As directed by SSB 5249 (Chapter 144, Laws of 2021), the state's Mastery-based Learning (MBL) Work Group developed a Washington State Profile of a Graduate describing the cross disciplinary skills a student should have developed by the time they graduate high school. The Legislature charged the State Board of Education (SBE) with reviewing the…

This state policy framework, focused on graduation requirements, assessment, and accountability, is designed to assist states in building a policy structure that contributes to statewide adoption and implementation of competency-based pathways (CBP) that support all students in reaching college and career readiness, as defined by the Common Core…

Competency education, an educator-led reform, is taking root in schools and districts across the country. In some states, state leadership has cleared the path with policies to advance competency education. This paper seeks to map out the terrain of the district implementation strategies being used to convert traditional systems into personalized,…

This exploration into competency-based innovation at the school, district, and state levels suggests that competency-based pathways are a re-engineering of this nation's education system around learning--a re-engineering designed for success in which failure is no longer viable. This discussion draws on interviews and site visits with innovators…

What happens when a district aligns its graduation requirements to four-year college entrance requirements? This case looks at teachers' reactions to such a policy and explores differing beliefs and attitudes about rigor and the role of high school education. New leadership and a changing district culture create the context for the case, which…

The Copernican Plan is a way to organize high schools on the basis of research and experience concerning more effective and efficient instruction. Research indicates that large-block scheduling has proven to be very successful. In the plan, each student will enroll in one class at a time for about 4 hours each day for a period of 30 days. An…