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Aurora Institute

The Results are In!

CompetencyWorks Blog

Author(s): Chris Sturgis

Issue(s): Issues in Practice, Learn Lessons from the Field


Time is the Variable. From Adams 50 web

We have all been watching and learning from Adams County School District 50 (Adams 50).  This district, on the outskirts of Denver, embraced competency education with early support of the Reinventing Schools Coalition (the folks who led the way in Chugach, Alaska). They have been staying the course, even with changes in district leadership. They have been staying the course even when they weren’t seeing positive indicators.

And it is paying off — According to the article in the Denver Post, Francis Day Elementary school jumped two levels from turnaround status to performance status. Other positive indicators are that enrollment in the district has started climbing back up and there was no principal turnover this year. 

So let’s all say a big congratulations to all the educators and families at Adams 50 for staying the course and leading the way. They also share what they know with a website explaining their competency-based system and a great wiki. Adams 50 you rock!

If you know of other examples of positive indicators or all around results, please let us know.  We are weak on proof points as we are in such an early stage of implementation across the country.