By: Christian Temchatin, Kutztown School District Superintendent.
The conditions for real change have arrived. For years, educators, parents, and community stakeholders have advocated for a more flexible, personalized approach to learning. School districts have been gradually introducing flexible career and learning options.
Now, with the realization of Act 158 and adjustments in seat time requirements, the environment is right for more significant change. While these adjustments are practical, the need for students to gain authentic opportunities is philosophically grounded, moving beyond rigid time- and credit-bound systems to embrace a more holistic, student-centered approach.
This shift is essential for preparing students to thrive in a world that demands adaptability and real-world skills.
Traditionally, graduation requirements have been tied to the number of hours students spend in classrooms, but today’s students need more than time. Pennsylvania’s Act 158 provides flexible graduation pathways, allowing students to demonstrate their readiness through various methods, including career portfolios, industry certifications, work-based learning experiences, and individualized competency-based plans.
We recognize that students’ success is no longer measured solely by standardized testing or seat time but by their ability to engage meaningfully with the world.
In the Kutztown School District, we are adopting a Kutztown Built philosophy that emphasizes six key actions we hope each student can independently advance after completing their programming in our environment: Connect, Solve, Initiate, Unite, Adapt, and Impact.
These actions guide the district’s commitment to preparing students for real-world success. By creating space and time for authentic experiences that help prepare students to solve the future’s problems, students can apply what they are learning in meaningful ways long before they complete their high school experience.
This practical flexibility reflects a deeper shift in educational philosophy: Learning is not defined by classroom walls or fixed schedules. It is the acknowledgment that education should mirror the complexities of real life, preparing students not just with facts and test-taking skills, but with the resilience, adaptability and problem-solving skills they will need to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
Pennsylvania’s educational future must balance providing both support and flexibility. Every student deserves access to sustainable resources such as mental health services, safe learning environments and academic guidance.
At the same time, schools must personalize learning to meet each student where they are, offering pathways that align with their educational and career goals.
By redefining success beyond standardized tests, schools can implement more meaningful measurements — such as student portfolios and real-world assessments — that better reflect personal growth and academic achievement.
The Kutztown School District is committed to embracing this shift. Recent community feedback highlights the importance of learning experiences that are academically rigorous and deeply connected to real-world challenges.
Student-driven options, including internships, dual enrollment, and career exploration, provide valuable experiences while meeting academic standards. While these opportunities have been available for decades, the increased flexibility of structures within the school day and within a high school schedule allows students endless opportunities to gain critical skills and practice using the knowledge gained from traditional courses.
This is not light work. We must reconsider core part of programming including our schedule structures, the meaning of a credit, in consideration of everything a student needs to graduate with options.
The future of public education in Pennsylvania is bright. With leadership from the state and vision from local communities like Kutztown, we are poised to make a lasting impact on how students learn and grow. Our students deserve these changes now, and the opportunities for our students are endless.
This article was originally published in the Reading Eagle: https://www.readingeagle.com/2024/09/26/superintendents-forum-reimagining-public-education-in-pennsylvania/