we face the future of education, our educational systems must move beyond traditional metrics like Carnegie units. The journey towards whole child education, equity-centered systems, engaging learning experiences, and supportive signaling is akin to breaking in a well-worn pair of sneakers—a testament to resilience, innovation, and collaboration from educators, policymakers, and stakeholders to ensure every student can thrive and reach their full potential.