Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Earlier this month, NAEP—the Nation’s Report Card—reaffirmed what many had predicted. The results continue to show a sharp decline in academic achievement across the board. In 2024, only 22 percent of 12th-graders scored at or above proficient in mathematics, and 35 percent did so in reading—the lowest levels in decades. The NAEP results underscore what we already know: the current system is not working for the vast majority of young people.
They were also a clear reminder of why we launched the Future of Learning and Schools (FHS) Network. In essence, we established the Network to build knowledge and tools to help high school transformation take root, sustain and scale.
I am greatly encouraged by the dynamism and progress we are seeing in school systems across the nation. In Texas, the Aldine Independent School District has emerged as one of the state’s most improved districts. Just two years ago, Aldine faced daunting academic and economic challenges, with more than half of its schools rated D or F. Under the determined leadership of Superintendent LaTonya Goffney, Aldine has launched bold strategies, introducing high-quality instructional materials, investing in teacher development, and forging groundbreaking partnerships with industry. For example, the district has launched the HEAL Program, a joint collaboration with Memorial Hermann—the largest healthcare provider in the Houston area—to offer students five healthcare pathways aligned to local workforce needs.
The results are striking. In two years, the district dramatically improved its overall results, reducing the number of failing schools from 23 to four. Aldine also saw dramatic gains in college, career, and military readiness. Their story is proof that determined leadership and empowered educators coupled with deep collaboration and community engagement, can turn the tide.
That same spirit of innovation was on display this month in South Bend, Indiana, where Network members convened schools from across the state. Students led tours of extraordinary, agentic learning underway, including an advanced manufacturing lab where students fulfill real business orders, and “The Club,” a first-of-its-kind partnership between Portage Schools and the Boys & Girls Club that supports students from the school day into the evening. In essence, Portage is creating authentic, rigorous, real-world learning opportunities that empower students and strengthen community connections.
Most important, these examples illuminate a path forward for the nation. Schools won’t recover from learning loss and plummeting proficiency scores without reimagining what high school can be.
In partnership,
%20(2).png?upscale=true&width=450&upscale=true&name=CAR%20logo_INTER_Black@4x%20(1)%20(2).png)
.png?upscale=true&width=600&upscale=true&name=CFN_600x400_Feb24_v4%20(2).png)
