Junior Achievement Announces Innovative Partnership to Improve High School Outcomes

MILWAUKEE, WI (November 15, 2023) – Junior Achievement Wisconsin (JA) in collaboration with Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) has announced a million-dollar investment to pilot 3DE by JA in two Milwaukee high schools. This national instructional model, established in Atlanta in 2015 and active in 26 cities, aims to recharge the high school education experience and broaden economic opportunities for Milwaukee students.

View photos from the launch event here.

Alongside teachers and business case partners including Professional Dimensions, Educators Credit Union, Deloitte, Arby’s, Delta Airlines and others, students will develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed for the workplace by creating solutions to specific real-world business challenges. The cases are focused on core competencies needed for success in the workplace: Collaboration; Communication; Creativity/Innovation; Critical/Analytical Thinking; Cultural Agility; and Self-Direction. These case challenges and their related core competencies will be integrated into all core subjects, so students see the connection and purpose for classroom learning that relates to life in the workplace and their home community.

The primary goals of 3DE by JA are to fully engage students, improve academic performance and graduation rates, and prepare students for post-secondary education and the workplace. Outcomes in 8 metropolitan city school districts using 3DE across the country are encouraging:

8% reduction in chronic absenteeism
4% increase in immediate post-secondary education enrollment after graduation
3% more students demonstrating math proficiency
6% more students demonstrating reading proficiency

“3DE by JA has shown a positive impact on high school students in almost 50 schools across the USA,” said Michael Frohna, Regional Director of 3DE at Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “We aim to achieve similar results in Milwaukee, providing students with skills to navigate towards a successful future.”

During the 2023-24 pilot program, all freshmen students at Milwaukee Bay View and Marshall high schools will participate in the 3DE by JA innovation pilot. Each subsequent year, one grade level will be added until all four classes of students at the two high schools are participating in 3DE by JA. By the 2026-27 school year, this year's freshmen will have had a full four years of collaboration with local business partners, and all students at the participating schools will be engaged in 3DE. JA will work with MPS to add the program to curricula in at least two other Milwaukee high schools.

The expected investment for the first two years of 3DE by JA is just over $1 million. The launch of the 3DE by JA pilot program in Milwaukee this year has been made possible by local donors, including WE Energies Foundation ($250,000 over 2 years), MPS Foundation ($160,000 over 2 years), and PwC ($25,000). Continued support will be needed to meet expansion goals.

“This type of work is different,” said Louisangel Claudio, Freshman at Bay View High School. “I really feel like my voice is being heard and these case studies give me an opportunity to help in this world and make an impact.”

3DE by JA is a proven success in 26 U.S. Metro areas and connects students with community businesses to solve real-world problems. The curriculum provides real-world context to engage students, build their skill sets, and better prepare them for life after graduation. The 3DE program positions students for economic opportunity and choice-filled lives, by ensuring they are graduating with the skills, mindsets, and behaviors to be competitive in a rapidly changing economy.

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