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About The Whole Child

ASCD calls on parents, educators, policymakers, and communities to join forces to ensure our children become productive, engaged citizens. Our children deserve an education that emphasizes academic rigor as well as the essential 21st-century skills of critical thinking and creativity.

At a time of rapid change and innovation, our education system is struggling to keep pace with this dynamic, digital world. Too often, young people are asked to learn 21st-century skills with 20th-century tools. Demands for a highly skilled and educated workforce are growing. The global marketplace is a reality. But the alarming fact is that we are still losing too many kids and wasting too much talent.

We propose a broader definition of achievement and accountability that promotes the development of children who are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. The Learning Compact Redefined: A Call to Action, recommends a new compact with our young people. The Compact asks local, state, and national policymakers to ensure conditions that support comprehensive approaches to learning—for engaging the whole child.

It asks that communities look at the whole picture and make sure that: Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle. Each student learns in an intellectually challenging environment that is physically and emotionally safe for students and adults. Each student is actively engaged in learning and is connected to the school and broader community. Each student has access to personalized learning and is supported by qualified, caring adults. Each graduate is challenged by a well-balanced curriculum and is prepared for success in college or further study and for employment in a global environment. ASCD has launched this public engagement and advocacy campaign to encourage schools and communities to work together to ensure that each student has access to a challenging curriculum in a healthy and supportive climate.

Founded in 1943, ASCD is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that represents more than 175,000 educators from 119 countries and nearly 60 affiliates who advocate sound policies and share best practices to achieve the success of each learner.

For more information, please contact us using the form below. If you've got a story about the efforts in your school and community, please share it with us and the thousands of other Whole Child supporters. Visit our Share Your Story page.

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