Portrait of a graduate
How to take portrait of a graduate from poster to practice with practical, classroom-tested implementation strategies
Michael Hernandez helps districts and BOCES in New York and beyond put the Portrait of a Graduate into practice through authentic, competency-based curriculum, standards alignment, and assessments.
With 25 years in the classroom and his book Storytelling With Purpose, Michael works alongside leaders and teachers to design the portfolios, capstones, and real-world performance tasks that provide evidence of learning and foster durable skills. Consulting can be structured as BOCES-aidable.
Turn Your Portrait of a Graduate Into Evidence of Learning
A Portrait of a Graduate is only useful if it changes what students actually experience—and if schools can identify credible evidence that those competencies are developing. I help districts move from aspirations and profile language to authentic learning, assessment, and implementation practices that teachers can realistically use.
Audit where you are now
Identify how existing curriculum, performance tasks, capstones, portfolios, rubrics, and professional learning already support your graduate profile—and where the gaps are.
Define credible evidence of learning
Develop practical ways for students to demonstrate skills such as communication, critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and civic readiness without simply adding another test or assignment.
Design authentic,
AI-aware assessments
Strengthen assignments and performance tasks so they capture student thinking, decision-making, process, and application—not just polished products that could have been generated by AI.
Build educator capacity
Create professional learning, calibration processes, and implementation plans that help teachers translate a Portrait of a Graduate into daily instruction and assessment.
New York districts are entering an important implementation period under NY Inspires, but these challenges are not unique to New York. I work with schools and organizations anywhere that are trying to make graduate competencies meaningful, measurable, and human-centered.
Not sure where to begin? Start with a conversation about your district’s current Portrait of a Graduate, assessment practices, and implementation goals.