iNACOL Webinar Investigates Competency-Based District Implementation Strategies Found in Recent Report

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2015

Washington, D.C.—On Thursday, June 25, 2015, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) will host a Special Edition Webinar from 2:00-3:00pm ET. Featuring Susan Patrick, President and CEO of iNACOL, and Chris Sturgis, Principal of MetisNet, the webinar will explore the recently released CompetencyWorks report titled: Implementing Competency Education in K-12 Systems: Insights from Local Leaders.

This report highlights strategies to engage, motivate, and teach all students to proficiency and mastery; depicts shifts in instruction toward deeper learning and meaningful assessments for learning; while exploring models of distributed leadership and educator empowerment.

Over the past five years, Sturgis has interviewed leading innovators and visited competency-based schools and districts nationwide. These innovators offer powerful insights regarding opportunities and challenges in transitioning to competency education.

This webinar will investigate effective district implementation strategies, informed by local education leaders, to convert traditional, one-size-fits-all models of education into more personalized, competency-based learning environments to meet students’ needs.

“Transforming a school or district toward competency-based education requires extraordinary leadership, commitment, and vision,” said Sturgis. “The district implementation strategies provided in this paper, informed by innovative local leaders on the cutting edge, lay the groundwork for schools and districts to begin transforming toward personalized, competency-based learning models.”

“The traditional, time-based education system, which moves learners along in time-based cohorts, is no longer a viable model for our students,” said Patrick. “Its one-size-fits-all curriculum leaves students with gaps in foundational knowledge. Implementing competency-based learning creates a system-wide infrastructure where students do not advance until they have mastered specific competencies, eliminating gaps in learning and ensuring students receive the instructional supports they need to succeed. This student-centered system maximizes each student’s potential, ensuring they are college- and career-ready.”

This webinar is free to attend, but please register here for final details and login information.

About iNACOL

The mission of the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) is to ensure all students have access to a world-class education and quality blended and online learning opportunities that prepare them for a lifetime of success. iNACOL is a non-profit organization focusing on research, developing policy for student-centered education to ensure equity and access, developing quality standards for emerging learning models using online, blended, and competency-based education, and supporting the ongoing professional development of classroom, school, and district leaders for new learning models. To learn more about iNACOL, please visit http://inacol.org.