REL Midwest Event Highlights Competency-Based Education
Submitted by REL Midwest on
In a competency-based education (CBE) environment:
Personalized Learning
Recently Released State Policy Framework Provides Guidance to States to Advance Competency-Based Pathways
Submitted by Anne Bowles on
Achieve has released a new state policy framework, Advancing Competency-Based Pathways to College and Career Readiness, to support state education policymakers in envisioning and planning for policies that encourage student-centered approaches designed to help all students learn the full scope of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Trends in Seat-Time vs. Competency-Based Policy
Submitted by Austin Pate on
The traditional model of credit accumulation adopted by states across the United States is based upon a seat-time requirement known as the Carnegie Unit. Using this model, students must be seated in a class for specific number of hours in order to receive credit for the course. This is true for all students, regardless of prior knowledge, skills, or experiences, and has been the primary means of credit accrual in the United States since the early 20th century.
REL Midwest and Public Television Present Competency-Based Education
Submitted by REL Midwest on
At 10 p.m. on Monday, September 2, at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 3, and at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 8, 2013 (all Central Time), Illinois public television viewers can watch Implementing Competency-Based Education Practices in the Midwest, a REL Midwest Making Connections event produced with WTTW in Chicago and taped with a studio audience. The program archive will be available online later in September.
Colorado Board of Education Approves New Graduation Requirements
On May 15, 2013, the Colorado State Board of Education voted to adopt a new set of graduation standards that will focus on competency rather than “seat time” in four core content areas. These standards, will be implemented in multiple phases over the next seven years and offer multiple options and measures for students to demonstrate compentecy.
Creating College Readiness: Profiles of 38 Schools That Know How
This report provides a profile of 38 schools and details how these schools have implemented strategies to promote and advance college readiness. The report outlines each school, characteristics that make the school unique, and lessons learned from undertaking particular strategies. The report is organized into six sections: 1) alternative schools, 2) charter schools, 3) comprehensive schools, 4) early college high schools, 5) magnet schools, and 6) private schools. In several cases, schools may have utilized more than one strategy to achieve their goal.
Student Learning Plans: Supporting Every Student's Transition to College and Career
This policy brief from the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy describes student learning plans (SLPs) as a way to prepare students for the transition from school to college and career. The brief includes an overview of SLPs, the research on their effectiveness to improve student outcomes, and the implementation of SLPs in other states. While the brief was written for Massachusetts policymakers, the information and recommendations are useful for other audiences.
Advancing High School Reform in the States: Policies and Programs
In this report, the author looks at the eight federal legislative recommendations provided by the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) for high school reform identified in their field guide, Breaking Ranks II. The recommendations include: (1) increasing academic rigor, (2) personalized instruction, (3) targeted strategies to support low-performing students, (4) improving reading and writing skills, (5) assessment, (6) high-quality school leaders, (7) highly qualified teachers, and (8) high schools identified as in need of improvement.
New York Small High Schools Initiative
Submitted by Guest Blogger on
Last month, the Alliance for Excellent Education held a Webinar about the lessons learned from the New York City (NYC) “small schools of choice” (SSCs) initiative. As part of this initiative, New York City closed more than 20 underperforming public high schools and in their place opened new small nonselective schools of choice. The new schools served on average 100 students per grade level and were personalized not only in size, but also in terms of relationships among students and teachers.
The Digital Learning Imperative
Submitted by National High S... on
The Alliance for Excellent Education recently released an issue brief, “The Digital Learning Imperative: How Technology and Teaching Meet Today’s Education Challenges.” The brief highlights several major issues in education and argues that they can be addressed with innovative, technology-based solutions.
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