Learner Studio Pilots Summer Program on Human Skills for the Age of AI

This summer, Learner Studio piloted a bold idea: what if high school students learned not just how to use AI, but how to use it ethically and in service of their communities? With support from partners including DSST Public Schools, Boston Public Schools, City Year, Local Civics, and Learning Heroes, the program invited young people in Boston and Denver to explore “humanics”—the skills of collaboration, empathy, and civic engagement—alongside the rise of artificial intelligence.

The students didn’t just sit in classrooms. They mapped community assets, debated AI’s role in society, and used design thinking to imagine the futures they want to build. Through GIS mapping, AI-powered empathy interviews, and civic simulations, they practiced how to balance technological tools with human connection. As one student put it: “We don’t want AI to take over, we just want to live alongside it.”

Learner Studio’s July 2025 report, Human Skills in the Age of AI, underscores why this matters. Research shows that young people who develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills are better prepared for careers, civic life, and leadership. Yet these abilities are too often treated as extras, not essentials. The pilot showed that when students combine curiosity with civic purpose and creativity, they not only build confidence but also learn how to use emerging technology responsibly.

This work connects to a broader national conversation about reinventing high school. At SXSW EDU 2025, a panel hosted by the Walton Family Foundation brought together educators, edtech innovators, and leaders—including Learner Studio co-founder Babak Mostaghimi—to explore how high schools must evolve to meet the demands of the 21st century. The conversation spotlighted competency-based learning, networks of innovative schools, and new models that make high school more relevant, engaging, and future-ready. Learner Studio’s summer pilot is one example of those ideas in action: students preparing for college, career, and civic life by blending human skills with technological fluency.

And this summer was only the beginning. Learner Studio, alongside educators, nonprofits, and thought partners nationwide, is working to scale programs that strengthen human skills alongside AI literacy. The goal isn’t to train students to compete with machines, but to thrive alongside them—and to shape a future where AI becomes a tool for we, not just me.

Five Questions with Secretary Margaret Spellings

Margaret Spellings, former U.S. Secretary of Education and now President & CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), recently sat down with the George W. Bush Institute to share lessons from decades of public service. She underscored how bipartisan work can still move the needle, pointing to BPC’s long push to expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit as proof that persistence and coalition-building deliver results.

Reflecting on No Child Left Behind, Spellings stressed the importance of accountability, data, and a relentless focus on student achievement—principles she believes are urgently needed again as reading and math gaps widen. She also highlighted the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, which she helped launch, as a model for preparing the next generation of service-minded leaders.

Her leadership, shaped by years alongside President and Mrs. Bush, continues to center on character, humility, and the pursuit of common ground—values that guide both BPC and the Bush Institute, and align with Waypoint’s mission to support cross-sector solutions that last.

VA Governor’s Office Press Release: Governor Glenn Youngkin and Education Leaders Announce Across the Board Improvement in Virginia’s Statewide Testing Scores

In a recent announcement from the Virginia Governor’s Office, state leaders highlighted across-the-board gains in student achievement on the Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments in math and reading for the 2024–2025 school year. The improvements are especially notable given that this year’s tests required students to master 30–40% more content to pass than in previous years.

Governor Glenn Youngkin, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, and State Superintendent Emily Anne Gullickson credited the progress to Virginia’s ALL In VA campaign, which has invested more than $418 million in reducing absenteeism, expanding tutoring, and accelerating implementation of the Virginia Literacy Act. Leaders also emphasized the role of teachers, families, and communities in driving improvement.

The results reflect the administration’s focus on raising expectations, strengthening standards, and addressing learning loss from COVID-19 closures. At the same time, the Virginia Board of Education is working to close the “honesty gap”—the difference between state and national assessments—and has overhauled the accountability system to provide clearer information on school performance.

Waypoint is proud to partner in this work, supporting Virginia’s efforts to give every student the opportunity to succeed through higher standards, stronger supports, and transparent data.

Read the full article here.

The Classroom-to-Career Connection

A new article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation highlights how career-connected learning can bridge the gap between what students learn in school and the skills employers need. Recent surveys show that most high school graduates feel unprepared for life after graduation, while many employers remain skeptical about hiring Gen Z workers. Both groups, however, want stronger connections between education and the workforce.

The piece points to promising models like Township High School District 214 in Illinois, where students combine core academics with career pathways and graduate with credentials or college credits. It also showcases the Chamber’s own Employer Provided Innovation Challenges (EPIC), which bring businesses, schools, and students together to solve real-world problems. Programs like these, along with virtual career exploration opportunities, show how business and education can collaborate to build stronger pipelines of talent.

As the article notes, today’s high school students are tomorrow’s workforce—and career-connected learning offers a practical, widely supported way to prepare them for success while meeting employer needs.

Bush Institute’s Anne Wicks testifies on school choice and literacy before the Subcommittee on Education and the American Family

Anne Wicks, Managing Director of Opportunity and Democracy at the George W. Bush Institute, testified before the Senate HELP Committee on school choice and literacy. She highlighted alarming NAEP results—only about a third of students are proficient readers—and urged policymakers to ground instruction in the “science of reading.” Drawing on her own parent advocacy, Wicks showed how shifting to evidence-based practices boosted outcomes in her Texas district. Her recommendations stressed stronger teacher preparation, ongoing coaching, high-quality materials, early intervention, and transparent assessments—reflecting the Bush Institute’s commitment to ensuring every child learns to read.

State of the State Lists: Webinar Takeaways and Q&A

Waypoint partner Jocelyn Pickford recapped a recent webinar on state-reviewed curriculum and professional learning lists, stressing that state support expands—not restricts—district options. Panelists highlighted the importance of pairing high-quality materials with ongoing teacher support, using state policy to drive coherence, and updating lists regularly. The discussion also touched on waivers, incentives, and the potential role of AI. Across states, the focus is clear: strong guidance and sustained professional learning help schools deliver high-quality instruction to all students.

Gen Z Demands More: How Civics and Career-Connected Learning Prepare Students for the “Real World”

In the latest edition of Education Currents, Waypoint’s Jonathan Herrera explores how civics and career-connected learning can—and should—work together to prepare students for life after high school. Too often treated as separate priorities, these approaches complement each other by giving students both the voice to lead in their communities and the skills to thrive in the workforce.

Jonathan points to real-world examples like the National Civics Bee in Kansas, where middle schoolers propose solutions to community challenges, and Ohio’s career pathways programs that embed coaching, internships, and credentials into graduation requirements. Together, they show how readiness for work and readiness for citizenship are two sides of the same coin.

As Jonathan writes, the real measure of high school success isn’t just college enrollment—it’s whether students graduate ready to succeed in their careers, communities, and civic life.

Supporting summer learning can change the trajectory of student success

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is spotlighting the critical role of summer learning in preventing learning loss and helping students recover from pandemic setbacks. Research shows students can lose up to 30% of their academic gains over summer break, making high-quality programs a key tool for boosting math, reading, and social-emotional growth.

Examples like Alabama’s SAIL program and Georgia’s BOOST initiative demonstrate how state investments can yield measurable results. But with many districts facing tight budgets, the business community has an important role to play. Companies can partner with existing programs, create internships for youth, or design their own initiatives—from career exploration camps to reading challenges.

The message is clear: learning shouldn’t stop when school doors close, and businesses have both the opportunity and responsibility to help sustain year-round growth for students.

State SOS: Hold the line for standards-based assessments

For our inaugural post on Education Currents, Waypoint’s Kate Poteet makes the case for holding the line on standards-based assessments. She examines Texas House Bill 4, which proposes replacing the state’s STAAR exam with shorter, norm-referenced tests. While appealing on the surface, Kate explains that peer-to-peer comparisons can’t show whether students are truly meeting grade-level expectations—leaving whole schools at risk of falling behind without being identified for support.

The piece also highlights the work of several of our partners—Harvard’s Education Recovery Scorecard, the Collaborative for Student Success, Learning Heroes, the U.S. Chamber Foundation, and the Bipartisan Policy Center—who are helping make assessment data more transparent and actionable for families, communities, and policymakers.

With Education Currents, we’re launching a space to share insights from our team and our partners on the policy, data, and advocacy issues that matter most. This first entry sets the tone: rigorous standards and honest reporting are non-negotiable if every student is to get the education they deserve.

Harvard’s CEPR Launches New Initiative, States Leading States (SLS), to Identify and Spread Effective Education Policies Across the Country

We’re excited for the launch of the States Leading States initiative by the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.

Exciting news: CEPR is launching a new initiative, States Leading States (SLS), to identify and spread effective state and local education policies across the country.

The continuing decline in NAEP reading scores announced today highlights both the need and the potential impact of the new initiative. Starting in Spring 2026, SLS will release an annual report on promising state and local policies—such as early literacy reforms, state-organized tutoring programs, or postsecondary programs for older students—aimed at driving state-level policy change across the country.

Funded by a generous $10 million grant from the Walton Family Foundation, this work addresses a critical need to systematically evaluate state policy innovations and share what works, paving the way for enduring impact.

Read the press release: https://lnkd.in/egix9iky

Additional information about the 2026 topic and partners will be announced on CEPR’s website throughout spring 2025.