September 11, 2020
Our Theory of Action
The Aurora Institute catalyzes systemic change in K-12 education by focusing on three levers: policy and advocacy, field-building and knowledge creation, and convening and connecting.
Our Work
Our Resources
Change Driven by Research
Our work informs and activates feedback loops for research and practice, examining emerging knowledge and producing insights that advance the field.
CompetencyWorks
Action Research Center
Issues that Matter Most
We collect data, analyze trends, and share policy and practice solutions. To advance future-focused, student-centered learning, we focus our work on transformative education issues.
View Issue Priorities
Resources to Drive Action
Our resources guide practitioners, educators, policymakers, and advocates seeking to shift from our current state of education to a future state in which all students are prepared to succeed. Use this section to search for published reports, briefs, webinars, and other learning resources on key topics related to policy and practice for next generation learning.
Education Domain Blog
All Education Domain Posts
August 25, 2020
Education Policy Issues for the COVID-19 Era
CompetencyWorks Blog
All CompetencyWorks posts
September 16, 2020
Summative vs. Formative Assessment: From Binary Choice to Continuum
September 9, 2020
Do Less, Do More: Strategies for Equitable Community Engagement
Upcoming Events & Webinars
All Events & Webinars
September 21, 2020 2:00 pm
Integrating Project-Based Learning in Online and Blended Courses in Indiana
September 22, 2020 2:00 pm
Putting Data to Work: Formative Evaluation and Continuous Improvement in Transformative Education Efforts
September 24, 2020 2:00 pm
NCAA Review Process: Why and How…and What’s Different During COVID-19?
September 28, 2020 2:00 pm
Increasing Capacity for Mastery-Based Learning in Washington State
September 29, 2020 2:30 pm
Science of Motivation: 5 Barriers to Student Motivation and How to Fix Them
Advancing Competency-Based Education State Policy Across the U.S.
This map provides a national snapshot of state policies across the United States to enable and advance K-12 competency-based education systems (CBE). Every year, more states establish pilots, innovation zones, and new initiatives to create space for educational innovations. Click below for details on each state.
Center for Policy
Advanced States
States with clear policies in support of competency-based education and established roles in building educator capacity in local systems for competency-based education.
Developing States
States with pilots for competency-based education, and/or credit flexibility policies for school districts to transition to competency education.
Emerging States
States getting started with task forces; some state policy flexibility requiring waivers for systems to shift to competency-based education.
No Active Policy in CBE
States focus on seat-time credits without competency-based pathways.
We Are Now the Aurora Institute.
After 17 years of driving educational change under the names NACOL and iNACOL, the time has come to create a forward-reaching identity that reflects all of who we are and all of what we do.
Our Story
2020 Symposium
Virtual Convening Coming This Fall
Join thousands of educators, practitioners, administrators, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders committed to transforming education.
CompetencyWorks
CompetencyWorks is a field hub for analysis and an openly available resource for the latest information about competency-based education.