Personalized Learning Video

VIDEO: Inside a Competency-Based Learning Program Without Grades

By Jaclyn Borowski & Alyson Klein — October 10, 2024 1:35
Students in the Moonshot Program research and create a presentation on Walt Disney and Elon Musk during class at California Area Elementary School in Coal Center, Pa., on May 16, 2024.

Three years ago, the California Area school district in Pennsylvania’s Allegheny Mountains, gave students the chance to opt into a very different kind of K-12 experience.

These students—about 75 of the district’s roughly 900—no longer receive traditional grades. Instead, they get feedback from teachers. And instead of learning the same content as everyone else, their lessons and assignments are based on their goals and personal interests.

Here, learn more about the challenges and benefits of this approach.

See Also

From left, Amora Grillo, Mia Naughton, Ally Neil, work on a project in the Moonshot Program at California New Area Elementary School in Coal Center, Pa., on May 16, 2024.
From left, Amora Grillo, Mia Naughton, and Ally Neil work on a project in the Moonshot Program at California Area Elementary School in Coal Center, Pa., on May 16, 2024.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week
Personalized Learning Inside One District's Experiment With Competency-Based Education
Alyson Klein, September 16, 2024
14 min read

Jaclyn Borowski is the Director of Photography and Videography for Education Week.
Alyson Klein is an assistant editor for Education Week.

Video

Special Education Video How This District Teaches Bilingual Students With Dyslexia
Students with dyslexia receive instruction in Spanish or English, depending on their dominant spoken language.
2:28
School & District Management Video The Enemy of Smart, Strategic Spending Decisions in K-12 Districts: Leadership Churn
The EdWeek Research Center surveyed district leaders on the barriers to long-term thinking.
Professional Development Video How One District Is Getting Secondary Teachers Up to Speed on Reading Support
A district invests in improving secondary teachers' knowledge to help students needing reading support.
1 min read
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
High school teachers learn how to teach reading to struggling older readers during an AIM training at Marietta High School in Marietta, Ga., on Nov. 10, 2025.
Jason Drakeford for Education Week
Federal Video Here’s What the Ed. Dept. Upheaval Will Mean for Schools
The Trump administration took significant steps this week toward eliminating the U.S. Department of Education.
1 min read
The U.S. Department of Education building is pictured in a double exposure on Oct. 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Department of Education building is pictured in a double exposure on Oct. 24, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Maansi Srivastava for Education Week