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Educators in K–12 school systems are increasingly acknowledging the importance of serving the “whole person” as an essential foundation for achieving equitable outcomes. The guide is based on the idea that equitable outcomes are more likely to result when whole-person initiatives are implemented in an aligned and coherent way.

If educators at every level of the K–12 system — from the state level to the classroom — work in aligned and coherent ways to sustain the conditions that support whole-person learning and development, every student will have experiences that support personal purpose, healthy relationships, a sense of place in community, success in school and the workplace, and engaged citizenship.

This Alignment and Coherence Guide’s central purpose is to help local education agency (LEA) leaders implement conditions for equitable learning and development for students, families, and educators, through their work to improve the alignment and coherence of their whole-person initiatives.

With this guide, leaders will:

• Understand what serving the whole person means, and how this work can contribute to equitable outcomes for students, their families, and their communities.
• Connect their district or school whole-person initiatives to a broader vision for whole-person outcomes.
• Tailor the implementation of whole-person initiatives so that they are more aligned and coherent.
• Communicate — in a clear and compelling way — and about why and how their district or school serves the whole person.