Wayfinder IES SBIR Phase 1B 2025

Wayfinder is an innovative EdTech company out of the Stanford d.school that equips K-12 students with social-emotional learning (SEL) skills essential for thriving in college and careers. Used by 1,500 schools across 46 states, Wayfinder – a CASEL SELect curriculum – delivers evidence-based solutions through its next generation SEL + Future Ready Skills curriculum. This Phase IB project will expand the impact of Wayfinder’s offerings by developing a Portrait of a Graduate (POG) component, a first-of-its-kind suite of tools that operationalizes district-specific goals into measurable outcomes. Districts across the United States are increasingly developing POG frameworks, which outline competencies they believe will prepare students for post-secondary success. However, without concrete tools for tracking and measuring POG skill attainment, districts struggle to implement these frameworks with fidelity. Wayfinder’s POG component will include four core features: (1) POG Competency Mapping to align Wayfinder content with district frameworks; (2) District & Student Tracking Tools for monitoring progress; (3) Implementation Activities to support educators in integrating POG into curricula; and (4) Student Evidence Tracker enabling students to document growth through interactive portfolios. When integrated with Wayfinder’s existing SEL content, the POG component will empower districts to align their POG efforts with measurable student outcomes.