Real World Learning (RWL) is a Kansas City initiative designed to prepare students for future work and learning. Supported by the Ewing M. Kauffman Foundation, the initiative engages education, business, community and civic partners to create authentic industry-valued learning experiences, also known as market value assets (MVAs), for students. Client-Connected Projects (CCPs) are one such experience, engaging students in collaboration with professionals in the community to solve real-world problems.

UERC’s role in this project involves survey development, data collection, and analysis to examine the impact of CCPs on students and teachers. Outcomes measured in the teacher survey focus on the knowledge, tools, connections, and confidence necessary for effectively implementing CCPs. The student survey assesses ten key “outgrowths” of MVAs (https://realworldlearning.org/mva-outgrowths/).

In 2025, UERC is partnering with the Kauffman Foundation to design an implementation study aimed at gaining deeper insights into teachers’ implementation of CCPs. This study will identify facilitators and barriers while highlighting promising practices to enhance CCP implementation.