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Abstract
In pursuit of innovative educational opportunities, district administration piloted competency-based education in their alternative program. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with school personnel to document perspectives of the programmatic shift. Analyses found local and national mandates, a catalyst, and a common moral purpose to be key factors for change. Challenges included: effective communication among all stakeholders; finding adequate time to develop and implement an alternative educational approach; and difficulties with alignment between two systems of accountability. Successes included increased teacher and student engagement and an increase in the academic rigor of the program. Evidence suggests successes far surpassed challenges.
Keywords: 21st century skills, at-risk, competency-based, diverse learners, performance-based, RISC, traditional education
State and federal attempts to propel school reform have resulted in legislation requiring all students to demonstrate grade level proficiency in the core subjects of math, science, and reading (Moran, 2009). No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and Common Core State Standards were all put in place to guide school districts toward providing an equitable education for all students. Despite these efforts, experts indicate that the national goal of provid- ing a fair and appropriate education for all has yet to be realized, particularly for diverse learners or students considered "at-risk" (Jerald, 2009, United Nations, 2012). Data reported by the Program for International Student Assessment (OECD, 2012) and Progress in International Reading Literacy (2012) indicated that, by age 15, American students trail many countries in core subjects (The National Center for Education, 2015; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2014).
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported in 2013 that 35% of 8th graders demonstrated competency of NAEP for proficiency standards in mathematics and 36% demonstrated proficiency in reading (The Nation's Report Card, 2014). At the high school level, the federal government reported that 26% of 12th graders tested at or above proficiency in mathematics and 38% of 12th graders tested at or above proficiency in reading (The Nation's Report Card, 2014).
As our nation becomes increasingly diverse, and if grade-level academic achievement for all students is the goal of our educational system, the design and delivery of curriculum and assessment must become responsive to the needs of all learners, at-risk or otherwise. State and federal policymakers,...