CompetencyWorks Releases New Policy Report, Fit for Purpose: Taking the Long View on Systems Change and Policy to Support Competency Education

Washington, D.C. (January 4, 2018) – Today, CompetencyWorks released a new report, Fit for Purpose: Taking the Long View on Systems Change and Policy to Support Competency Education. This paper explores and reflects on the issues state policy needs to address in the long-term to support a transformation of K-12 education systems.

Personalized learning and competency-based education systems, designed to ensure equity, hold promise to prepare all students for success in college, career and civic life. This report shares strategies for policy to support systems change over the long haul toward competency-based systems that ensure mastery and success for all students.

This publication intends to spark conversation around core concepts that policy needs to address to achieve sustainable systems transformation toward personalized, competency-based education systems. It introduces four ‘threshold concepts’ to help us think differently about what is possible in an equitable future education system where all students succeed, and how to address deep-seated systems design flaws across K-12 education.

Susan Patrick, CompetencyWorks Co-Founder and iNACOL President and CEO, said, “Is our current K-12 education system fit for purpose? The imperative for our education system has changed in the contemporary context, but its design has not. What should policymakers be asking? Approaching policy with a long view is needed to build a vision toward the future of education. The report is meant to catalyze a conversation on whether our education system is designed for today’s needs and accelerate the shift toward designing a competency-based education system that is holistic and ensures mastery for every student to thrive.”

Download a full copy of Fit for Purpose: Taking the Long View on Systems Change and Policy to Support Competency Education here.

For more information about CompetencyWorks, a project of iNACOL dedicated to advancing K-12 competency education, please visit CompetencyWorks.org.

About CompetencyWorks

CompetencyWorks is an online resource dedicated to providing information and knowledge about competency education in the K-12 education system. Drawing on lessons learned by innovators and early adopters, CompetencyWorks shares original research, knowledge and a variety of perspectives through an informative blog with practitioner knowledge, policy advancements, papers on emerging issues and a wiki with resources curated from across the field. CompetencyWorks also offers a blog on competency education in higher education so that the sectors can learn from each other and begin to align systems across K-12, higher education and the workplace. Visit the website and follow CompetencyWorks on Twitter: @CompetencyWorks.

About iNACOL

The mission of iNACOL is to drive the transformation of education systems and accelerate the advancement of breakthrough policies and practices to ensure high-quality learning for all. Visit our website, like us on Facebook, connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter.