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Overview
Overview
Competency-Based Learning (CBL) is a student-centered approach where learners progress by demonstrating mastery of specific skills or knowledge, not by seat time or pacing guides. It emphasizes transparency, rigor, and flexibility in how and when students learn and show understanding.
🎯 Why It Matters
🎯 Why It Matters
Ensures every student achieves essential skills
Prioritizes growth, not just grades
Encourages ownership of learning and self-paced progression
Promotes equity by meeting students where they are
Builds clarity through defined success criteria and rubrics
Competency-Based Learning shifts the question from “Did they finish it?” to “Did they master it?”
🧠 Strategy Checklist
🧠 Strategy Checklist
🔹 BEFORE THE LESSON
☐ Identify the specific competencies and learning targets for the lesson/unit
☐ Communicate clearly what mastery looks like (rubrics, exemplars, success criteria)
☐ Design multiple pathways for students to access content
☐ Plan flexible timelines or structures for students who need reteaching or extension
🔹 DURING THE LESSON
☐ Check for understanding frequently — reteach or enrich as needed
☐ Provide formative feedback linked to the specific learning goals
☐ Allow students to choose how they demonstrate mastery when appropriate
☐ Use conferencing to support individual progress and reflection
🔹 AFTER THE LESSON
☐ Evaluate evidence of learning using transparent criteria
☐ Provide opportunities to revisit or revise work until mastery is achieved
☐ Track student progress in a way that reflects growth
☐ Use data to inform flexible grouping or individualized supports
👀 Look-Fors
👀 Look-Fors
Learning targets and success criteria are visible and student-friendly
Students know what they’re working on and what mastery looks like
Multiple attempts and paths to mastery are normalized and supported
Grades reflect demonstration of skills, not just completion or compliance
Feedback focuses on growth toward mastery
📈Continuum of Practice
📈Continuum of Practice
FOUNDATIONAL
Teacher:
Teacher delivers instruction and assigns the same tasks for all students with little opportunity to revisit.
EMERGING
Teacher:
Teacher begins to differentiate based on performance, but mastery criteria are unclear or inconsistent.
PROFICIENT
Teacher:
Teacher uses clear competencies and success criteria; students revise based on feedback until mastery.
TRANSFORMING
Teacher:
Teacher and students co-create goals, use progressions, and flex pacing to ensure every learner achieves mastery.
Student:
Students are assessed once and move on, regardless of understanding.
Student:
Students may revise or receive feedback but lack clarity on goals.
Student:
Students track progress, understand expectations, and improve over time.
Student:
Students own their pace and learning journey, using feedback and reflection to drive growth.
🗃️ Structures
🗃️ Structures
COMPETENCY CLARITY
Make learning targets and success criteria crystal clear for both students and teachers.
“I Can” Statements Tied to Competencies: Translate standards into learner-friendly language
Success Criteria Rubrics: Define what mastery, approaching, and beginning look like
Learning Progressions: Show the continuum of skill development across time and tasks
Anchor Work Samples: Post exemplars for each level of performance tied to a specific competency
ASSESSMENT & EVIDENCE
Use multiple forms of evidence to determine when a student has demonstrated competency.
Flexible Assessment Options: Performance tasks, projects, discussions, reflections, or portfolios
Student-Selected Evidence: Let students submit work they believe shows mastery
Reassessment Opportunities: Build in revision and retry opportunities based on feedback
“Show What You Know” Days: Design flexible time blocks for students to demonstrate learning in multiple ways
FEEDBACK & PROGRESS MONITORING
Support students as they move toward mastery at their own pace — with intentional feedback and tracking.
Competency Trackers: Visual or digital tools to monitor which skills students have mastered
1:1 Conferencing with Data: Use student data to set personalized next steps
Tiered Feedback Templates: Guide teachers and students in identifying where they are and what’s next
Learning Goal Cards: Students select a current focus competency and track their evidence
CULTURE & SYSTEMS
Create a classroom and school environment where mastery, not pace, is the priority.
Flexible Grouping: Group students by skill readiness, not grade level or age
Mastery Celebrations: Recognize students for demonstrating new competencies, not just turning in work
Shared Language Around Learning: Use terms like “mastery,” “next step,” and “competency” daily
Student-Led Conferences: Students explain their progress, challenges, and future goals using their evidence
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