Personalized learning. Proficiency-based education. Mastery-based learning. Competency-based education. They’re all different terms that refer to a reimagining of how schools operate so that students can make more choices about what and how they learn; learn at a different pace; receive individualized help to move ahead; and progress based on mastery of course material, rather than seat time. While there is broad consensus on the principles, making this model of learning a reality is anything but simple.
Join us to hear from educators working to implement competency-based education about the successes and challenges they’ve confronted along the way. Attendees will:
• Discover the points of tension encountered by educators engaged in personalized learning, and what they’ve done to work through these obstacles and implement ambitious reform
• Get practical advice on making competency-based education work in school settings
• See exclusive EdWeek Research Center data on educator attitudes toward this popular reform and their expectations for the future
• Gain insights from senior education leaders on how to leverage state policies to support school and district reform
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Agenda
2:00pm ET
Welcome & Introduction
We’ll highlight key insights from recent reporting on competency-based learning
Matthew Stone is an assistant managing editor for Education Week.
2:10pm ET
Interactive Session: How Educators Feel About Competency-Based Education
How do educators feel about competency-based education? Have they heard of it? Have they seen it in action? Are they curious? Do they think their schools will move in this direction? Reporter Mark Lieberman will discuss exclusive EdWeek Research Center survey data on educators’ attitudes toward this model of learning.
Mark Lieberman is a reporter for Education Week who covers school finance.
2:20pm ET
Industry Perspective: How New England Innovation Academy Ensures Transparency and Equity Through Competency-Based Grading
Sponsor content provided by Otus
New England Innovation Academy (NEIA) adopted competency-based grading to make grading practices consistent and transparent, ensuring that students are assessed fairly and educators have reliable data to plan interventions. Join Camp, Head of Teaching and Learning at NEIA, as he shares the “why” and “how” of competency-based education at the school and the impact that these pedagogical shifts have had on students, staff, and families.
New England Innovation Academy (NEIA) adopted competency-based grading to make grading practices consistent and transparent, ensuring that students are assessed fairly and educators have reliable data to plan interventions. Join Camp, Head of Teaching and Learning at NEIA, as he shares the “why” and “how” of competency-based education at the school and the impact that these pedagogical shifts have had on students, staff, and families.
Camp
Head of Teaching & Learning,
New England Innovation Academy
Camp has been teaching in independent schools for over 25 years. His experience includes English and writing classes as well as interdisciplinary courses such as “The Art and Physics of Time Travel.” At St. Mark’s School, which bestowed him with The Trustees Chair and the Kidder Faculty Prize, Camp served as the Director of Experiential Learning and Associate Director of The Center of Innovation in Teaching and Learning. A pair of his pedagogical mantras include “I aim to teach what cannot be Googled” and “I expect you to work hard, so I work hard.”
2:30pm ET
Panel Discussion: Inside a District’s Experiment With Competency-Based Education
Join a discussion among educators who are trying to personalize learning for their students. Shifting to competency-based education requires an openness to reimagining how school operates and how students can learn. Educators who are trying to make this transformation happen will discuss what’s gone into the change and share advice for others interested in following suit.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.
Virgel Hammonds
CEO,
Aurora Institute
Virgel Hammonds is a nationally recognized leader in education innovation, bringing over two decades of experience working alongside young people, educators, communities, districts, and policymakers.
Katherine Holden
Associate Principal,
Ashland Middle School and Principal, Siskiyou School (OR)
Katherine Holden taught high school for ten years and middle school for three years before becoming the Associate Principal at Ashland Middle School. In her role as AP for seven years she spearheaded a variety of change efforts and provided trainings and support to staff in the areas of grading reform and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Throughout this time, Katherine was part of a collaborative coalition of teachers and administrators who planned, developed, and implemented schoolwide change transitioning her site to a standards-based grading and reporting system based on a framework of Essential Learning Rubrics. In recognition of this work, Katherine was named the 2022 National Assistant Principal of the Year.
Steve Retzlaff
Principal,
Ashland Middle School (OR)
Steve Retzlaff began his career in education 30 years ago as a Teach For America Corp member, in the South Bronx. As a student who struggled in school himself, he was driven to find strategies to engage, connect, and inspire students. Steve soon realized that the better students understood expectations, the more engaged and connected they were to their learning.
Cory J. Steiner
Superintendent,
Northern Cass School District #97 (ND)
Dr. Cory Steiner served as superintendent of the Northern Cass School District for 10 years and as an administrator for 17 years. In his current role, he has worked with a dedicated and passionate group of educators to shift their entire system to personalized competency-based learning.
3:15pm ET
Panel Discussion: Using State Policy to Inspire School Reform
State policies in recent years have shifted decisively in favor of allowing competency-based education to happen. But that hasn’t translated yet into widespread adoption. Join a discussion with school and state-level leaders about how schools and districts can take advantage of state policies to jumpstart a shift to personalized learning.
Matthew Stone is an assistant managing editor for Education Week.
Dr. Sydnee Dickson
Utah State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Dr. Sydnee Dickson has been serving the children of Utah as a proud educator for the past 44 years. She joined the Utah State Office of Education in 2007 and was named as State Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2016. Prior to joining the Utah State Office of Education, Sydnee served in Utah public schools in roles including teaching, school counseling, school and district administration.
Alissa Muller
Director of Policy,
Washington State Board of Education
Alissa joined SBE in 2017. Her work focuses on supporting the state’s mastery-based learning efforts and ensuring each and every student is prepared for their next steps after high school. Prior to joining the SBE, she worked for several Texas nonprofits. Alissa holds her B.S. degree in Public Relations from the University of Texas and her Master of Public Administration degree from the Evans School at the University of Washington. She enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her husband and children.
3:45pm ET
Interactive Session: The Benefits and Drawbacks to Competency-Based Education
Educators are interested in competency-based education, and most expect their districts will move toward the model in some fashion in the coming years. In exclusive EdWeek Research Center survey data, educators identified a number of benefits to shifting to competency-based education. But they also identified drawbacks. Reporter Mark Lieberman will discuss the findings.
Mark Lieberman is a reporter for Education Week who covers school finance.
3:55pm ET
Closing Thoughts
Hear the big takeaways from this forum.
Matthew Stone is an assistant managing editor for Education Week.
