A Vision for Future Readiness Integrated Into Core Culture at New Hope-Solebury School District

An AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse Demonstration System Vignette

In the fall of 2024, New Hope-Solebury School District was named an AASA Learning 2025 Lighthouse Demonstration System for its work in the area of future-ready learners.

The New Hope-Solebury School District is a small suburban district located on the Delaware River between Philadelphia and New York City. It educates 1,300 students in a K-12 education program.

The district has been consistently recognized as a high achieving school district with 95% of students matriculating into college or careers. Its high school and middle school are currently ranked fifteenth in Pennsylvania by US News and World Report. The Pennsylvania School Board Association has recognized New Hope-Solebury as a great Pennsylvania School; it was also recognized by AASA as a School System to watch in the 2023-24 school year.

The major focus of the district is on preparing future-ready learners. In the 2019-20 school year, the district embarked on a vision-driven comprehensive review of its programs and practices to ensure its system was fully equipped to prepare future-ready learners. One hundred stakeholders from the school district were assembled, including community members, parents and guardians, students, faculty, staff, and administrators to develop a comprehensive plan. A series of focus groups and open discussions sought to determine if the district was responsive to the projected needs of students as they approach higher education and the modern workforce. This process involved developing a vision, mission, and shared values for the school district to frame the goals action plans, and strategies to drive progress.

Additionally, the team created the district’s Portrait of a Graduate to provide a visual representation and foundation for its efforts to cultivate well-rounded and future-ready learners, highlighting characteristics and skills for students to develop throughout their K-12 experience.