Digital technologies are the main driver of the future economy, with technology jobs and those requiring digital skills on the rise. In educational settings, there is an accelerated propagation of digital learning environments, which was amplified by the online shift following COVID-19. To equip learners with the necessary digital skills, there…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore what priorities should be the focus in K-12 digital learning environments in order to transition to a competency-based education model at scale. The study examined what factors experts in the field identify as most important for this transition and the priority they give to each factor. A…

Personalized learning programs are proliferating in schools across the United States, fueled by philanthropic dollars, tech industry lobbying, marketing by third-party vendors, and a policy environment that provides little guidance and few constraints. In this research brief, authors Faith Boninger, Alex Molnar, and Christopher M. Saldaña consider…

This Policy Brief identifies opportunities for states to maximize this year's virtual or hybrid environments to tailor learning and instruction for students. It draws on seven core elements for personalized, competency-based learning: (1) Learner Agency; (2) Timely, Actionable Assessments; (3) Customized Learner Supports; (4) Progression upon…

As school districts deliberate over reopening schools with the COVID-19 pandemic still ongoing, we've developed this report with strategic guidance on how to harness our current opportunity to transform K-12 education. "Education Policy Issues for the COVID-19 Era: Policy Actions and Responses to Leverage the Moment for Future Readiness"…

Among the lessons to take away from COVID-19 in the K-12 sector, one is this: we can never again say that schools haven't changed in a hundred years. After a year in which all schools upended the status quo to support students' learning and wellbeing during a pandemic, the most vocal critics of outdated school systems must acknowledge that even…

The book examines the shift needed to our systems and society to enable lifelong, experiential, interconnected learning journeys. The book outlines the vision for a learning ecosystem that spans technology, learning science, policy, and organizational factors. "Modernizing Learning" is the outcome of a multi-year study recently completed…

This brief summarizes iNACOL's New Learning Models, which personalize learning using competency-based approaches. Supported by blended and online learning modalities, teachers use technology to differentiate instruction and engage students in deeper learning. By adapting instruction to reflect a student's level of mastery, blended and online…

The purpose of this article is to provide teachers and their supporting team (e.g., parents) with an understanding of the implications of blended and virtual learning for students with disabilities. To support these students, it is important to have an understanding of the manner in which a significant majority of blended and virtual learning is…

In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation extended grants to three educational organizations working to develop or enhance competency-based approaches in large, urbanized school systems. The grant initiative, called Project Mastery, funded the development of technology-enhanced tools, including curriculum materials and online learning…

In 2011, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created the Project Mastery grant program to support competency-based education initiatives in large school systems that serve a high proportion of disadvantaged youth. Competency-based education meets students where they are academically, provides students with opportunities for choice, and awards…

This report is designed to help state and local policymakers identify the policy changes needed to expand access to quality personalized learning in their states and communities, and to give them the tools to make those changes. Each of the 15 policy ideas, or "plays," in this playbook provides background context on the challenges it is…

A full year of progress in advancing education reform across America is documented in each of the Foundation for Excellence in Education's Annual Reports. The illustrated pages of the 2014 report, provide data-rich updates on Excellence in Education's work to advance student-centered policies in more than 40 states, all aimed at improving learning…

This exploration into competency-based innovation at the school, district, and state levels suggests that competency-based pathways are a re-engineering of this nation's education system around learning--a re-engineering designed for success in which failure is no longer viable. This discussion draws on interviews and site visits with innovators…

Secondary vocational-technical education programs in Mississippi are faced with many challenges resulting from sweeping educational reforms at the national and state levels. Schools and teachers are increasingly being held accountable for providing true learning activities to every student in the classroom. This accountability is measured through…