Baltimore City Public Schools Launches Portrait of a Graduate
Battelle for Kids
We empower educators so that every student has hope, resilience, and the knowledge and skills to be future-ready.
The new shared vision between the district and the surrounding community includes five core competencies for students.
One of the largest school systems in the United States, Baltimore City Public Schools recently launched its Portrait of a Graduate. The Portrait represents a shared vision between the district and the surrounding community, articulating aspirations for all 75,000 Baltimore City students.
After months of design work and community engagement, the district held its unveiling event at Montebello Elementary/Middle School and produced this video from the launch.
As part of the launch, Montebello students unveiled the five core competencies in the district’s Portrait of a Graduate:
“[These competencies] are the soft skills our students can use no matter their goals or chosen pathways. Together they represent the portrait that should look back at us when a student earns their diploma,” said Baltimore City CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises.
Beginning last December, the Portrait Design Team, a diverse group of stakeholders from inside and outside the school system, and students from 12 schools worked to define what skills and expectations the community wants for young people once they graduate from City Schools.
“The Baltimore City Public School leadership team helped to curate a design team that came together with the goal of creating a Portrait of a Graduate that had each student’s best interest at heart,” said Jessica Harding , senior director at Battelle for Kids and lead facilitator of Baltimore City’s Portrait design process. “This was a joyful group that remained dedicated throughout the process and exemplified the traits of collaboration, communication, and responsibility. The participants took their roles seriously and showed up at every meeting passionate, excited, and open to new ideas.”
The local media was on hand early in the process to document the community engagement and explain the Portrait of a Graduate to its viewers.
City Schools, as the district is commonly known, started its transformation work by developing a strategic plan anchored in three key pillars: Academics, Leadership, and Student Wholeness.
With these pillars as the foundation, Baltimore City’s Portrait of a Graduate details how the district will provide resources, support, and opportunities to students, putting them in a position to succeed during their time in the district and after they graduate.
“We want to look back 20 years from now and say ‘Wow, this strategic plan went a long way in the trajectory of our students’ lives,’” said Montebello Principal Troy Mitchell at the Portrait unveiling. “You all are here participating in something that hopefully changes the trajectory of our city – not just our students, not just our citizens, but our entire city.”
The district serves more than 75,000 students across 162 schools and programs in the city. These students were at the center of the work throughout the process from design to launch.
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“I had the pleasure of traveling to multiple schools within the district during my time as the Portrait of a Graduate facilitator for Baltimore City Public Schools,” said Harding. “The students were amazing and completely engaged in the work. Their conversations were powerful and gave me a window into how students feel about our ever-changing world and their place in it. It was wonderful to sit with students and listen as they shared the hopes and dreams they have for themselves and their peers.”
Battelle for Kids is proud to have supported Baltimore City on its transformation journey this year and looks forward to what’s ahead for the district and its students.
“I believe the Baltimore City Public Schools Portrait of a Graduate process can be a shining example of what happens when we place students at the center of this work and allow them to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas,” said Harding. “I look forward to what I know will be the inspiring accomplishments these students will achieve once they walk across the stage and out into the world.”
EdWeek Webinar: A Decade of Transforming Education
Join EdWeek, Battelle for Kids, and education leaders from across the country for a Portrait of a Graduate webinar on Tuesday, June 11, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
Battelle for Kids will delve into its report, "The Future of the Portrait of a Graduate," in a webinar hosted by EdWeek on Tuesday, June 11.
BFK president and CEO Mike Duncan, Ed.D. will be joined by panelists:
About Battelle for Kids
Battelle for Kids (BFK), a national not-for-profit organization, is proud to support Baltimore City Public Schools and districts from across the country, empowering educators to prepare every student for tomorrow’s world. We partner alongside school districts, state agencies, and strategic partners to solve the complex issues in education. Learn more at bfk.org.