Built for New York.
Aligned by design.
Overgrad and nXu's K-12 SEL curriculum covers all six attributes of the New York State Portrait of a Graduate. Verified lesson by lesson, every grade band.
The NYS Portrait of a Graduate describes what every student should know and be able to do when they leave school. Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education sits at the center. nXu builds toward the same outcomes through six Durable Competencies: Learner, Reflector, Communicator, Collaborator, Contributor, and Critical Thinker. Each one is taught through specific lessons with clear student objectives, K through 12.
All Six Attributes. Covered.
Academically Prepared
Ready for college, careers, civic life, and whatever comes next.
Creative Innovator
Uses imagination and curiosity to solve problems and come up with new ideas.
Critical Thinker
Weighs evidence, thinks carefully, and works through hard problems.
Effective Communicator
Speaks and writes clearly. Listens to people who think differently.
Global Citizen
Shows up for their community, local and online, across lines of difference.
Reflective & Future Focused
Knows themselves, sets real goals, and takes care of their mental health.
Six Competencies. One Coherent Arc.
Six Durable Competencies, K through 12. Purpose at the center. Wellbeing around everything. Same core as the NYS Portrait.
Four Key Findings from the Crosswalk
156 elementary and 360 secondary lessons, each mapped by title, student objective, and primary durable skill. Every NYS Portrait attribute has named lessons at every grade band.
The same competencies start in Kindergarten and grow deeper each year. Emotional literacy, agency, and curiosity in early grades become Career Exploration, Social Capital, and Future Planning by high school.
The NYS Portrait puts CR-SE at its core. So does nXu. Lessons on equity, belonging, and community run through every grade level.
A dedicated Wellbeing module covers mental health literacy. College and Career Readiness is built through Social Capital, professional communication, and career exploration grounded in purpose.
Full Curriculum Mapping
Named lessons for every attribute, at every grade band.
Source: SY26-27 Curriculum Hub, 06.25 ES Curriculum (25-min) · 06.25 MSHS Curriculum (25-min)
| NYS Portrait Attribute | Lessons | K–5 Sample Lessons | Middle School Sample Lessons | High School Sample Lessons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academically Prepared | 135 | When I Need Help (K) · I Can Grow (Gr. 1) · Planning For Success (Gr. 4) | SMART Relationship Goals · Career Tools Part 1 · Using Our Strengths | Curiosity and Drive · Community and Connection · Power in Storytelling |
| Creative Innovator | 81 | Celebrating Our Differences (K) · Setting Clear Goals (Gr. 1) · Planning For Joy (Gr. 2) | Automatic Thinking · My Version of Success · Defining Purpose | Needs in the World · CWC Project: Visual Creation · Reflecting on Our Space |
| Critical Thinker | 221 | Naming Emotions (K) · Setting Clear Goals (Gr. 1) · What Are Personal Traits? (Gr. 2) | Components of Trust · Components of Emotions · My Version of Success | Feeling Purpose-Driven · Intro to Community · Writing My Story |
| Effective Communicator | 92 | We Are All Special (K) · Presenting Poems (Gr. 1) · Trying New Things (Gr. 2) | Assertive Communication · Thought Records · Visual Guide Presentations | Crafting an Introduction · What a Community Is/Isn't · Value of Vulnerability |
| Global Citizen | 142 | My Voice Is Powerful (K) · Equality Or Equity? (Gr. 3) · Bullying Response Protocol (Gr. 5) | Relationship Observations · Dream Job · Reflection from a Centenarian | Growth Mindset · Community and Connection · Finding Similarities |
| Reflective & Future Focused | 201 | Naming and Describing Emotions (K) · Progress Monitoring (Gr. 1) · Distress vs. Eustress (Gr. 4) | Components of Emotions · Roots of Purpose · Components of Trust | Curiosity and Drive · Intro to Community · Writing My Story |
Ready to Bring Overgrad to Your School?
The full lesson-level crosswalk is available on request. We'll walk through the alignment with your curriculum and SEL leads.