Program | Practice | Policy
While academic proficiency remains essential, employers increasingly emphasize the importance of durable skills—communication, collaboration, critical thinking, adaptability, and leadership—as predictors of long-term success. Unlike technical skills that may become outdated with technological change, durable skills transcend industries and remain relevant throughout careers.
In Kentucky, a 2020–21 analysis of nearly 885,000 job postings revealed that 74% required durable skills, and the top five were demanded 3.5 times more often than technical skills (America Succeeds & Lightcast). Yet, employer surveys show a disconnect: fewer than 10% of Kentucky employers believe graduates are proficient in these skills. This gap highlights the need for intentional benchmarks that ensure all students systematically develop, practice, and demonstrate durable skills before graduation.
Benchmarks provide clarity about what skills students should master, when, and how proficiency will be measured. They help teachers embed durable skills across subjects, enable students to track their own growth, and give employers confidence in the meaning of the diploma. Kentucky has developed Portrait of a Graduate frameworks that define durable skills statewide, while districts in Kentucky have piloted personalized learner profiles integrating durable skills into daily learning.
Without benchmarks, durable skills development remains inconsistent and dependent on individual teacher initiative. Establishing durable skills benchmarks ensures equity by guaranteeing that every Kentucky graduate, regardless of geography or background, leaves high school with the competencies most valued by colleges, employers, and communities.
Define durable skills. Use national frameworks like America Succeeds’ Durable Skills or CASEL’s SEL competencies to develop a Kentucky-specific list of core skills such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, agency, and leadership.
Set grade-level benchmarks. Identify what mastery looks like in elementary, middle, and high school. For example, “collaboration” in middle school might mean contributing ideas in group projects, while in high school it may involve leading complex team efforts.
Integrate with academic standards. Embed durable skills within existing Kentucky Academic Standards rather than creating standalone requirements. For example, link communication benchmarks to writing standards or critical thinking to math problem-solving.
Develop authentic assessments. Use project-based learning, capstone projects, and performance tasks to evaluate durable skills in real-world contexts. The KnowledgeWorks Personalized, Competency-Based Learning Framework provides models for competency assessment.
Create student learner profiles. Allow students to track progress on durable skills benchmarks through Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) or digital portfolios.
Provide teacher support. Train teachers in how to model, scaffold, and assess durable skills within academic instruction.
Engage employers and higher education. Validate benchmarks through advisory boards and ensure alignment with workforce and college expectations.
Report progress. Publish aggregate data on student durable skills development as part of the state’s school report card or community profiles.
Frameworks & standards: Adoption or adaptation of durable skills frameworks (e.g., America Succeeds Durable Skills, Portrait of a Graduate, CASEL SEL competencies).
Professional learning: Teacher training on integrating and assessing durable skills within existing curricula; PLCs for sharing strategies.
Assessment tools: Rubrics, performance tasks, and portfolio systems to measure growth.
Technology: Platforms to house learner profiles and ILPs that capture durable skills evidence.
Stakeholder engagement: Employer and higher education advisory groups to review and refine benchmarks; family education to build awareness of durable skills’ importance.
Policy support: State or district policies that require reporting on durable skills benchmarks alongside academic data.
Time: Scheduled opportunities for teachers to design and evaluate performance-based assessments; time within the school day for students to reflect on and update their learner profiles.
Track both early signals and long-term outcomes.
(Early Indicators)
(Lagging Indicators)
9th Grade On-Track measures whether students are positioned to graduate high school in four years, enroll in postsecondary education, and succeed in their first year after graduation. This composite indicator typically includes percentage of students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, no D’s or F’s in English or Math, attendance above 90%, no suspensions or expulsions, and potential for advanced coursework completion. Research demonstrates that 9th grade serves as a foundational year that sets the stage for on-time graduation and postsecondary success. GPA achieved in 9th grade strongly predicts academic performance later in high school, including 11th grade GPA, postsecondary enrollment, and first-year college retention. This indicator enables early intervention and support systems for at-risk students before academic struggles widen, making it a critical leading indicator for educational success.
Education and Career Navigation Competencies represent the knowledge, skills, and behaviors students need to effectively pursue education and career opportunities after high school. These competencies enable students to make informed choices about their futures through systematic career exploration, educational planning, and decision-making skill development. Research shows that students who develop these competencies are more likely to have expanded education and career opportunities, make decisions that better fit their interests and abilities, increase motivation to learn and achieve, and experience positive outcomes in school and work settings. Students who engage in intentional college and career planning, seek information about postsecondary options, and develop effective decision-making abilities demonstrate higher engagement in career exploration and planning activities. These competencies must begin developing well before high school, as limited early exploration can delay or impede informed decision-making about educational and career pathways.
Durable Skills Competencies encompass the essential skills students use to share what they know—like critical thinking, collaboration, and communication—as well as who they are—like fortitude and leadership. America Succeeds identifies 10 competency areas: communication, collaboration, character, critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, agency, leadership, global perspective, and lifelong learning. Among 885,000 Kentucky job postings analyzed in 2020-2021, 74% demanded durable skills, with the top 5 durable skills requested 3.5 times more than technical skills. These competencies are essential across all industries and professions while supporting quality-of-life conditions including social, emotional, and physical well-being. However, discrepancies exist between what students believe they should have and what employers expect, underscoring the need for clearer collaboration between educators, employers, and students. Success requires an integrated approach where academic and work-ready skills are interconnected components of students’ educational journey.
Kentucky’s 93.3% high school graduation rate ranks 4th nationally, demonstrating exceptional success in helping students complete secondary education. This metric measures the percentage of students who graduate with a regular high school diploma within four years of entering ninth grade. While this achievement reflects strong completion systems, it requires deeper analysis of preparation quality beyond mere completion rates. The high graduation rate indicates effective student support systems, but must be evaluated alongside readiness indicators to ensure diplomas represent meaningful preparation for postsecondary success and career readiness.
Kentucky’s college-going rate of 53.8% measures the percentage of high school graduates who enroll in postsecondary education immediately following graduation, serving as a lagging indicator of postsecondary transition patterns and educational pathway choices. This metric reflects the cumulative impact of academic preparation, financial readiness, career guidance, and cultural factors that influence student decisions about continuing education. The rate has declined from historical levels, indicating shifting student priorities and pathway preferences that may reflect changing economic conditions, increased career pathway options, or concerns about college costs and outcomes. Understanding college-going patterns is essential for evaluating educational effectiveness and planning postsecondary capacity, though it must be interpreted alongside alternative pathway participation and employment outcomes.
Kentucky’s postsecondary degree attainment rate of 39.5% among residents ages 25-64 with associate degrees or higher ranks 44th nationally, reflecting long-term educational and economic outcomes that result from years of educational policy and practice. This metric measures the cumulative impact of educational systems on adult credential completion and serves as a lagging indicator of workforce preparation and economic competitiveness. The rate includes all postsecondary credentials from certificates through doctoral degrees, providing a comprehensive view of population-level educational achievement. Low attainment rates indicate challenges in educational access, completion support, and economic opportunity that require sustained intervention across multiple systems to improve outcomes for future generations.
Kentucky’s workforce participation rate of 56.9% ranks 45th nationally, indicating significant challenges in transitioning education to economic engagement among working-age residents. This metric measures the percentage of civilians aged 16 and older who are either employed or actively seeking employment, serving as a lagging indicator of economic health and educational effectiveness. Low participation rates suggest barriers including limited job opportunities, skills mismatches between worker preparation and available positions, geographic constraints, health challenges, or economic conditions that discourage workforce entry. The rate reflects long-term outcomes of educational policies, economic development strategies, and social conditions that either support or hinder residents’ ability to engage productively in the labor market.
