Competency-Based Education

Cover of "Seizing the Opportunity for State Education R&D" report by Alliance for Learning Innovation, Education Reimagined, and Transcend

Ed Policy

State Education R&D: A Catalyst for Innovation, Continuous Improvement, and System Transformation

Guest Author

Apr 28, 2025

State education R&D investment in education fosters personalized, competency-based learning and innovation for enhanced learner outcomes.

Illustrated smart city skyline with wireless signals, satellites, and communication icons connecting urban infrastructure

Competency-Based Education

The Transcript Trap: Why Our Students Need Credentials, Not Just Grades

Rebecca Midles, Nate McClennen

Apr 9, 2025

Our education system should prioritize credentials over grades to better prepare students for a dynamic workforce.

A middle school student in a pink hoodie and glasses gazes thoughtfully upward during a classroom lesson.

EdTech

Should Courses Be Broken Up into Learning Experiences? Smaller Grain Size Increases Flexibility and Transparency

Victoria Andrews, Nate McClennen

Mar 24, 2025

Explore how learning experiences, not courses, enhance flexibility, integration, and equity in competency-based education.

Futuristic digital tunnel with streaming data, numbers, and glowing light streaks representing the flow of digital information

Leadership

What’s the Status of Credentials? Digital Credentials Summit 2025

Mason Pashia

Mar 13, 2025

Explore the future of credentials at the Digital Credentials Summit 2025, focusing on skills, interoperability, and workforce adaptability.

Leadership

Building Systems That Serve: The Power of the Getting Smart Innovation Framework

Rebecca Midles, Nate McClennen

Mar 11, 2025

Explore the Getting Smart Innovation Framework for personalized, competency-based education that empowers all students.

Students working independently at a shared table covered with open textbooks and worksheets in a classroom setting.

Schools Worth Visiting

Customizing Innovative Practices at Pinnacles Prep

Rebecca Midles

Feb 14, 2025

Discover how Pinnacles Prep fosters personalized learning through innovative strategies and inclusive environments.

Two women reviewing work together on a laptop, one mentoring the other in a collaborative learning session.

Competency-Based Education

Why High-Quality Learning Opportunities Must Be Personalized to Each Learner

Rebecca Midles

Nov 8, 2024

Personalized learning tailors education to individual needs, making learning engaging and competency-based for student empowerment.

Nalukai Students sit and work on a real-world problem

Future of Learning

Let High Schoolers Do Less? Let High Schoolers Experience More

Tom Vander Ark, Nate McClennen

Oct 29, 2024

Redesign high schools with personalized learning and real-world experiences to better prepare students for college and careers.

Three diverse students laughing and collaborating on a hands-on tech project at a SparkNC learning space.

Competency-Based Education

First-Year Insights into Building a Truly Learner-Centered Approach with SparkNC

Guest Author

Oct 25, 2024

SparkNC offers a learner-centered, competency-based education in high-tech fields across North Carolina, empowering students with flexible, industry-relevant learning experiences.

A tutor leans over to help a student review printed materials at a classroom desk with a laptop nearby.

Leadership

The Pandemic Proved that High-Dosage Tutoring is Essential. We Can’t Give it Up.

Guest Author

Oct 18, 2024

High-dosage tutoring is crucial for personalized education, democratizing access and improving student outcomes post-pandemic.

	Beginning	Piloting	Implementing
From Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery	BeginningFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Beginning	PilotingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Piloting	ImplementingFrom Fixed Standards to Competency-Based Mastery Implementing
From One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning	BeginningFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom One-Size-Fits-All to Adaptive Learning Implementing
From Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry	BeginningFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Beginning	PilotingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Piloting	ImplementingFrom Prescribed Knowledge to Innovation & Inquiry Implementing
From Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning	BeginningFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Beginning	PilotingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Piloting	ImplementingFrom Subjects as Silos to Transdisciplinary, Real-World Learning Implementing
From Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities	BeginningFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Beginning	PilotingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Piloting	ImplementingFrom Schools as Self-Contained to Schools as Embedded in Communities Implementing
From Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment	BeginningFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Beginning	PilotingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Piloting	ImplementingFrom Standardized Testing to Meaningful Assessment Implementing
From Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets	BeginningFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Beginning	PilotingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Piloting	ImplementingFrom Institutional Ownership of Student Data to Student-Controlled Learning Wallets Implementing

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Competency-Based Education