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Aurora Institute

CompetencyWorks Blog

The CompetencyWorks Blog shares K-12 competency-based education knowledge, research, policy updates, and perspectives.
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How Cognitive Neuroscience Informs Competency-Based Education: A Practical Guide

April 22, 2025

Dorothy Clerk

Issue(s): Create Meaningful Qualifications, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Balanced Systems of Assessments, Activate Student Agency

Deeper Student-Centeredness: Where Cultural Heritage and Mastery-Based Learning Meet

March 4, 2025

Chris Sturgis, in partnership with New Learning Collaborative.

Issue(s): Commit to Equity, Learn Lessons from the Field, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Equitable Grading: A Competency-Based Education Entry Point and Core Practice

December 10, 2024

Joe Feldman

Issue(s): Aurora Institute, Issues in Practice, Commit to Equity, Redefine Student Success, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Design for Educational Equity

Education Domain Blog

Beyond the Traditional Transcript: State Policy Recommendations for Next Gen Credentials

June 26, 2023

Laurie Gagnon

Issue(s): State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Rethinking the High School Transcript for the Future of Learning

June 13, 2023

Laurie Gagnon

Issue(s): Build Balanced Systems of Assessments, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Fund Innovation, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

The Quiet Revolution in Education: Building a More Effective, Personalized, Future-Focused Education System in Kentucky

November 28, 2022

Susan Patrick, Charles Reigeluth

Issue(s): Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Fund Innovation, Lead Change and Innovation, Rethink Instruction, Learn Lessons from the Field

CBE Starter Pack 4: Progress Based on Mastery

November 17, 2022

Laurie Gagnon

Issue(s): Issues in Practice, How to Get Started, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Education Domain Blog

A Year in Review: 2021 State Legislative Snapshot of Student-Centered Learning Policy Advancements

December 22, 2021

Fred Jones, Jon Alfuth, Ben Erwin

Issue(s): State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Pilots and Innovation Zones, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

States Can Use Innovation Zones as K-12 Reimagines Its Future after COVID

June 3, 2021

Fred Jones, Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): State Policy, Create Pilots and Innovation Zones, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Fund Innovation, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education, Harness Opportunities in ESSA, Create Space to Pilot Systems of Assessments

Education Domain Blog

Center for Policy and Advocacy April 2021 Updates

May 6, 2021

Alexis Chambers, Fred Jones

Issue(s): Federal Policy, State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Build Balanced Systems of Assessments, Create Pilots and Innovation Zones, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Fund Innovation, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

Center for Policy and Advocacy February 2021 Updates

February 25, 2021

Alexis Chambers, Fred Jones

Issue(s): Federal Policy, Create Space to Pilot Systems of Assessments, State Policy, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

Ensure Anytime, Anyplace Learning and Enable Competency-Based Learning in Distance Learning

January 28, 2021

Laureen Avery, Marsha Jones, Sara Marr, Derek Wenmoth

Issue(s): Rethink Instruction, Activate Student Agency, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

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

January 27, 2021

Eliot Levine

Issue(s): State Policy, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education, Issues in Practice, How to Get Started, Lead Change and Innovation, Commit to Equity, Evaluate Quality, Support Professional Learning, Rethink Instruction, Create Balanced Systems of Assessments, Activate Student Agency

Education Domain Blog

Taking Time to Assess What Students Know, Think, and Feel

January 11, 2021

Charmaine Mercer

Issue(s): Harness Opportunities in ESSA, Create Space to Pilot Systems of Assessments, Redesign Accountability Systems for Continuous Improvement, Build Balanced Systems of Assessments, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Balanced Systems of Assessments

Education Domain Blog

What Does Attendance Mean in the COVID-19 Era? New Issue Brief Offers Analysis and Recommendations

November 13, 2020

Susan Patrick, Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): State Policy, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Education Domain Blog

Grading Policies Need to Be Re-Examined to Support the Shift to Competency-Based Education

October 23, 2020

Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Redesign Accountability Systems for Continuous Improvement, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Education Domain Blog

The Learner Promise: A Paradigm Shift Whose Time Has Come

October 22, 2020

Susan Patrick, Katherine Casey

Issue(s): Federal Policy, Leverage Career and Technical Education, Design for Educational Equity, State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Develop Educator Capacity, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Fund Innovation, Issues in Practice, Lead Change and Innovation, Commit to Equity, Rethink Instruction, Activate Student Agency

Education Domain Blog

Move Away from Seat Time Credits to Awarding Credit Based on Demonstrated Mastery

October 22, 2020

Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

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

September 30, 2020

Eliot Levine

Issue(s): State Policy, Develop Educator Capacity, Modernize and Diversify the Educator-Leader Workforce, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education, Issues in Practice, Lead Change and Innovation, Commit to Equity, Support Professional Learning, Rethink Instruction, Learn Lessons from the Field, Activate Student Agency

Education Domain Blog

Education Policy Issues for the COVID-19 Era

August 25, 2020

Susan Patrick, Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): Federal Policy, Harness Opportunities in ESSA, Increase Access to Broadband, State Policy, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Redesign Accountability Systems for Continuous Improvement, Develop Educator Capacity, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Strategies and Tools for Remote Learning from the Aurora Institute Member Survey

August 12, 2020

Eliot Levine

Issue(s): Issues in Practice, Support Professional Learning, Rethink Instruction, Learn Lessons from the Field, Activate Student Agency, Engage Community, Redefine Student Success, Develop Educator Capacity, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time

Education Domain Blog

From Seat Time to Credit Flexibility in Personalized, Competency-Based Education

July 6, 2020

Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): State Policy, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

Task Forces and Pilot Programs: Two Strategies to Enable Future-Focused, Student-Centered K-12 Education

June 12, 2020

Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): State Policy, Develop Educator Capacity, Create Pilots and Innovation Zones, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

New Innovation Spotlight Podcast Episode - 2020 Federal and State Policy Priorities

June 5, 2020

Susan Patrick, Alexis Chambers

Issue(s): Federal Policy, Modernize HEA, Increase Access to Broadband, Design for Educational Equity, Create Space to Pilot Systems of Assessments, State Policy, Redefine Student Success, Create Meaningful Qualifications, Redesign Accountability Systems for Continuous Improvement, Build Balanced Systems of Assessments, Develop Educator Capacity, Modernize and Diversify the Educator-Leader Workforce, Create Pilots and Innovation Zones, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education

Education Domain Blog

Continuity of Learning Is an Urgent State Education Policy Priority

April 21, 2020

Alexis Chambers, Natalie Truong

Issue(s): State Policy, Base Learning on Mastery Not Seat Time, Create Enabling Conditions for Competency-Based Education