Free iNACOL Webinar to Explore K-12 Competency Education

Washington, D.C.  – On Wednesday, April 20, 2016, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, the International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) is hosting a Special Edition webinar as an introduction to K-12 competency education, by sharing foundational elements and exploring public school models that meet students where they are and ensure mastery of high standards for all students. The webinar will highlight promising practices from leaders and practitioners on the frontier of the next generation of teaching and learning through competency education.

Competency education is an educator-led reform and is taking root in schools and districts across the country. The concept behind competency education is simple: learning is best measured by students demonstrating mastery of learning targets—and students advance upon mastery through a “performance” of what a student knows and can do—rather than just the number of hours spent in a classroom on a given subject.

The co-founders of CompetencyWorks, Susan Patrick, iNACOL President and CEO, and Chris Sturgis, MetisNet, will share competency education’s design elements and structural underpinnings. To understand how these elements are implemented by educators in districts and schools, this webinar will highlight emerging competency education models. Dr. Kristen Brittingham, Director of Personalized Learning, will introduce the model in development at Charleston County School District, South Carolina, and Sydney Schaef will share the model being designed at Building 21 in Pennsylvania. Virgel Hammonds, Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks, will then discuss why educators and communities want to convert to a competency-based structure, and he will share his experiences from Lindsay Unified School District and RSU2, and as Chief Learning Officer at KnowledgeWorks.

“By focusing on empowering educators to personalize instruction for each student’s needs, students advancing on competency-based progressions are experiencing powerful learning experiences,” said Susan Patrick. “Districts and schools throughout the United States and around the world are fundamentally transforming K-12 education by designing new, powerful personalized learning models, structured within competency education systems to ensure all students master core learning objectives. By redesigning the education system around actual student learning and building educator capacity, we will work together to effectively prepare each student for college and career in an increasingly global and competitive economy.”

This webinar is free to attend—participants are invited to register at www.inacol.org/event/what-is-competency-based-education/ for final details and login information.

Featured

  • Texas District Finishes Construction on New Middle School, Admin Building

    The Westwood Independent School District recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Westwood Middle School and Administration Building in Palestine, Texas, according to a news release. The campus covers 106,000 square feet and has the capacity for 650 students in grades 6–8, and it will also play home to the district’s staff and administration.

  • Kenall Introduces Millenium Flair Series

    In a move aimed at modernizing institutional lighting without compromising on durability or performance, Kenall has launched its new Millenium Flair series, according to the Kenall website.

  • Ryan Companies Completes Construction on Three U.S. Charter Schools

    Ryan Companies US, Inc., recently partnered with Red Apple Development (RAD) and Charter Schools USA (CSUSA) to build three new charter schools in South Carolina and Louisiana, according to a news release. Ryan served as general contractor with RAD as the developer of record.

  • Midland ISD Starts Construction on Two New High Schools

    The Midland Independent School District recently announced that it will break ground on two new high schools in Midland, Texas, according to a news release. The district is partnering with Pfluger Architects, Lee Lewis Construction, and Satterfield & Pontikes to create a total of over 1.5 million square feet for 8,400 students in grades 9–12.

Digital Edition