Aurora Public School District: Work-Based Learning Process
Scaling work-based learning portfolios effectively and equitably involves aligning resources, processes, and practices across levels of school administration, as well as external businesses and nonprofit partners. In 2023, the Aurora Public Schools (APS) District reached out to AIR to pilot the co-creation of an aligned work-based learning ecosystem with district and school-based stakeholders and external partners and employers.
Using Lean Six Sigma and Human-Centered Design approaches, AIR’s experienced team worked with APS leadership to better comprehend the current state of its work-based learning system, including activities and connection points between departments and employer. This resulted in the creation of workplace learning alignment and network maps that reflected the strengths, challenges, gaps, and redundancies across current work-based learning services for students.
AIR then led an in-person sprint with representatives from APS departments and external stakeholders to analyze findings, consider root causes and solutions, and create a vision for an aligned work-based learning ecosystem. Based on the outcomes of the sprint, AIR developed an APS Work-Based Learning Playbook with specific recommendations for how the district and stakeholders could better align efforts and determine next steps, timelines, and considerations for moving forward.
