Pelham board begins implementing New York State’s ‘Portrait of a Graduate’ framework

The Pelham Union Free School District Board of Education on Oct. 21 held a working session to begin planning local implementation of New York State’s New York Inspires “Portrait of a Graduate” framework, district curriculum leaders said.

The workshop, led by Dr. Commerford and Pelham curriculum staff, focused on the six graduate attributes the state identified — critical thinking, problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and resilience — and on what the changes could mean for instruction, assessment and graduation measures in Pelham.

District curriculum staff said the portrait is intended to broaden how readiness is defined and to move away from a diploma system measured primarily by Regents examinations. “This is not just a high school reform,” Dr. Commerford said during the session, adding that the work is intended to align K–12 instruction, assessment and school culture to the portrait’s competencies.

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