Blueprint for 21st Century LearningExecutive SummaryJune 30, 2013

Table of Contents

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Vision for the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Blueprint Implementation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Phase One Deliverables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Cost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Benefits of Blueprint Initiatives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1Junior Achievement USA

AcknowledgmentJunior Achievement USA is grateful for the time, talent, and expertise provided by those who served on the Blueprint Committee.

Alan Armstrong, Junior Achievement USA Board MemberPresident & CEO, The Williams Companies, Inc., Tulsa, OK

John Hancock, Committee Co-ChairPresident, Junior Achievement of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Inc.

Buzzy Thibodeaux, Committee Co-Chair Executive Vice President, Junior Achievement USAJack KosakowskiPresident/CEO, Junior Achievement USALisa GillisChief Academic Officer, Junior Achievement USA

Jennifer AndersonVice President of Operations, Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas, Inc.Gina BlayneyPresident, Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest, Inc.Jackie DantVice President of Operations, Junior Achievement USADan DouglasPresident, Junior Achievement of West Kentucky, Inc.Becky DoumauxPresident, Junior Achievement of Central Pennsylvania, Inc.Allison FarrVice President of Product Development and Implementation, Junior Achievement USATim GreinertPresident, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc.Jack HarrisPresident, Junior Achievement of Georgia, Inc.Debra HofferPresident, Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana, Inc.Susan LuuSenior Vice President of Business Improvement, Junior Achievement USAMaria RamosVice President of Operations, Junior Achievement of ChicagoHollie StevensonVice President of Education, Junior Achievement - Rocky Mountain, Inc.

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Junior Achievement USA’s 2013 Blueprint for 21st Century Learning is a new endeavor

that will advance the organization into its next century of existence. This bold statement

of where JA will be in five years is ambitious but necessary for JA to provide the type

of 21st century learning experiences that build young people’s capacity, spur economic

development, and contribute to America’s global competitiveness.

OverviewThe 2013 Blueprint for 21st Century Learning, the core of Junior Achievement’s current strategic direction, frames the goals for JA’s educational program development and delivery during the next five years and beyond. Short-, intermediate-, and long-term goals are established, and the work needed to meet those goals is presented .

Junior Achievement’s educational programming consists of two primary components: content development and content delivery . The Blueprint proposes to keep the best of what JA does and expand into innovative opportunities made possible by new technologies . JA will introduce novel approaches to reach these students in more rigorous and relevant ways .

Content development includes the creation of curriculum across a wide range of formats . The Blueprint calls for creating a blend of face-to-face and high-tech opportunities for accessing JA content . These formats will include:

• Ongoing—Elementary school programs will continue to be designed for classrooms and out-of-school settings, much as they are today. Improvements will be made to the delivery model by embracing the use of technology in the classroom, such as lesson components designed for interactive whiteboards or tablets .

• New—A modular approach will be adapted to develop and deliver middle school and high school curriculum in a wide range of designs, including classroom activities, online lessons, large-group seminars, and competitions.

• New—Digital program components will be developed that use classroom technology as an alternative to print-based pieces.

• New—Online activities will be created for delivery in a classroom .

• New—Online activities will be developed that can be accessed outside a classroom using computers, tablets, and other electronic devices .

• New—A blended approach will be adopted that provides both print and online content to better individualize learning programs and accommodate the diverse needs of students, volunteers, and teachers .

The Blueprint calls for

creating a blend of

face-to-face and high-

tech opportunities for

accessing JA content.

3Junior Achievement USA

Junior Achievement has well-designed processes for creating print-based curriculum and will continue to use those processes. The organization also recognizes that other content-development goals combined with a rapidly changing competitive marketplace will require expeditious and increasingly innovative ways to produce and deliver JA products . Imaginative methods of designing content outside of kit-based materials will allow JA to deploy its programming more quickly and to be nimble enough to promptly evaluate what works well and discard what does not .

A new content delivery process is premised on a vision of the future in which no student or classroom is denied a JA experience . Junior Achievement continues to believe that the volunteer is the cornerstone of the JA experience . The organization also recognizes that to expand the reach of JA programs to all students, it must diversify its view of where and how volunteers interact with students . In the coming years, volunteer and student interaction will be offered in many ways, including:

• Ongoing—A classroom setting in which a volunteer physically presents print-based and digital content .

• New—A classroom setting in which a remote volunteer presents content using digital technology .

• New—Online with a digital volunteer in a digital classroom setting .

• New—Individually, with students accessing a wide range of digital content on their own time, with optional or no volunteer involvement .

All content delivery methods—current and new—will undergo continuous testing and evaluation to measure their effectiveness and to determine strategies to replicate those that are successful . Junior Achievement recognizes that evaluating the content during and after development remains a high priority for national and local stakeholders .

Junior Achievement is embarking on a five-year design phase that will transform the organization to reach even more young people . JA’s ongoing goal remains the same: to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy . Completing this mission will require the effort, support, and dedication of all JA stakeholders .

Guiding PrinciplesEvery organization needs guiding principles that serve as a plumb line in times of change, renewal, and expansion . The principles directing Junior Achievement’s Blueprint for 21st Century Learning include:

• Without fundamental change, JA will cease to be relevant .

• The magnitude of change needed demands that JA generate unprecedented resources .

• Think long term . Think big . Do it the right way .

• JA’s fundamental business model must change .

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• JA must stay aligned to the long-term goal of transforming itself to support 21st century learning .

• Keep all stakeholders active and engaged .

• Change management is as important as the change itself .

• JA must be disciplined to say “no” to impressive but off-target opportunities.

• Content development and delivery models will be guided by evaluation outcomes .

• Program integrity will not be sacrificed.

The Vision for the FutureThe time is right for JA’s influence to grow far beyond its current reach. Educators, the business community, and policymakers are acutely aware of the challenges of a rapidly changing global economy and the new kind of workforce it demands . The need to educate students about work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy—and how young people can design and control their own futures—has never been greater . Given those imperatives, Junior Achievement is uniquely positioned to serve as the catalyst for developing in students the 21st century workforce skills that will ensure America’s competitiveness in an ever-more competitive world . Currently, Junior Achievement reaches only eight percent of the student population in the United States . JA has an obligation to design and implement programs that will impact far more students . The main focus in this transformation is not to develop more programs simply to increase enrollment, but rather to create dynamic, relevant educational experiences and new avenues of delivery that naturally increase the number of students JA affects .

Junior Achievement will take education beyond the fundamentals of reading, writing, science, and mathematics . JA programs will challenge students to think about and use those fundamentals in practical, ethical ways by relating them to real career and life situations and through opportunities to apply them in hands-on, experiential-learning activities. With the addition of a comprehensive digital strategy that uses popular technologies, JA programs will reach students not only in traditional classrooms but also in out-of-school settings that allow students to access them on their own time. Students will be connected with peers from across the nation and around the globe through applicable technologies and annual JA student conferences intended to stimulate competition, heighten learning, and build bonds of common experience and understanding among future generations of global business, civic, and political leaders .

Building rich relationships between the business and educational communities through the strategic use of volunteers will continue to be a hallmark of JA programs . The competitive advantage that separates JA from its competitors has always been the inclusion of volunteers in classrooms presenting

JA programs will reach

students not only in

traditional classrooms

but also in out-of-school

settings that allow

students to access them

on their own time.

5Junior Achievement USA

JA programs . That approach will remain central to JA’s efforts, even as it adopts technology to better use volunteers’ time and as it develops non-core learning experiences with limited or no volunteer component . To ensure that any opportunity to reach students does not go unmet, JA will add contemporary volunteer delivery methods, such as digital volunteers .

Blueprint ImplementationA three-phase approach to implementing the Blueprint was approved by Junior Achievement USA’s board of directors in June 2013 . However, work toward implementation will not take place until initial funding is secured .

Over a 24-month period, phase one will focus on a redevelopment of JA Company Program

that will result in a modern, modular approach to Junior Achievement’s flagship program. The modular, blended-learning experiences included in the new JA Company Program will focus on entrepreneurship and building entrepreneurial thinkers among the students who participate in the program. The modular approach will allow for flexibility in program implementation based on the needs of students and the desired impact on their learning .

Additionally, phase one will include:

• The development of modular learning experiences in work readiness and financial literacy. Modular learning experiences will offer a blend of classroom materials, digital activities, seminars, and competitions .

• Development and testing of digital volunteer opportunities that connect volunteers to students through virtual means .

• Design and development of an online course as part of the blended-model delivery structure .

• A volunteer-learning community will be developed that offers volunteers training and support opportunities, best-practice sharing, networking, and additional content.

• Increased support for JA Areas from Junior Achievement USA will be part of the process to ensure a smooth transition in using the new tools . This support will include training, follow-up resources, and dedicated staff.

• A strong focus on evaluation of all initiatives in phase one to ensure that they are the best in class and to inform the work that will happen in phases two and three .

• Continued delivery according to the program redevelopment schedule . Although the Blueprint adds many opportunities for growth beyond traditional classrooms, JA recognizes that its current stronghold is the classroom . It will not waver from its commitment to develop and redevelop engaging, hands-on classroom programs as it embraces a future of online, digital, and blended-learning opportunities.

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As of July 2013, the program redevelopment schedule is as follows .

Program Redeveloped Piloted ReleasedJA Economics for Success® Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Fall 2013JA It’s My Future™ Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

JA Our City™ Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013JA Job Shadow™ Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013JA Career Success™ Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013JA Our Families™ Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013

JA Finance Park® Spring 2013 Fall 2013 / Spring 2014 Spring 2014JA BizTown® Spring 2013 Fall 2013 / Spring 2014 Spring 2014

JA Company Program®* Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014JA Our Community™ Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014

JA Our Nation™ Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Fall 2015JA Economics®/ JA Exploring Economics®*

Spring 2014 Fall 2014 / Spring 2015 Fall 2015

JA Ourselves™ Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Fall 2015JA It’s My Business!®* Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Fall 2015

JA Titan®* Spring 2015 Fall 2015/ Spring 2016 Fall 2016JA More than Money® Spring 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017

JA Be Entrepreneurial®* Fall 2015 Spring 2016 Fall 2016JA Global Marketplace®* Fall 2015 Spring 2016 Fall 2016

*Middle or high school programs that will be redeveloped and delivered in a blended, modular experience, not in kit-based programs.

Please note: All middle school and high school programs will transition to a blended, modular approach . This means that when it is time to redevelop a middle school or high school program, Junior Achievement USA will redesign the content into individual modules, resulting in a combination of digital and print-based activities that can be implemented in a variety of ways. The redevelopment of middle school or high school programs will not produce new kit-based programs but a new collection of modules .

7Junior Achievement USA

Phase One DeliverablesPhase one is a 24-month period that will demonstrate the value of new approaches to curriculum design, curriculum delivery, volunteer delivery, and volunteer support .

Months 1-12JA Company Program in 13 blended (online and in-person) modules focused on entrepreneurship .Creation of a Virtual Volunteer Learning Community .Development and testing of digital volunteer opportunities .Continued delivery of the JA Program Redevelopment Schedule .

Months 13-24Fifteen additional blended modules for middle grades and high school students, focused on work readiness and financial literacy.An online course for students to access virtually, with an online volunteer component .Enhancements to the Virtual Volunteer Learning Community .Training and support tools for JA Areas .Evaluation of months 1-12 deliverables.Beginning evaluation of months 13-24 deliverables.Informed planning of phases two and three of Blueprint implementation .Continued delivery of the JA Program Redevelopment Schedule .

Subsequent Phases

Phases two and three will each be 18 months in length . Development efforts in these phases will depend on the results of phase one .

CostA variable cost structure has been established, offering development options dependent on funds raised . Because of this approach, new donor recognition and collaboration opportunities will be offered, making funding opportunities more attractive to longtime JA supporters and new investors .

Phase one costs are approximately $8.5M ($4.7M for year one; $3.8M for year two).

Volunteer support expenses are approximately 25 percent of that cost, not including volunteer evaluation, which demonstrates the significant commitment to JA’s strongest competitive advantage.

These costs do not include JA Area-specific implementation needs, including training, promotion, programming costs, staff support, and local evaluation .

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Benefits of Blueprint InitiativesJunior Achievement USA expects the Blueprint initiatives to propel JA into its next century of existence, allowing JA to serve ever-increasing numbers of students in more meaningful ways. The return on investment (ROI) includes:

Students

• 21st century tools to solve real-world problems and foster cross-geographic collaborations.

• Programming with clear relevance to future career opportunities .

• Increased access to learning experiences and mentors .

• Certification in essential life and work skills recognized by employers and educational institutions .

Volunteers

• Enhanced and more flexible opportunities for engagement .

• 24/7 training opportunities .

• More and better support tools, including best- practice sharing tools .

• Networking opportunities to connect with other volunteers .

Educators

• More relevant content and experiences to deliver to students, including practical technologies as part of educational delivery .

• Opportunity to customize programming to meet state and district requirements .

• Opportunity to network with other educators and volunteers .

• More and better support tools, including best- practice sharing tools .

• 24/7 training opportunities .

JA Areas

• Opportunity to customize curriculum to meet local needs .

• Faster delivery of new and updated content .

• Support of centralized volunteer training to increase local capacity .

• Automated student tracking and assessment to prove student learning .

• Better methods to respond to needs of educators and volunteers .

• Ability to attract new supporters .

Next StepsJunior Achievement, in a collaborative effort between the National Office and JA Areas, is seeking financial support to launch phase one of the JA’s Blueprint for 21st Century Learning. Once financial support is found, development of phase one will begin .

9Junior Achievement USA

Development of phase one initiatives will follow a five-step approach:

• DiscoveryAn ideation process will be followed by research to establish the foundation for each project.

• DesignJA will create initial descriptions of each project, determine the outcomes desired, how those outcomes will be measured, and then engage in a backward-design process to confirm what content is needed to reach those outcomes. Digital components will be secured.

• DevelopContent will be written and edited, tested, and formatted for constituents. Prototypes will be delivered during the development process for testing with students, teachers, volunteers, and JA Areas to refine the product.

• ImplementContent will be delivered using appropriate implementation methods.

• EvaluateProgram effectiveness will be measured to see what works well and what should be changed. Items working well will be promoted further, and will be modeled in new development. Items that should be changed will repeat the development process.

The development time needed will depend on the initiative . Junior Achievement USA will not waver from its commitment to deliver high-quality materials, and every effort will be made to continually hone the development process to make JA increasingly nimble and responsive .

ConclusionJA Area and Junior Achievement USA National Office leaders agree that the 2013 Blueprint for 21st Century Learning is an ambitious but necessary undertaking . It is a challenging effort, and all JA constituents must rally support to make the dream a reality . If JA is to remain a relevant national leader, moving into the digital age and designing new, innovative programs is not a choice—it is an imperative .

Junior Achievement will adhere to its core principles even as it embraces the digital age to continue its mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy .

Junior Achievement USA

will not waver from its

commitment to deliver

high-quality materials,

and every effort will be

made to continually hone

the development process

to make JA increasingly

nimble and responsive.