july 29 th , 2014

District and State Considerations for Incorporating Expanded

Learning into Competency-Based Systems

July 29th, 2014

@AYPF_Tweets#aypfevents

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What do we mean by competency-based education?

• Students advance upon mastery.• Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning

objectives that empower students.• Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for

students.• Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual

learning needs.• Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application

and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and dispositions.

- Competency Works Definition

Why should we promote competency-based partnerships between schools

and expanded learning? • Why should K-12 stakeholders interested in competency-based education

care about such partnerships?• Schools often cannot provide students with diverse learning

experiences and opportunities for learning in context.• Expanded learning opportunities allows students more flexibility to

progress toward mastery• Why should expanded learning stakeholders care?

• Competency-based education allows schools to validate learning happening in non-formal settings

Presenters:

Stephanie Krauss, Senior Fellow, Forum for Youth Investment

Kate Nielson, Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association

Sharon Lee, Director, Office of Multiple Pathways, Rhode Island Department of Education

Michelle Un, Project Manager, Research & Data, Rhode Island After School Plus Alliance

@AYPF_Tweets#aypfevents

®

Priority Products & ServicesMay 2011

Cultivating Competence:The Quest for Readiness

Stephanie Krauss, Senior Fellow

“Producing sonorous rhetoric about solving social problems through education is easier than carrying out fundamental social change through schooling.”

- David Tyack, Tinkering Toward Utopia

“My education & experience taught me to navigate the landscape of traditional schooling, but they were clearly inadequate for creating a generative new landscape for deep and integral learning.

- Stephanie Marshall, The Power to Transform

Learning from experience. Falling forward from failure: 1. We were reactive when we needed to be generative 2. We needed different professional skills and capacity3. We needed more guaranteed flexibility4. We didn’t have enough time

Youth at the Center. Get youth ready by cultivating competence.Diffuse & expand. Anytime, anywhere.

Can we cultivate competence using a collective impact approach?

Considerations for collective impact efforts that are readiness-oriented & competency-based

Stephanie Krauss, Senior FellowThe Forum for Youth Investment

stephaniek@forumfyi.org www.forumfyi.org

Where do we go from here?The Readiness Project

July 29, 2014

Kate Nielson

Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association

Competency-Based Education:Implications for State Policy

State Trends

• Abolish Carnegie Unit, provide waivers• School- and district-level innovation• Limited changes to funding systems• Growing interest and overlap with other

policy areas– Common Core State Standards and assessments– Dual-enrollment– College and career readiness– Preparedness and remediation

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Big Challenges

• Role of the educator• Assessment and accountability• Funding• Communications and the culture shift

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Role of the Educator

• Training (pre-service, in-service)• Certification• Evaluation• Pay/promotion • ELO Implications

– Blurred lines between classroom and afterschool educators

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Assessments and Accountability

• High quality, valid, consistent assessments• Multiple formats of assessment• Flexible schedules • Appropriately tailored accountability • ELO Implications

– Assessments and credit beyond the classroom

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Funding

• Still based on seat-time• New system could incentivize CBE• Largely funding the transition, but no new

funding models • ELO Implications

– Funding opportunities and learning, wherever it occurs

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Communications and the Culture Shift

• Entrenched vision of education • Change the traditional vision of classroom

learning, include outside opportunities

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Questions?

Kate NielsonSenior Policy AnalystNational Governors Association

knielson@nga.org

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Question and AnswerStephanie Krauss, Senior Fellow, Forum for

Youth Investment, stephaniek@forumfyi.org

Kate Nielson, Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association, knielson@nga.org

Sharon Lee, Director of the Office of Multiple Pathways, RIDE

The SEA’s role in promoting proficiency-

based expanded learning through legislative changes and state-level policies

Adult, Career and Technical, Secondary and Virtual Learning

regulations support and promote learner proficiency gained and measured through a variety of

learning opportunities.

Comprehensive Regulatory Framework

RI regulations require districts to set up a proficiency-based diploma system to support students

demonstrating proficiency through multiple measures.

Multiple Measures of Proficiency

Partnering with a number of local, regional and national partners to develop a statewide

proficiency-based system.

Partnerships

Continued work…

• Build system with partnerships• Maintain a comprehensive and

connected system• Pay attention to barriers and

opportunities• Support, highlight, and share good

practices

Rethinking High School CreditELOs for Credit: A Solution to Engage and Prepare

Rhode Island Youth for the Future

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

ELOs for Credit

Student– At the center of learning

Teacher– Facilitator of learning and rigor

Industry Mentor– Guides hands-on, real world learning

ELO Coordinator

Opportunities for students to gain credit for rigorous learning experiences that take place outside of the traditional classroom

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Building the Initiative

Planning

Pilot Implementa

tion

Expansion

Providence

Woonsocket

Central Falls

• Establishing policy and processes to support districts

• Defining roles of teachers and partners

• Developing assessment to fit school and partner needs

• Expand to serve more students—funding capacity

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Central Falls• Individual and group ELOs take place after-school,

during the summer, and now during the school day• A part of the school transformation strategy to

increase the graduation rate and improve climate and culture CFHS Transformation Report (2013) cited ELOs as integral

to increasing graduation rate by 18% from 2010 to 2012

• ELO Office funded by the district

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Excerpts and photos from the CFHS ELO Yearbook 2014

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Woonsocket

• Partnership with Riverzedge Arts• Group and Individual ELOs take place after

school and during the summer• ELO Director at the school• In 2013-2014, over 138 WHS and WACTC

students completed 146 ELOs projects, engaging 25 teachers and 75 community mentors

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Source: Photos from ELO Woonsocket http://elowoonsocket.weebly.com/

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Going to Scale• 4 new districts and 2

charter schools• Different districts,

different models• Professional Learning

Community

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Second Cohort District Models• Personalized learning for unique student needs• Fulfill digital portfolio requirement• Expand course offeringsBurrillville• Support transition from middle school to high school• Tie multiple expanded learning efforts together• Expand STEM offeringsWesterly •Create interdisciplinary learning experiences•Enhance afterschool offerings, increase partnerships•Incorporated experiential learning into the school day

Cumberland•ELOs a part of the graduation requirement for students•Map directly to 21st century skill expectations•Expands course offerings, tapping into interests of teachersHighlander

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

District Conditions Needed to Support ELOs

• District administration involved in ELO design• School leadership and openness around how

school design can support ELOs and student-centered learning

• ELO Coordinator, or someone who can play a coordinating role

• Funding to support mentor and teacher compensation

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Next Steps for RIASPA

• Supporting statewide community partners working across multiple districts

• Formalize partnerships with higher education • Develop more industry work-based

experiences• Digital badges!

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

Check Us Out

• RIASPA: http://afterschoolri.org/ • Woonsocket:

http://elowoonsocket.weebly.com/• Central Falls:

http://cfhs.cfschools.net/expanded-learning-opportunities.html

• Providence (PASA’s the Hub): http://hubprov.com/

AN EDUCATION INITIATIVE OF

For More Information

Contact Info:Michelle Un

Michelle.Un@afterschoolri.org

Question and AnswerStephanie Krauss, Senior Fellow, Forum for Youth Investment, stephaniek@forumfyi.org

Kate Nielson, Senior Policy Analyst, National Governors Association, knielson@nga.org

Sharon Lee, Director, Office of Multiple Pathways, Rhode Island Department of Education, Sharon.Lee@ride.ri.gov

Michelle Un, Project Manager, Research & Data, Rhode Island After School Plus Alliance, Michelle.Un@afterschoolri.org

Thanks for joining us!