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Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards

Community of Practice

Skills for Success:

The Why Behind Wisconsin's Career Readiness Standards

Module 11:

Implementing and Evaluating “We Will” Statements

Welcome to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Career Readiness Community of Practice! In this eleventh module, titled, “Implementing and Evaluating We Will Statements”, we’re going to continue our work to bridge connections between the WCRS on paper, and what it looks like to make WCRS come alive within your own system.

To make the most of this learning experience, we encourage you to engage actively by taking notes and reflecting on how the content applies to your unique context. Pause the video whenever you need to process the information or dive deeper into the provided resources. If you’re able, consider collaborating with colleagues or teams for richer discussions and shared insights. Finally, don’t forget to follow up with your regional CESA for additional support.

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Objectives

Identify Current Practices Using the “We Will” Mapping Activity�

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Why Educator “We Will” Statements

Provide a framework for focusing on adult practices aligned with WCRS.
Foster a culture of shared responsibility for career readiness.
Ensure that adult commitments support student learning.
Align professional development and school-wide goals.

As we think about adult practices, it's clear that this encompasses a wide range of actions—from teaching strategies to leadership approaches. The challenge is knowing where to start and how to organize our efforts. That’s where "We Will" statements come in. These statements provide us with a structured way to reflect on, discuss, and take action toward the changes we want to see.

By defining specific commitments, "We Will" statements give us a starting point to guide our progress and ensure accountability as we work toward building a culture of career readiness. Just like "I Can" statements give students a clear path to follow, "We Will" statements are designed to guide the adults in the system.

The Department of Public Instruction created "We Will" statements to provide a framework for aligning educator practices with the Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards. These statements ensure that our commitments, as educators, directly support student learning and help us build an environment where career readiness thrives.

"At their core, 'We Will' statements help us align professional development, school-wide goals, and instructional strategies with the needs of our students. By focusing on what we, as educators and schools, commit to doing, 'We Will' statements foster a culture of shared responsibility for student career readiness. It's about ensuring that everyone in the educational ecosystem is working together to meet the career readiness goals we’ve set for students."

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Understanding Educator “We Will” Statements

Educator “We Will” Statements:

Align adult practices to support student learning.
Reflect educator commitments to instructional strategies.
Guide professional development and school-wide goals.

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The Connections

“We Will” statements are directly tied to learning intentions. They state in clear and developmentally appropriate language what educators and systems will guarantee to facilitate career readiness for all students:

“We will require student participation in at least one career-based learning experience (CBLE) each year in grades 6-12.”

“We will develop a scope and sequence of career readiness activities for all students at each grade level that are inclusive, interactive, and aligned with students interests.”

Now, let’s explore how "We Will" statements fit into the larger framework of career readiness, just like we connected the standards, learning priorities, and "I Can" statements in Module 5.

In this case, we start with the Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards, which outline the broad goals for preparing students for their future careers. These standards then lead to specific learning priorities or intentions—the focused objectives that help educators and students target key areas of development.

From there, "We Will" statements guide the actions and commitments of educators and leaders. They provide a concrete way for us to align our efforts with those standards and learning priorities. For example, "We will require student participation in at least one career-based learning experience (CBLE) each year in grades 6-12" ensures that students are consistently engaging in real-world career exploration throughout their education.

Another example, "We will develop a scope and sequence of career readiness activities for all students at each grade level that are inclusive, interactive, and aligned with students' interests," ensures that career readiness activities are both structured and relevant to the diverse interests of our students.

By making these connections, we create a clear path for ensuring that our adult practices are aligned with the standards and priorities that ultimately support student success in career readiness.

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Measuring “We Will” Statements

Measuring Adult Practices with “We Will” Statements:

Reflect on teacher practices and how they align with student outcomes
Assess if adult practices are contributing to student career readiness, and set short- and long-term improvement goals
Adapt practices, instruction, offerings, and actions to fit well with identified student strengths and needs

Measuring student progress with "I Can" statements goes hand in hand with measuring adult practices through "We Will" statements. This ensures accountability by defining, measuring, and reflecting on our commitments as educators.

The process starts with reflection: Are our practices and professional development efforts truly supporting student career readiness? Are we seeing the desired outcomes from our "We Will" commitments?

Next, we assess the impact. Do we have evidence that our actions are driving student success? If not, we must adjust to better align with student needs.

Adapting practices based on data is key. Continuous reflection and improvement help us fine-tune instruction and support systems to meet evolving needs.

Finally, setting goals based on this data ensures our efforts stay on track and contribute directly to student success and career readiness.

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Using Results to Drive System Improvement

Aligns with the Wisconsin EMLSS Key Features:

High-Quality Instruction
Collaboration
Equitable Access
Balanced Assessment
Data-Based Decision Making
Strong Universal Systems

Continuous improvement ensures practices evolve to meet student needs.

When it comes to using data on adult practices to drive system improvement, we can align our approach with Wisconsin’s EMLSS framework. The EMLSS framework is grounded in continuous improvement, which directly supports how we reflect on and measure the effectiveness of our adult practices in fostering career readiness.

By focusing on key features of the framework—such as high-quality instruction, equitable access, collaboration, and data-based decision making—we ensure that "We Will" statements aren’t just static commitments. Instead, they become part of a dynamic, evolving process that adapts to meet the needs of both students and staff.

Reflecting on these adult practices as part of our continuous improvement process allows us to assess how well our instructional strategies, professional development efforts, and overall systems are supporting career readiness. This approach helps us fine-tune our practices, making sure that we are consistently providing the best possible learning environment and that our system evolves to meet the needs of all students.

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“We Will” Mapping Activity

We’re going to create a current reality “We Will” map for your system
Identify where “We Will” statements are already guaranteed in your system.
Identify gaps and opportunities for equitable and guaranteed access to the adult practices identified in “We Will”

Now, we’re going to shift into an important activity where we’ll create a "We Will" map for your system. This is your opportunity to reflect on the current state of adult practices in your school or district and identify where "We Will" statements are already guaranteed.

The first step is to map out where these commitments are being fulfilled. Which "We Will" statements are already part of your system? Are there certain grade levels, programs, or teams where these practices are already embedded?

Next, we’ll focus on identifying any gaps. Are there areas where "We Will" statements are not yet implemented or are inconsistently applied? This will help us uncover opportunities for ensuring equitable and guaranteed access to the adult practices identified in "We Will" statements.

By creating this map, you’ll be able to see the bigger picture of how your system supports career readiness and where there’s room for growth. Let’s take the time to thoughtfully assess your current reality and explore potential next steps.

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Customizing “We Will” For Local Priorities

“We will work with technology integration specialists to expose students to new technologies, processes, and problem-solving approaches that spur innovation.

Do Not Edit

Can Edit

As we move forward with implementing the Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards, just as we noted with the student “I Can” statements, it’s important to understand what can and cannot be modified within the framework.

The standards themselves, including the discipline, strands, and learning priorities, are set at the state level and cannot be changed. These elements ensure consistency across districts and provide a clear structure for career readiness. (Click for Animation)

However, when it comes to 'We Will’ statements, districts have the flexibility to adjust them. (Click for Animation) While the standards and learning priorities must remain the same, districts can tailor 'We Will’ statements to better align with their local learning priorities and the unique promises they choose to make to their students and communities. This flexibility allows you to make the 'We Will’ statements more relevant and meaningful for your systems, educators, administrators, and communities, while still staying true to the overarching goals of the Wisconsin Career Readiness Standards.

This balance between consistency in standards and flexibility in staff and community-facing language is key to ensuring that your system has clear and accessible expectations that guide your conversations, analyses, and plans for system improvement in reference to career readiness.

In our mapping activity, we are going to start with a set of educator “We Will” statements that were created by DPI. However, when we’re going through this map, keep in mind that you will have an opportunity to revise these statements over time to better meet the priorities of your local system and the guarantees you are going to choose to make.

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“We Will” Mapping Activity

Review the "We Will" statements provided in THIS FILE, with one tab for Educator Statements, and one for Educational Leader Statements
Map out the extent with which these practices currently exist in your system.
Identify gaps or areas lacking implementation.
Start to reflect upon potential strategies to address these gaps.

Here's how the mapping activity will work:

You will find a link to a google sheets file, just like in Module 10, to support your ability to complete this activity. The link to this file an be found on the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s WCRS webpage under Resources. Just like with the file you used in Module 10 to complete the I Can mapping activity, the link will do a forced copy so you have your own set that you can edit for your own system.
Begin by reviewing the "We Will" statements provided. These statements outline key adult practices that support career readiness. Note that the statements are separated into two tabs, one that focuses on educator commitments, and one that focuses on systemic and leadership commitments. For this exercise, you can choose to focus on one or another, or look at both sets of statements.
Next, map out where these practices currently exist within your school or district. Consider specific programs, initiatives, or routines where these commitments are being fulfilled.
Identify any gaps or areas where implementation is lacking. Where are opportunities being missed?
In your groups, discuss potential strategies to address these gaps. What actions can you take to integrate these practices more fully?
Finally, note any resources or support needed to implement these strategies. This might include professional development, partnerships, or administrative support.

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“We Will” Mapping Activity

Assessment Rubric Criteria:

Not Yet Guaranteed: The "We Will" statement is not currently being fulfilled within the system.

Partially Guaranteed: Some actions or efforts are in place but not universally applied.

Fully Guaranteed: The "We Will" statement is fully implemented across the district/system and we are certain every student is guaranteed these adult practices.

As you begin the mapping activity, it’s important to understand the criteria we’ll be using to assess where your system stands in relation to the "We Will" statements. You’ll be selecting one of the following three categories for each statement:

The first option is Not Yet Guaranteed. This means that the "We Will" statement is not currently being fulfilled or guaranteed within your system. There may be no actions or efforts in place to meet this commitment.
The second option is Partially Guaranteed. This is for situations where some actions or efforts are in place, but they aren’t guaranteed universally across the district or system. It could mean that certain schools or departments are implementing the practice, but it hasn’t been rolled out more broadly.
Finally, we have Fully Guaranteed. This indicates that the "We Will" statement is fully implemented and guaranteed across the district or system. In other words, all staff or schools are engaged in this practice consistently.

As you work through each "We Will" statement, reflect on your system’s current reality and select the most appropriate category. This will help us identify areas of strength, as well as opportunities for growth.

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“We Will” Mapping Activity

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“We Will” Mapping Activity

This image helps you get a feel for what you will encounter during this activity if you are an educational leader. You can see that this image is taken from Tab 2, which provides the We Will statements for K-12 leadership positions. For each statement, you will be asked to consider and assess if that individual We Will statements is fully guaranteed, partially guaranteed, or not yet guaranteed. There is also a column where you are encouraged to take notes for later team discussion.

Use the tab that makes the most sense for you in your role.

At this point, we recommend you pause your WCRS Module 11, and focus on creating the space and time to complete this mapping activity. For some systems, this may take 15-20 minutes, while in other more complex systems or situations, it could take multiple work times and require interviewing or connecting with other key individuals within your system.

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Debriefing the Mapping Activity

What strengths did you identify in your current practices?
What gaps or challenges emerged?
What strategies will you pursue to enhance adult practices?
Who may you need to enlist as an ally in this advocacy work?
What support or resources will you need?

Welcome back! Thank you for creating the time and space to complete the Module 11 activity.

Let’s consider the key insights you’ve gained as a result of this activity.

What strengths did you identify in your current practices related to "We Will" statements and supporting career readiness?
What gaps or challenges emerged during your mapping?
What strategies are you considering to enhance adult practices in your system?
What support or resources will you need to implement these strategies?

Don’t underestimate the power of giving voice to your reflections and analysis. Whether you worked individually or as a team to complete this activity, we recommend sharing about your process and key takeaways with others in your system. Your results can help your key stakeholders learn from one another and identify common areas for growth across the board.“ This debrief represents an excellent opportunity to learn from one another and perhaps find collaborative solutions to common challenges. Feel free to pause Module 11 here to complete this valuable discussion and connection with others, or make a plan to complete this work prior to Module 12.

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Key Takeaways

CBE and CCL together create powerful learning environments.
Adult practices are crucial in fostering career readiness.
Collective commitment to our guarantees enhances student outcomes.
Incremental changes in adult practices can lead to significant progress.

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Optimistic Closure

"We Will" statements are tools for systemic growth.
Your mapping today lays the groundwork for action.
Together, we are building a culture of career readiness. Thank you for your commitment to our students' success!