Catherine Truitt, North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction, joins Mike Duncan, Ed.D., president and CEO at Battelle for Kids, for the third and final of our special Futurecast Conversations.
In this conversation, Catherine Truitt discusses the urgent need for educational reform in the United States. Referencing North Carolina’s statewide Portrait of a Graduate, a project the department partnered on with Battelle for Kids, she emphasizes the importance of aligning K-12 education with workforce needs and the challenges of measuring essential skills.
The discussion also covers the importance of relevance in education, the future directions for North Carolina’s educational system, and advice for state leaders on implementing effective reforms.
Some key takeaways include:
- The education system overall has not evolved to meet 21st-century needs.
- There is a significant gap between high school graduation rates and workforce readiness.
- Employers are seeking workers with durable skills, which are often lacking.
- Grassroots involvement is essential for successful educational reform.
- The Portrait of a Graduate aims to bridge the gap between education and workforce needs.
- Creating relevance in education is key to student engagement.
This is the third and final Futurecast Conversation, designed to dive deeper into some of the topics featured in the Battelle for Kids Futurecast Report, “The Future of the Portrait of a Graduate.” Click here to download the special report.
Listen to Previous Futurecast Conversations
Tim Taylor, co-founder and president at America Succeeds, joined Mike Duncan for the first of our Futurecast Conversations in August 2024.
Bill Daggett, Ed.D., Successful Practices Network Founder and Executive Chair, was the special guest for our Futurecast Conversation in September 2024.
