Aurora Institute Launches State Policy Recommendations Calling on Policymakers to Transform K-12 Education

ARLINGTON, VA – (March 21, 2022): With the goal of transforming the K-12 education system so it is fit for its purpose of strengthening democracy and shaping our next generation of engaged citizens, the Aurora Institute today launched its annual state policy agenda.

Informed by the wisdom and expertise of thousands of members in its community, the Aurora Institute’s state policy agenda is a set of 12 recommendations geared at transforming the nation’s K-12 education system to be more modernized, equitable, and effective. Taken together, the policy priorities challenge lawmakers and education decision-makers to wield their influence and take advantage of existing opportunities to disrupt the traditional one-size-fits-all model of K-12 teaching and learning and unleash learning from the confines of place and time. The priorities include:

• Establishing a statewide profile of a graduate
• Modernizing state education funding
• Advancing racial equity in education
• Increasing educator workforce diversity
• Modernizing the educator workforce
• Advancing competency-based education policies
• Establishing innovation zones
• Investing in COVID-19 learning recovery
• Transforming systems of assessments
• Rethinking next generation accountability
• Expanding access to broadband
• Creating competency-based pathways across K-12, higher education, career and technical education and the workforce

“This set of recommendations articulates state policy changes needed to transform our education systems to be more personalized and competency-based,” said Susan Patrick, President and CEO of the Aurora Institute. “By addressing these key issues, policymakers can shape the necessary conditions we need to transform our system to be more equitable and effective. We stand ready to support policymakers in their journey to do so.”

“The Aurora Institute has always been at the leading edge of producing policy guidance to advance personalized, competency-based education systems,” said Virgel Hammonds, Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks, and board member at the Aurora Institute. “This latest set of innovative, future-focused state policy recommendations will be invaluable to state legislators and their teams in guiding their states systems into the future.”

At the state level, the Aurora Institute Center for Policy conducts policy analysis and provides recommendations to governors, state legislators, education agencies, state boards, education leaders, and other local policymakers to work together with their communities to transform education systems; advance competency-based education systems and align pathways; build capacity by investing in people, rethink accountability and assessment, and advance educational equity. 

Download our 2022 state policy recommendations for a full analysis of these issues. Policy makers at all levels are encouraged to contact the Aurora Institute Center for Policy for more information or assistance.

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About the Aurora Institute

Aurora’s mission is to drive the transformation of education systems and accelerate the advancement of breakthrough policies and practices to ensure high-quality learning for all. Aurora is shaping the future of teaching and learning for more than 14 million students through its work in policy advocacy, research, and field-building/convening. We work on systems change in K-12 education, identifies root causes in structures, promotes best practices, examines policy barriers, and makes recommendations for change. Aurora has a national and global view of education innovation and lifts up promising policies and practices that yield improved outcomes for students. Aurora envisions a world where all people are empowered to attain the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to achieve success, contribute to their communities, and advance society.