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Marshalltown board approves memorandum with Junior Achievement to pilot 3DE high-school model
Summary
The board voted 6-0 to approve a memorandum of agreement and a data‑sharing agreement with Junior Achievement of Central Iowa to pursue a 3DE school‑within‑a‑school pilot at Marshalltown High School, including first‑year funding support from JA and a proposed readiness timeline beginning January.
The Marshalltown Community School District Board of Education on Dec. 16 approved a memorandum of agreement and a data‑sharing agreement with Junior Achievement of Central Iowa to pursue the 3DE high‑school instructional model.
Ryan Osborne, president of Junior Achievement in Central Iowa, told the board the 3DE model cohorts students and teachers, centers learning on real‑world business cases and emphasizes collaboration and six foundational competencies. JA representatives said the model has been implemented at about 60 U.S. schools and reported outcomes they associate with it, including higher attendance and graduation rates and improved college enrollment in partner districts.
Osborne and a colleague, Shannon, described implementation options and costs. They said the program carries an annual cost of about $206,000 but that Junior Achievement has identified lead funding to cover year one if Marshalltown opts to launch a readiness year this coming semester and a fall 2025 cohort in ninth grade. The presenters recommended a school‑within‑a‑school model for an initial cohort of approximately 125–150 students, with scale‑up over four years.
Board members asked about selection criteria and scheduling. Administrators said the district would aim to mirror the district demographic profile in cohort selection and to preserve options for students to take AP, honors or dual‑credit courses. Dr. Theron Schutte (superintendent) said district staff have done visits to multiple existing 3DE sites as part of due diligence.
After discussion, a motion to approve the memorandum of agreement and the data‑sharing agreement with Junior Achievement was made and passed 6‑0.
The board did not set a final launch date in the motion; administrators said next steps include readiness planning, identifying staff to be trained, and a community engagement timeline.
