Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, West Virginia and Wisconsin were honored at Institute.21, an annual event showcasing the progress states have made toward infusing 21st century skills into core subjects. The Institute highlights the impact 21st century skills initiatives have on student engagement and achievement.

Iowa received its award for the state’s core curriculum and “Authentic Intellectual Work” (AIW). The “Iowa Core Curriculum” (ICC) defines the essential knowledge and skills that each student must learn to succeed in postsecondary life. The ICC includes content areas such as literacy, math, science and social studies and 21st century skills like civic, health, financial and technology literacy. In conjunction with the core curriculum, the AIW created a framework that sets standards for teaching academic subjects that maximize rigor, increase student engagement, support in-depth coverage of material, and equip students with the skills required to prosper in today’s world.

Another award recipient, New Jersey, was honored for the state’s “Standards Revision Project,” which aligned state content standards with the knowledge and skills needed for postsecondary education and the global workplace. The project specifically focused on nine content areas: arts, health education, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, technology and 21st century careers.

“We are very proud that our state has been recognized as a leader in the 21st century skills movement,” said New Jersey Commissioner of Education Lucille E. Davy.  “Our standards revision effort has been a major undertaking for the department, but we know that it is a major element in our efforts to ensure that New Jersey has the best education system in the world, and that our young people graduate from high school ready to take on the challenges of being productive citizens in the 21st century economy.”

West Virginia was honored for the state’s work to create rich authentic classroom assessments that integrate engaging content and learning skills. The project, “Assessing 21st Century Skills through Relevant and Engaging Content Applications,” designed quality standards-focused project learning units for teachers of English, mathematics, science and social studies that include opportunities to develop and assess 21st century skills.

“As we work to incorporate 21st century skills into rigorous core courses, we must also develop assessment practices that measure what students need to know and do in today’s world,” said Dr. Steven Paine, West Virginia superintendent of schools. “I am proud of our program model and hope it serves as a shining example as other states work to develop state tests.”

As West Virginia has been at the forefront of building 21st century assessments, Kansas has become a national leader in creating “Profiles for 21st Century Learning.” The profiles, which guide educators as they integrate academic and career learning with effective instructional practices, serve as a national model for how to develop a common vision that supports the structure, climate and culture of learning.

Maine received the 21st Century Skills Practice of the Year Award for “Creating the Conditions for All Students to Graduate Post-Secondary, Career, and Citizenship Ready for the 21st Century.” The project focuses on creating a standards-based education system in which students will have opportunities to learn via multiple pathways to demonstrate mastery of skills and knowledge.

“Students and teachers must be the focus of all education reform,” said Susan Gendron, Maine commissioner of education. “Maine’s system ensures that each student is at the center of their education and that they obtain deep subject matter knowledge and learn how to apply that knowledge to real world contexts.”

North Carolina was honored for the state’s “Writing Instruction and Assessment System Pilot,” a program that provides students the opportunities to develop and enhance the writing skills necessary to communicate effectively in today’s world. The program encourages complex writing assignments and promotes teaching practices that focus on draft-and-revision cycles, rather than as preparation for a single, on-demand writing test.

While North Carolina focused on writing, the “Wisconsin Task Force on Arts and Creativity in Education” addressed the essential role arts education plays in the lives of students, their future and quality of life and the state’s economy. The Task Force found that by focusing on knowledge, the arts, and 21st century skills, an education program can stimulate innovation and creativity and enable entrepreneurship.

“These states have performed an invaluable service by creating national models to guide other states in establishing 21st century learning policies and practices,” said Paige Johnson, worldwide manager, K-12 education, Intel Corporation and chair, Partnership for 21st Century Skills. “These awards highlight best practices for states as they build world-class education systems to ensure their students graduate with the knowledge and skills required of effective citizens, workers and leaders.”

About the Partnership for 21st Century Skills: The Partnership for 21st Century Skills is the leading advocacy organization focused on infusing 21st century skills into education. The organization brings together the business community, education leaders, and policymakers to define a powerful vision for 21st century education to ensure every child’s success as citizens and workers in the 21st century. The Partnership encourages schools, districts, and states to advocate for the infusion of 21st century skills into education and provides tools and resources to help facilitate and drive change.

21st Century Skills Leadership States include: Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

Member organizations include: Member organizations include: Adobe Systems, Inc., American Association of School Librarians, Apple, ASCD, Atomic Learning, Blackboard, Inc., Cable in the Classroom, Cisco Systems, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Dell, Inc., Education Networks of America, Educational Testing Service, EF Education, Ford Motor Company Fund, Gale Cengage Learning, Hewlett Packard, Intel Corporation, JA Worldwide®, KnowledgeWorks Foundation, K12, Learning.com, Learning Point Associates, LEGO Group, Lenovo, McGraw Hill, Measured Progress, Microsoft Corporation, National Education Association, Oracle Education Foundation, Pearson, PolyVision, Quarasan!, Scholastic Education, Sesame Workshop, Sun Microsystems, THINKronize, Verizon, and Wireless Generation. Organizations interested in joining the Partnership may contact info@21stcenturyskills.org.

Contact: Albert Lang (202) 585-0243 (w); 202-207-8510 (c); alang@eluminategroup.com