What’s New in K-12 Competency-Based Education?

A Must Read: Check out this article by Beth Rabbitt on Personalized Learning called Analysis: Teaching, Technology, Transformation — 5 Ways to Talk (and Think) About Personalized Learning

New Resources

• KnowledgeWorks explores 7 approaches to fund the transition to personalized, competency-based education in recent report.
• iNACOL/CompetencyWorks releases new report titled, Fit For Purpose: Taking the Long View on Systems Change and Policy to Support Competency Education, which explores the issues state policy needs to address in the long-term to support a transformation of K-12 education systems.
• iNACOL published a new issue brief titled, Rethinking State Accountability to Support Personalized, Competency-Based Learning in K-12 Education.

Student Success

• This iNACOL blog explores the importance of creating definitions of success that reflect communities’ aspirations for their students’ futures.
• A recent iNACOL blog explores how states can begin to redefine success through graduate profiles. 

Teaching and Learning 

• Multicultural awareness boosts teaching competency, but is an uneven resource among future teachers: Student teachers with more multicultural awareness foster more positive classroom environments for their students, finds a new study by NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development and published in the Journal of Teacher Education.
• This article looks at how using a theory of how people learn can allow teachers to more effectively plan their pedagogy.

Equity

• More personal means more equitable and just. Learn more from Jim Shelton on Medium.
• Boston Public Schools looks at Innovation Equity.
• This article shares how one school is rising above gang activity to find college success.

Reflections from the 2017 iNACOL Symposium

• The path to personalized learning is not straight, says a Hechinger Report article from an iNACOL Symposium panel.
• CZI’s Bror Saxberg presents the 6-Minute Master’s in Cognitive Psychology.

 What is Competency-Based Education?

• Emily Kirk defines competency-based learning and discusses how to incorporate the techniques into your classroom, school and district.
• This blog captures a sampling of competency-based education definitions and difference makers, citing the iNACOL and CompetencyWorks definition as the most widely used.

Policy

• This iNACOL blog re-envisions the qualifications of a high school diploma and explores action steps for policymakers.
• Kelly Brady of the State Department of Education shares the process of implementing mastery education in Idaho.

Connecticut

• Here’s an article on the new report, Charting New Frontiers in Student-Centered Learning, issued by the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS), the Connecticut Commission for Educational Technology (CET) and Innovation Partners America, an education consultancy.
• Members of the Board of Education in Greenwich discussed new graduation policies that require students to demonstrate mastery.

Massachusetts

• Turner Falls High School received a new grant from the Barr Foundation to pioneer a new competency-based model of education.
• Massachusetts Governor announced a plan to establish a Commission on Digital Innovation and Lifelong Learning.
• A high school in Melrose hosted a day for parents to attend school with workshops and lectures.

 Maine

• Proficiency-based learning is set to expand into lower level grades in Kittery, Maine.
• Ben Gilman sent a letter to the editor sharing why proficiency-based grading is necessary.

Michigan

• Watch this video from the Michigan Department of Education describing personalized, competency-based education.
• Here’s an article from KnowledgeWorks on Kenowa Hills, a learning community that is working towards transitioning to a personal mastery system.

New Hampshire

• Rochester Schools will launch an innovative new program aimed at providing a custom educational experience.
• The Exchange held a Q&A with New Hampshire teachers and administrators.

Vermont

• People’s Academy students presented documentaries on visionaries from the civil rights movement.
• The Stowe Reporter provides suggestions for communicating proficiency-based learning and grading to the public.
• Brattleboro Reformer goes behind a Brattleboro teacher’s new role of Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator.
• Parents of Stowe Elementary School met with the superintendent and school board about proficiency-based grading system.
• Read this opinion piece on how proficiency-based learning offers a better approach for students.
• Students in Stowe rate their new mastery-based grading system.