Grand Rapids Public Museum High School in Michigan has been selected as one of 24 schools nationwide to join the Future of High School Network. This is a ten-year initiative led by the Carnegie Foundation and XQ Institute. The program aims to redesign the American high school experience and move beyond the traditional Carnegie Unit system, which has defined academic progress for over a century. The initiative seeks to develop a more flexible and equitable educational model for future students.
Christopher Hanks, former principal of Museum High and now a principal on special assignment in innovation design, helped with the school’s application. Hanks noted that the skills and knowledge needed today are different from those required when the Carnegie Unit was created over 120 years ago. The initiative’s goal is to update high school education to better prepare students for current demands, using new approaches that differ from traditional classroom structures and grading systems.
Museum School’s selection follows its previous work in educational innovation. In 2015, the school received a $10 million grant from the XQ Institute to expand its project- and competency-based learning model. Although that grant has ended, the school has continued its relationship with XQ. This led to its invitation to join the Future of High School Network. As part of the initiative, Museum School will share academic data and work with other participating schools. The school will receive a $100,000 grant over two years to support data collection…