Competency-Based Education
Competency-Based Education (CBE) makes the learning expectations clear, so students have a role in designing and executing learning plans intended to develop a mindset and skillset of success. All learners in this system will believe they have the ability, based on their capacity, to shape their lives. CBE uses a system of highly coordinated, evidence-based instructional and assessment strategies that, when executed together, have a combined effect greater than the sum of their parts. -Dr. Robert Marzano
Competency-Based Education (CBE) is a system of instruction, assessment, grading, and academic reporting that makes learning goals and expectations clear and easily understood by teachers, students, and families. This transparency ensures that all students and their support teams have access to monitor progress toward proficiency and offer appropriate support as needed. CBE is designed to accurately identify the level of student understanding, allowing students to progress as they demonstrate mastery of the academic content, regardless of time, place, or pace of learning. CBE focuses solely on student learning by articulating precisely what students need to be able to do and know. CBE emphasizes mastery of skills rather than completion of tasks. It often looks very much like the “try until you get it right” approach. CBE’s focus is to meet students where they are and provide a path forward.
CBE Shared Vision: Using Quality Schools as our foundation, along with the work we have already begun, refine and improve our current practices by clearly articulating the expectations for student learning, developing a method to describe explicit progress toward learning goals, and aligning our instructional practices to support our students in meeting those goals.
CBE provides:
Students and parents with clear learning expectations and objectives
To more effectively determine and communicate the levels of knowledge and skills of students
To create a system that will allow students to take ownership of their learning
To ensure that all students are acquiring the requisite skills and knowledge to be college, career, and life-ready
To build the capacity to respond more rapidly to the needs of students and engage in continuous improvement
To take advantage of the technological advances in online learning for personalization, allowing students to learn at their own pace, anytime and everywhere
To provide greater flexibility and equity for students, especially for our underrepresented groups
Fall 23 & Spring 24 Pilots: PUHSD is rolling out CBE in phases and includes the use of a new gradebook and learning management system (LMS) called Empower. Teachers across the district have volunteered to pilot CBE, Proficiency Scales, and/or Empower. Not all piloting teachers will be using Empower as a grade book, but piloting teachers will be using Proficiency Scales and the tenets of CBE. Teachers will be communicating with their students and their parents regarding their grading system and course expectations.
See the below links form more information regarding Empower.
Additional CBE Resources: