{"id":5632,"date":"2015-02-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-02-03T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/blog\/cw_post\/whats-new-in-k-12-competency-education-3\/"},"modified":"2020-02-05T12:54:23","modified_gmt":"2020-02-05T17:54:23","slug":"whats-new-in-k-12-competency-education-3","status":"publish","type":"cw_post","link":"https:\/\/aurora-institute.org\/cw_post\/whats-new-in-k-12-competency-education-3\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s New in K-12 Competency Education?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>From the States<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>North Carolina<\/strong>: North Carolina New Schools is making the case for competency-based learning in North Carolina, as <a href=\"http:\/\/ncnewschools.org\/making-the-case-for-competency-based-learning-in-north-carolina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Angela Quick, Senior VP, explains in her blog<\/a>. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.competencyworks.org\/understanding-competency-education\/north-carolina-optimizing-best-practices-through-a-convening-of-thought-leaders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">convening of thought leaders<\/a> was held in December to operate as a \u201cthink tank\u201d to identify enablers, barriers, and readiness factors regarding North Carolina\u2019s transition toward competency education. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mgsd.k12.nc.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mooresville Graded School District<\/a> is now offering credit by demonstrated mastery (CDM) to middle and high school students. In 2013, the NC State Board of Education changed policy to enable mastery-based credits. (<a href=\"http:\/\/thejournal.com\/articles\/2015\/01\/13\/north-carolina-district-begins-offering-credits-based-on-mastery.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Journal<\/a>)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Michigan<\/strong>: Mary Esselman, former deputy chancellor at the Education Achievement Authority in Michigan, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/news\/local\/michigan\/detroit\/2015\/01\/05\/eaa-deputy-chancellor-leaving\/21312473\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">announced her resignation<\/a> in January. She championed Michigan\u2019s turnaround district by reshaping teaching and curriculum around student-centered, technology-focused models.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>ESEA Reauthorization<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Matt Williams, <a href=\"http:\/\/knowledgeworks.org\/worldoflearning\/esea-discussion-stakeholder-input-competency-education\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in his blog post<\/a>, noted that the ESEA discussion draft allows for considerable stakeholder input, making room for competency education. <a href=\"http:\/\/knowledgeworks.org\/worldoflearning\/competency-education-congress-esea\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lillian Pace explains in her blog<\/a> that competency education finally has a place at Congress\u2019s negotiating table.<\/li>\n<li>iNACOL applauded the Senate HELP Committee\u2019s decision to prioritize ESEA reauthorization. They published a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.inacol.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/iNACOL-Press-Release-ESEA-Reauthorization-Discussion-011515.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">statement of support<\/a>, and they worked with KnowledgeWorks to jointly release <a href=\"http:\/\/www.knowledgeworks.org\/sites\/default\/files\/KW-iNACOL-ESEA-Recommendations-2015.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">specific recommendations<\/a> to support the growth of competency education in the K-12 system.<\/li>\n<li>For more detailed information, visit Maria Worthen\u2019s blog, titled <a href=\"http:\/\/susanpatrick.inacol.org\/2015\/01\/supporting-competency-education-in-esea-reauthorization\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Supporting Competency Education in ESEA Reauthorization<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>This article, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.usnews.com\/news\/articles\/2015\/01\/21\/senators-debate-testing-federal-role-in-no-child-left-behind-rewrite\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Test Case: Lawmakers Look to Revamp No Child Left Behind<\/a>, describes the struggle among senators to balance the need for accountability against the burden of testing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>New Reports and Resources<!--more--><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.actfl.org\/sites\/default\/files\/pdfs\/TLE_pdf\/TLE_JanFeb15_Article.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The A-B-Cs to a Performance-Based Learning Plan<\/a> by Greta Lundgaard. This article discusses the development of a foreign language curriculum plan that results in student proficiency that increases each semester and each year.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.ccsso.org\/Documents\/Accountability Decision Tree-Portrait-DigitalVersion.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Evolving Coherent Systems of Accountability for Next Generation Learning: A Decision Framework<\/a> by Jennifer Poon, Kirsten Taylor Carr, June Atkinson, and Chris Minnich. CCSSO published this framework for innovative accountability models as a resource to guide state policymakers toward innovative assessment and accountability models.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.inacol.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/iNACOL-State-Policy-Frameworks-5-Critical-Issues-to-Transform-K12-Education-Nov2014.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">iNACOL State Policy Frameworks: 5 Critical Issues to Transform K-12 Education<\/a>, by Maria Worthen and Susan Patrick. This report explores policy priorities in the field, one of which is creating competency-based education systems.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.achieve.org\/CBPCommunicationsToolkit\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ACHIEVE\u2019s Communication Tool Kit<\/a> provides critical definitions, key messages, and talking points to engage key audiences in the shift toward competency education. For more information, review Chris Sturgis\u2019s blog, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.competencyworks.org\/resources\/achieves-communication-took-kit-must-use\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ACHIEVE\u2019s Communication Tool Kit \u2013 Must Use!<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/knowledgeworks.org\/sites\/default\/files\/district-conditions-scaling-personalized-learning.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">District Conditions for Scale: A Practical Guide to Scaling Personalized Learning<\/a> by Matt Williams, Jesse Moyer, and Sarah Jenkins. KnowledgeWorks released this report in November 2014, and it examines the difficulties associated with scaling personalized learning, and it highlights the conditions that districts should put in place to enable and scale personalization.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/knowledgeworks.org\/sites\/default\/files\/laying-foundation-competency-education-policy-guide.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Laying the Foundation for Competency Education: A Policy Guide for the Next Generation Educator Workforce<\/a> by Lillian Pace and Maria Worthen. KnowledgeWorks and iNACOL jointly released this report in October 2014, and it describes seven new skills that educators will need to succeed in competency education models. An article by Dian Schaffhauser in The Journal, titled <a href=\"http:\/\/thejournal.com\/articles\/2014\/12\/08\/want-competency-ed-change-teacher-policies-first.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Want Competency Ed? Change Teacher Policies First<\/a>, further analyzes this report.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>News and Blogs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Julia sets the record straight <a href=\"http:\/\/www.christenseninstitute.org\/three-false-dichotomies-in-blended-learning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">in her recent blog post<\/a> by addressing misconceptions in blended learning. She highlights the following three false dichotomies in blended learning: 1. learning online versus learning to think critically; 2. blended curriculum versus teacher autonomy; and 3. investing in technology versus investing in relationships.<\/li>\n<li>NPR identified <a href=\"http:\/\/www.npr.org\/blogs\/ed\/2015\/01\/06\/371659141\/what-schools-could-use-instead-of-standardized-tests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">alternative methods that schools could use instead of standardized tests<\/a>. Author Anya Kamenetz proposed using multiple measures, including social and emotional measures and performance or portfolio-based assessments.<\/li>\n<li>A new study by Eduventures indicated that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.itnewsonline.com\/prnewswire\/WGU-Continues-to-Lead-the-Nation-in-Educating-Math-and-Science-Teachers\/356148\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Western Governors University is producing the largest number of science and math teachers<\/a> in the United States through competency-based and online education models.<\/li>\n<li>Beth Hawkins, in an article titled <a href=\"http:\/\/www.minnpost.com\/learning-curve\/2014\/12\/how-student-portfolios-can-lead-deeper-learning-and-college\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How student portfolios can lead to deeper learning \u2013 and to college<\/a>, highlights smarter student assessments, including a senior dissertation style defense, project-based learning, and demonstrating mastery of competencies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","mapsvg_location":""},"legacy_category":[],"issue":[368,371],"location":[],"class_list":["post-5632","cw_post","type-cw_post","status-publish","hentry","issue-issues-in-practice","issue-learn-lessons-from-the-field"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What&#039;s New in K-12 Competency Education? 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