Competency-Based Education

Norwalk Public Schools' Portrait of a Graduate wheel showing five competencies: Critical Thinker, Self-Directed Learner, Global Citizen, Synergistic Collaborator, and Effective Communicator.

Norwalk Public Schools: Levers for Living the Portrait of a Graduate (a 7-part series)

Abby Benedetto, Kimberly Erickson

Jan 12, 2026

Join Abby and Kimberly as they document the journey of the Norwalk Portrait of a Graduate and its role in education.

A student wearing safety goggles and an instructor collaborate on a gear-and-belt mechanism in a makerspace classroom.

Future of Learning

A Graduate Portrait Names What We Value. Our Learning System Shows That We Mean It.

Rebecca Midles

Dec 8, 2025

Aligning a Portrait of a Graduate with daily practices transforms vision into a lived culture, fostering coherence across education systems.

Diverse middle school students collaborating on 3D design software with colorful printed parts on classroom table

Competency-Based Education

Advancing Assessment in the Service of Learning

Edmund W. Gordon, Eric Tucker

Oct 8, 2025

Reimagining assessment to serve learning, not just grading. Explore the Handbook for Assessment in the Service of Learning for innovation in education.

Students arranged in a large circle in a modern library space, holding papers during a collaborative discussion session.

Equity & Access

Reimagining School Starts with Reclaiming Time

Guest Author

Jul 11, 2025

Exploring innovative time structures in schools to enhance personalized, competency-based learning and support teacher collaboration.

Teacher reads to three young students seated on a classroom floor beneath an "I Love Reading" bulletin board.

New Pathways

Integrating Traditional Assessments into Non-Traditional Learning Environments

Guest Author

Jun 24, 2025

Explore how microschools innovate assessments, embracing mastery-based learning, AI, and alternative methods for diverse learner success.

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.

	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