Proficiency Based Learning
What is Proficiency-Based Learning?
The focus of proficiency-based learning is on students’ demonstration of desired learning outcomes. Students gain the skills, abilities, and knowledge required in an area of study, along with those necessary to be successful in college, career and civic life. Proficiency-based learning is designed to identify and address gaps to provide equitable learning opportunities for every student. This is in contrast to traditional systems which advance students based on seat time. Read more about “What is proficiency-based learning?”.
How is learning summarized in a proficiency-based report?
In this proficiency-based report, evidence of learning is reported by learning target, not assignment. Learning targets articulate the skills that we are practicing in class. A single piece of student work often provides evidence of multiple skills, so that assignment may receive a separate score for multiple learning targets. By tracking specific student skills, teachers are more able to plan for individual needs in the classroom.
When you click on a class, you will see a list of learning targets that are being instructed, practiced and assessed. The evidence aligned with each target is summarized visually with the thermometer-looking scale. This summary score places the greatest emphasis on the student’s most recent attempt at the target.
"Act 77 and the State Board of Education’s Education Quality Standards (EQS) state that Vermont public schools must provide students with flexible and personalized pathways for progressing through grade levels and to graduation. The notion of Proficiency-Based Learning is a key component of this, requiring that students advance based on demonstration of attainment of skills and knowledge, rather than based on time spent in a classroom.
-VT AOE
