For Immediate Release
Contact: Renée Rybak Lang, reneerl@nasbe.org, 703-740-4841

Arlington, VA – Today, we expect our students to be ready for the 21st century. Now more than ever, they are asked to learn more, to master new technology, and to apply what they have learned. These skills, including critical thinking and problem solving, effective communication, collaboration, and academic mindsets are competencies often referred to as “deeper learning.”

A new issue of the State Education Standard, the National Association of State Boards of Education’s award-winning journal, is dedicated to the topic of deeper learning, and how state policymakers — and state boards of education in particular — are in a position to adopt policies that ensure students graduate from high school with the knowledge and skills to succeed in college, career, and civic life.

The Standard’s feature article, “The Learner and Learning: 2014 and Beyond” highlights key findings and recommendations from NASBE’s study group on deeper learning, a group composed of members from 13 state boards of education. Among their recommendations: Ensure state policies create a foundation for deeper learning; align students’ educational experiences with 21st century college, career, and civic demands; and enable education systems driven by quality and innovation.

The issue also features an article by Robert Rothman, senior fellow at the Alliance for Excellent Education, who argues that fostering deeper learning isn’t about a single policy, but transforming a full education system. And, noted education thought-leader Linda Darling-Hammond examines the need to create high-quality, yet affordable assessments for deeper learning, while experts Peter Levine, Margaret Hilton, Elliot Washor, and others explore the connection between deeper learning and citizenship, social emotional learning, personalization, and student engagement.

“As this issue of the Standard shows, while the basic concepts of deeper learning are not new, what is changing is our focus on ensuring all students have access to rich deeper learning experiences,” says NASBE Executive Director Kristen Amundson. “Equity and excellence have been the hallmarks of state boards of education from their earliest days, so this issue is a natural fit for state boards to take on — and all across the country, state boards are stepping up to the challenge.”

Read the full March 2014 issue of the State Education Standard. Individual articles can be downloaded here.

Hard copies can be purchased for a nominal fee by contacting boards@nasbe.org.

Publication of this edition of the State Education Standard was made possible with support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. NASBE thanks the foundation for its support and acknowledges that views expressed in the journal are those of the authors alone.

The National Association of State Boards of Education represents America’s state and territorial boards of education. Our principal objectives are to strengthen state leadership in education policymaking; advocate equality of access to educational opportunity; promote excellence in the education of all students; and assure responsible lay governance of education. Learn more at www.nasbe.org.

###