FutureReady Listening Session - March 11 Lunchtime by Washington State Board of Education

Copy of Discussion Questions

wasbeducation — 2025-03-11 16:43:36 UTC

2025-03-11 19:37:13 UTC

How is meaningful defined?

Mental health

2025-03-11 19:38:22 UTC

Polls indicate mental health is the main cause for students not feeling like they can succeed, not moving forward with opportunities. If a student is struggling with their mental health, no matter what is taught or what needs to be taught better, they won’t be able to retain or learn. I emphasize, mental health is the main cause.

2025-03-11 19:38:29 UTC

What is the recognition of all the other factors that influence career/job security such as wages, employer demand and hiring, economics that are in control of K12 or higher ed/apprenticeship, etc but both are held responsible

2025-03-11 19:38:48 UTC

What does this mean in an emerging place where students will have 8-9 or more careers?

Apprenticeship and Trade Schools

2025-03-11 19:38:48 UTC

Train them for a career

Knowledge and skills to do credit bearing work without remediation + sometimes guidance on how to choose a path, apply for, and pay for

2025-03-11 19:38:51 UTC

family

2025-03-11 19:39:12 UTC

I don't see a category for 'success in creating a thriving family' for themselves.

2025-03-11 19:39:28 UTC

Confidence that they are able to learn what they need to learn to be ready for the world of work.

Financial aid

2025-03-11 19:39:32 UTC

Self-management

2025-03-11 19:39:50 UTC

The ability to self-regulate (and motivate), prioritize, and manage resources (such as time and energy).

Direct connections to workplaces

2025-03-11 19:39:52 UTC

Especially for first-gen students, we typically do not have connections outside of family

2025-03-11 19:39:54 UTC

they need to learn how to learn and have effective intra and interpersonal relationships

2025-03-11 19:39:57 UTC

reading, writing math, understanding of their own abilities, and understanding of options.

Connections to the field they are interested in working in

2025-03-11 19:40:13 UTC

I take meaningful to mean pays a living wage.

2025-03-11 19:40:16 UTC

opportunity (not a forced credit with no funding attached) for internship in community in area of interest

2025-03-11 19:40:25 UTC

An understanding of the governing documents of the country and state: Constitutions, laws, parliamentary procedures.

2025-03-11 19:40:26 UTC

Financial Literacy

2025-03-11 19:40:27 UTC

They need to be informed about how to make decisions like financial aid, loans, managing your paycheck, and credit. All of those will hit as soon as they start considering education beyond high school.

Hard Skills/Maturity

2025-03-11 19:40:30 UTC

Students need to understand how to be organized in some fashion to be successful in any post high school education. Additionally, they need foundational skills and an understanding of why they are going to school. University has become increasingly unaffordable to experience with. In addition to that, they need to understand maturity which usually comes from experience of some kind.

2025-03-11 19:40:30 UTC

Ability to have a foundation that will allow them to transverse a rapidly changing social and economic world

Post ed Plan

2025-03-11 19:40:38 UTC

Pathways to education:

trades schools
community college
4 yr

Students needs to be prepared to make a real life choice and the exposure they have in relation to the career choice.

2025-03-11 19:40:44 UTC

Support for students who struggle with acceptance of them for whatever reason.

2025-03-11 19:40:48 UTC

Relevance. The ability and encouragement to pursue options and opportunities outside of school and with minimal barriers. This also requires options for relevant coursework to pursue their goals.

They need to have the math, English, and science skills that are necessary to go in prepared for the post-secondary space. Too many students are finding that they need to complete remedial work in order to start the post-secondary education, credential, or apprenticeship they choose.

2025-03-11 19:40:50 UTC

Understanding how to register to vote, participate meaningfully in their local elections

2025-03-11 19:40:54 UTC

I would like my students to feel confident that their high school diploma means that they are ready to be successful in college.

2025-03-11 19:41:02 UTC

struggling is OK

2025-03-11 19:41:06 UTC

most of us would not have gotten far in life without struggling. It's a matter of not treating it as a crushing blow

edlundk3 — 2025-03-11 19:41:12 UTC

Executive functioning skills

Technology skills including word processing and spreadsheets

Writing!

Education Beyond High School

2025-03-11 19:41:13 UTC

Career pathway training

Knowledge about career pathway that includes demand, workplace conditions, etc.

Post-secondary connections

Financial security

Mental health support

Understanding the Marketplace

2025-03-11 19:41:14 UTC

Students have widely varying and not well-developed understanding of how to fit themselves into actual job markets - it's more than a certain type or amount of education; it includes job search processes, networking, demonstrating skills, etc.

Multilingualism

2025-03-11 19:41:15 UTC

Meaningful volunteer opportunities within their community

2025-03-11 19:41:23 UTC

Family / Parent Engagement

2025-03-11 19:41:23 UTC

What is the structured of their household and the support systems existing at students homes.

edlundk3 — 2025-03-11 19:41:33 UTC

A network!

Experience

2025-03-11 19:41:33 UTC

They need opportunities to experience working out in their community and to choose aspects they are passionate about supporting.

2025-03-11 19:41:47 UTC

Students need the understanding that learning can happen in many different ways.

Learning about careers before senior year.

2025-03-11 19:42:07 UTC

Lifelong Learning Passion

2025-03-11 19:42:11 UTC

Knowledge of civics, the ability to listen to other people, the ability to communicate ones thoughts clearly

2025-03-11 19:42:14 UTC

I see many freshman struggle with writing.

2025-03-11 19:42:15 UTC

Participation should be recognized outside of the structured political environment. Young people are leaders in community engagement and service, funny that adults think this should be a question when students are leading in this area beyond what we have seen from older generations

ability to work with diverse groups... society is integrated so classrooms should be too.

2025-03-11 19:42:21 UTC

edlundk3 — 2025-03-11 19:42:30 UTC

Experiences that are community and career connected with community partners and "calls to action" - experiences participating in multiple ways in their community

Exposure

2025-03-11 19:42:31 UTC

Kids don't know what all the various trades and careers are; they can only see the ones that are visible; hence, need exposure to these fields (e.g. college visits, STEM tours, internships, summer programs)

“Career ready” at graduation basically the same as “post-secondary ready”— knowledge and skills to earn credit bearing work without remediation is good proxy for employability too + perhaps some guidance on searching, applying, interviewing, negotiating, and comporting oneself.

2025-03-11 19:42:32 UTC

Foundation + Education about options

2025-03-11 19:42:41 UTC

Foundational reading/writing/math/communication skills, education about options around all different types of paths after high school.

2025-03-11 19:42:45 UTC

Trades options vs college options. Developing skills that can be used in multiple areas or industries.

2025-03-11 19:42:46 UTC

Students need to learn how they learn instead of struggling to fit into a system that doesn’t fit them.

Basic Needs Met

2025-03-11 19:42:48 UTC

Housing, Mental Health Support, and a plan for transportation are vital for a successful start in a career

Community engagement both appropriately within Social Media and outside of Social Media

2025-03-11 19:42:56 UTC

Growth mindset

2025-03-11 19:43:14 UTC

Practice experiencing "failures" as positive opportunities.

edlundk3 — 2025-03-11 19:43:16 UTC

Thinking skills and Habits of Mind

The ability or willingness to abandon a pathway if that pathway doesn't provide a reasonable sense of fulfillment after a bit of time.

2025-03-11 19:43:17 UTC

Broad definition of education

2025-03-11 19:43:20 UTC

College 4 year, 2 year, CTE, apprenticeships, community employment and volunteer work. All students includes students with disabilities and WA state doesn't do well with employing adults with disabilities, particularly I/DD.

If you want to continue to learn and grow, you need to be able to access those opportunities where that learning and growing can happen

2025-03-11 19:43:23 UTC

Tenacity/Hard Skills

2025-03-11 19:43:25 UTC

STudents need to understand no matter what level of education they have, they have to start near the bottom. The degree may excel the upward movement, but they need to be willing to experience. Hard skills help facilitate those jobs you need above McDonalds, but below management.

edlundk3 — 2025-03-11 19:43:32 UTC

Interest based social support system

Career exposure

2025-03-11 19:43:34 UTC

Students need more exposure to the career opportunities. Even in college, students are still changing their majors based a class they took or job shadowing. The idea of required pathways decreases flexibility for exposure.

Securing Meaningful Work

2025-03-11 19:43:36 UTC

Career pathway training

Post-secondary training

Post-secondary connections

Building Resilience

2025-03-11 19:43:41 UTC

How do we build resilience on students as they make their choices and the reality.

Once again, same as post-secondary readiness + basic civics knowledge.

2025-03-11 19:43:45 UTC

To understand they have unique gifts and a place in contributing to something larger. To understand what brings meaning and purpose to their life. A supportive community/society.

2025-03-11 19:43:47 UTC

2025-03-11 19:44:01 UTC

Students need mentors, role models, and community for support, guidance, and inspiration. The also need the agency and freedom to pursue what is meaningful to them rather than what is chosen (implicitly/explicitly) for them. Ultimately, they need opportunities to be in the communities they want to be engaged in for practical experience.

Students should know that all work is meaningful

2025-03-11 19:44:06 UTC

Confidence & Grit

2025-03-11 19:44:38 UTC

Students need to be confident in their abilities and have the grit to not give up their dreams of what they want to do!

Businesses open to all people

2025-03-11 19:44:44 UTC

Getting industry to recognize people with disabilities can work

Exposure at School

2025-03-11 19:45:05 UTC

CBO's that are currently working in schools and what their relation is with schools and students.

School to Career Curriculum

2025-03-11 19:45:20 UTC

A smart phone and connectivity. I think we overstate how much effort it takes to make students “life long learners.” Life teaches them that.

2025-03-11 19:45:42 UTC

media literacy

2025-03-11 19:46:13 UTC

Must develop 'agency' and individual responsibility to navigate media ecosystem and know what is real.

Practice

2025-03-11 19:46:35 UTC

I think it's important for students to have work experiences young in life. Learning the requirements of a job early will only help youth gain employment later on in life.

Internship Experiences

2025-03-11 19:46:44 UTC

Provide opportunities for shadow days, work place visits and internships to help students start to craft a vision for their future.

Recognition of their strengths

2025-03-11 19:47:11 UTC

Resilience, positive outlook on life, "growth mindset", academic specific strengths (not great at writing but great at acting? not great at science but love engineering? recognize your strengths!)

2025-03-11 19:47:32 UTC

students should have (perhaps as part of future ready grad requirements) experiences exploring what feels meaningful to them - work style, skills usage, time invested in preparation or job implementation, purpose, etc.

CBOs

2025-03-11 19:48:28 UTC

Community Based Organizations (CBOs) working in the schools are the KEY to focusing on under-represented kids and get them into college. This is a very successful model.

Unpacking Careers

2025-03-11 19:49:21 UTC

Provide opportunities for students to unpack their career choices especially with the new state platform getting ready to be released. Why do students get matched with certain careers? How can we help students understand the breadth of careers within clusters? How can rethink future planning and provide time during the day to support students with making choices.

2025-03-11 19:49:22 UTC

They need their community(ies)/identities to be valued and to be valued/respected in/by other communities. We need to make sure that educational opportunities can help students learn and prepare for meaningful participation as determined by their community. If schools lack the capacity for such offerings, students need flexibility to pursue the most relevant educational offerings necessary to meet their goals.

Group Work

2025-03-11 19:49:26 UTC

Ability to work in a group, collaborate, true understanding or work ethic. Hard skills to support self in the pursuit of happiness.

Lots of great ideas here. Important to distinguish what’s universal enough to require from what’s important enough to simply offer.

2025-03-11 19:50:03 UTC

unions and trade groups

2025-03-11 19:50:06 UTC

Enhance the relationship between unions and trade group with schools (e.g. IBEW here in Seattle has apprenticeships for seniors to get on track to be an electrician)

Mainstream University is becoming unaffordable and unattainable.

2025-03-11 19:50:25 UTC

Growth mindset

2025-03-11 19:50:33 UTC

Learning on growth mindset or being open to a growth mindset. High school doesn't mean the end of learning regardless of what path one takes after.

Adaptability

2025-03-11 19:51:20 UTC

Students need to understand choice and control (over the opportunities they get, the jobs they can access) are not all theirs - job markets, recessions, location, on-ramps, all play a part. We should be introducing the concepts of flexibility and adaptability along the way, so students can see sets of options for themselves not a single "next step" success or failure

2025-03-11 19:51:23 UTC

This didn't come up in our group... but I do think it needs to be said that it is very important that new or revised requirements don't put an increased strain on district budgets. There cannot be purposeful or accidental unfunded mandates within revised requirements

Life Long Learners

2025-03-11 19:51:54 UTC

Love of learning leads to life long learning. Keeping kids interested in learning because it's fun not because it's necessary or required

2025-03-11 19:53:03 UTC

The assets and abundance of culture, community, and identity can help students have the confidence and reassurance to persevere through challenging times. The ecosystem of support can nourish the empowerment and creativity needed for lifelong learning. Community and relationships also help students understand the needs of their community and find their way in meeting those needs based on their skills and interests.

high expectations / high standards

2025-03-11 19:53:16 UTC

We currently have low expectations in the schools and this is setting kids up to not be ready for the high standards in jobs and collge. Need to reverse this. Examples: attendance, showing up on time, bringing a pencil, doing homework, taking tests over, etc

Absenteeism flexibility being an issue on students attendance and creating a challenge for teachers

2025-03-11 19:53:32 UTC

2025-03-11 19:54:02 UTC

Also I wanted to carry forward a comment I made in my group - that many of our students come out of high school unprepared for any kind of post-secondary education. They need lots of remedial help. We need to make sure they learn solid skills that they can carry forward.

Most do not come out of high school to be functional in any way

2025-03-11 19:54:42 UTC

2025-03-11 19:56:26 UTC

Subtly between absenteeism and school refusal. Latter can require services and accommodations. Parents I've worked with want their child at school but are perplexed as to how to make that happen

To understand they have unique gifts and a place in contributing to something larger. To understand what brings meaning and purpose to their life. A supportive community/society.

2025-03-11 20:06:06 UTC

To understand they have unique gifts and a place in contributing to something larger. To understand what brings meaning and purpose to their life. A supportive community/society.

2025-03-11 20:09:57 UTC

To understand they have unique gifts and a place in contributing to something larger. To understand what brings meaning and purpose to their life. A supportive community/society.

2025-03-11 20:10:46 UTC