JA North and Saint Paul Public Schools Expand 3DE to Johnson High School

Junior Achievement North and Saint Paul Public Schools announced on Thursday that the 3DE learning model is expanding to Johnson High School.

This move makes Johnson the fourth high school in the district to adopt the case-based curriculum. The expansion aims to bridge the gap between traditional classroom instruction and the practical demands of the modern workforce by immersing students in real-world business challenges.

The rollout will begin with the 250 ninth-grade students at Johnson High School during the 2027-2028 school year. According to a press release from Junior Achievement North, the program intends to scale until the entire 1,000-student population at the school can participate by the 2030-2031 school year.

“We are thrilled to be bringing 3DE to the students of Johnson High School,” said Kumar Balasubrahmanyan, VP of Innovation at Junior Achievement North.

“Our youth are the future, and it’s our responsibility to prepare them with the skills needed to thrive. 3DE was built to do just that. Watching Saint Paul Public School students connect with local business professionals, build real-world skills, and get excited about their future has been incredibly rewarding. We want every student and educator in the state to have that same experience, and this expansion is a step closer to reaching that goal.” Kumar Balasubrahmanyan

Bridging the workforce skills gap

The 3DE model functions through a series of 16 real-world case challenges and a final capstone experience. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, students work alongside professionals from major regional corporations, including Delta Air Lines, Thrivent, Cargill, and 3M, to solve authentic organizational problems.

This approach targets specific competencies that employers frequently cite as lacking in new hires. The curriculum focuses on critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, cultural agility, and self-direction.

The push for experiential learning comes as many national employers express concern regarding workforce preparedness. Specifically, a lack of “soft skills” and practical application of knowledge remains a primary hurdle for recent graduates entering the labor market.

“Partnering with Junior Achievement North on 3DE has opened doors for thousands of Saint Paul Public Schools students,” said Dr. Stacie Stanley, Superintendent of Saint Paul Public Schools.

“We are incredibly excited to be bringing those same opportunities to the students at Johnson High School. This program has expanded our students’ knowledge, skills and access to future careers, and the results have exceeded our expectations. We look forward to expanding the program in the coming school year and seeing even more of our students flourish,” Dr said.

Program expansion follows increased student engagement and inclusion

The decision to expand the program follows a third year of partnership between the district and Junior Achievement North. During the 2025–2026 school year, the initiative engaged 1,500 students across Como Park Senior High School, Washington Technology High School, and Harding High School.

Data from the previous school year suggests the model influences how students perceive their educational environment. The program reported measurable shifts in how participants interact with their curriculum and peers.

Metric	Reported Increase
Students feeling accepted, respected, and included	13.3%
Students seeing real-world relevance of 3DE	15.1%

While the program focuses on economic mobility, some critics of specialized high school models argue that such intensive partnerships can inadvertently create disparities in access if not scaled uniformly across all districts. However, Junior Achievement North stated it is focused on expanding its reach so more students in Minnesota can access these professional connections.

The current expansion at Johnson High School represents a structured attempt to integrate corporate problem-solving into the standard public education track, moving from a pilot phase to a long-term institutional fixture.

The 3DE program will begin its first cohort of ninth graders in the fall of 2027.