What is CBE in Iowa?

Principles of a Competency-Based Education System:

1. Students advance upon demonstrated proficiency.

• Students advance to higher level work upon demonstration of proficiency on competencies rather than according to age or seat time.

• Students are evaluated on performance and application.

• Students demonstrate proficiency on competencies and earn credit or advance in content at their own pace, working through some competencies more rapidly while taking more time to ensure proficiency on others.

• Students are considered proficient on graduation requirements or advanced through content at any level when they have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and Universal Constructs (creativity, complex communication, collaboration, critical thinking, flexibility and adaptability, and productivity and accountability) required to be successful at the next level of advanced learning in the content or in other curricular areas.

2. Students’ demonstration of competencies requires transfer of knowledge across content areas and/or beyond the classroom.

• Competencies are aligned to the Universal Constructs and the appropriate statewide learning standards (the Early Learning Standards, the Iowa Core, and standards in content areas not yet a part of the Iowa Core).

• Competencies include explicit, measurable, and transferable learning outcomes that empower students.

• The unit of learning is defined by standards and competencies rather than courses and grade levels.

• Learning and demonstrations of proficiency on competencies are designed around student needs, life experiences, and the skills needed to be ready for college, career, and citizenry.

• Competencies are most often aligned to multiple standards, both within and across disciplines.

3. Students engage in assessment as a meaningful and positive learning experience.

• Schools embrace a strong emphasis on formative assessment as learning becomes focused on standards and competencies.

• Teachers collaborate to develop scoring documents that describe proficiency and focus on student learning.

• Teachers assess standards, competencies and Universal Constructs in multiple contexts and multiple ways and rarely in isolation.

• Summative assessments of competencies are adaptive and timely.

• Scoring documents, including Gateway Indicators, learning progressions, and “I Can” statements, clearly define how teachers assess demonstrations of proficiency.

• Students, teachers, and parents/guardians have access to information about student learning progress throughout the learning continuum.

• Teachers and students monitor learning progress using multiple measures which include scoring documents related to student performances and student generated work samples as evidence of success.

4. Students receive rapid, personalized support based on their individual learning needs.

• The relationship between students and teachers changes as students gain understanding of competencies and take ownership of their learning and as teachers become facilitators of learning while providing the appropriate supports.

• Students co-design their learning experiences based on individual strengths, needs, and interests. The flexibility and supports are utilized to ensure students reach proficiency of deeper learning goals.

• Technology-enabled solutions that incorporate predictive analytic tools enable teachers to monitor and be responsive to student learning needs.

• Pacing matters; therefore, educators must provide high-quality interventions to ensure students progress toward timely graduation.

5. Students’ learning is validated regardless of when, where or how they acquire and/or demonstrate the learning.

• Districts accept evidence of learning toward graduation requirements in experiences inside school and outside-of-school settings.

• Districts provide connections between students and community members to develop internships and other outside-of-school learning opportunities.

• Teachers ensure student learning through outside-of-school environments such as 4-H, family-owned businesses, part-time jobs, church, clubs, and organizations can be acknowledged and used toward demonstration of proficiency on standards and/or competencies.

*Adapted from International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL). Updated 6.15.2016