Portrait of a Graduate

The School Superintendents Association (AASA), is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in the creation of our statewide portrait of a graduate. This organization has helped to develop portraits for multiple states and hundreds of schools across the country.

 

At its core, the Portrait of a Graduate focuses on preparing students for real life by emphasizing essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, adaptability, and lifelong learning. Serving as a guiding vision for Wisconsin’s education system, the Portrait helps shape learning experiences and partnerships that support student success today and into the future.

 

We invite students, families, educators, and community members to stay connected and engaged as this work continues. This page will serve as a central hub for updates, news, resources, and opportunities to provide feedback and participate in Wisconsin’s Portrait of a Graduate.

Online listening sessions, along with links to surveys, steering committee updates, and additional information, will also be posted on this page as they become available.

The Portrait of a Graduate serves as a North Star—guiding innovation and decision-making across the education system. More than a process, it is a framework for impact. We look forward to working together to build Wisconsin’s North Star for student success!

Portrait of a Graduate In Person Listening Sessions

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The DPI’s 5-Phase Journey is a yearlong process to develop a shared, statewide Portrait of a Graduate—a clear vision for the skills, mindsets, and knowledge Wisconsin students need for future success.

Phase 1: Internal Alignment
The work begins by looking inward. DPI focuses on aligning leadership and internal teams by developing shared communication tools and resources to ensure a common understanding and consistent vision across the agency.

Phase 2: Steering Committee Launch
Next, DPI convenes a diverse steering committee to co-design the statewide engagement process. Facilitated by AASA, the committee includes partners from across Wisconsin, such as other state agencies, family and student advocacy groups, institutions of higher education, and workforce representatives.

Phase 3: Stakeholder Engagement
With guidance from the steering committee, DPI engages communities statewide through listening sessions in 12 locations and digital survey tools. This phase centers on gathering broad input from students, families, educators, and community partners.

Phase 4: Data Synthesis and Drafting
All feedback is analyzed to identify key themes and priorities. These insights inform the development of a draft Portrait of a Graduate framework that reflects voices from across the state.