Despite educators’ genuine enthusiasm, competency-based education may be slow to spread to U.S. schools due to sizable barriers, according to a report published Oct. 22.
The report, “Show What You Know: A Landscape Analysis of Competency-Based Education,” features an overview of the current status of competency-based education in the U.S. produced by Getting Smart and reflections from XQ on some of the more complex transition issues. The report was commissioned by XQ.
Educators are trying to meet students’ unique learning needs with competency-based models, which let students advance based on skill mastery rather than seat time.
The old and outdated education model that sorts students based on age, and that gauges achievement based on course completion and seat time, is getting in the way of educational innovation, the report argues.
So, why move to a competency-based model? In a nutshell, “the payoff includes ensuring quality preparation and readiness for all students, realizing the benefits of learning science, working toward gap-closing equity, fostering student agency, educating for broader aims, and aligning with the world of work.”
