Learn More About Competency Education

Here is another opportunity to learn more about competency education.  The American Youth Policy Forum (a CompetencyWorks partner) and College and Career Readiness Center at the American Institutes for Research are offering a two-part webinar in June and July.

Two-Part Webinar Series on Policy Issues in Competency-Based Education

High performing education systems across the globe have based their work on a competency-based approach as opposed to the time-based system that we have in the United States. Currently, innovative states and districts around the country are beginning to challenge this outdated system and pursue an approach that calls for student demonstration of mastery. While many are currently interested in making such a shift, it is important to recognize that a host of policies, structures, and systems must be aligned. This two-part webinar series, co-hosted by the American Youth Policy Forum and the College and Career Readiness Center at the American Institutes for Research, will address major policy issues states and districts should be considering as they think about implementing competency-based education.

Exploring Implications for State Policy in Competency-Based Education

Monday, June 24, 2013, 1-2:30 PM EST

The first webinar in this two-part series will highlight current efforts across the country, identify promising practices in states, and share resources available for states. Kate Nielson, Policy Analyst, National Governors Association, will highlight national trends and identify major questions when considering competency-based pathways and systems. Diane Smith, Director, Teaching and Learning Initiative, Oregon Business Education Compact, and Sandra Dop, Consultant for 21st Century Skills, Iowa Department of Education, will discuss how their states have conceptualized, developed, and implemented such systems. Carissa Miller, Deputy Executive Director, Council of Chief State School Officers, will address how the Innovation Lab Network (ILN) is supporting communities of practice across ILN states to implement competency-based education within their broader framework of college and career readiness and personalized learning. Register here.


Promising Practices and Considerations for Districts in Competency-Based Education
Tuesday, July 16, 2013, 1-2:30 PM EST

This second webinar will look at two districts that have pioneered the development of competency-based approaches and will examine how policies can support or hinder district level systems-change. Thomas Rooney, Superintendent, Lindsay Unified School District, California will discuss the district’s motivation and approach to pursuing a district-wide competency-based system. Linda Laughlin, Superintendent, RSU 18, Maine and Co-Chair of the Maine Cohort for Customized Learning (MCCL) will share her district’s progress and how collaborations such as MCCL can support the work happening in individual districts. This webinar will also identify key policy questions that districts should consider as they pursue competency-based education pathways and systems. Additional speakers will be announced shortly. Register here.

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The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional development organization based in Washington, DC, provides learning opportunities for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working on youth and education issues at the national, state, and local levels.

AYPF events and publications are made possible by a consortium of philanthropic foundations: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, and others.