6 Ways State Policymakers Can Build More Future-Focused Education Systems: A Podcast Series with the Aurora Institute: Episode 2

Series Overview: Join EALA for an in-depth discussion with Virgel Hammonds and Jennifer Kabaker of The Aurora Institute as they explore the 2024 State Policy Priorities. In April 2024, The Aurora Institute released state policy recommendations aimed at transforming education for all learners, especially those underserved by the current system. Each bite-sized segment in our series covers one of the six identified policy shifts.

Episode 2: Advancing Competency-Based Education In this episode, we break down the second policy recommendation: Create the conditions for equitable learner-centered, competency-based education systems. We delve into competency-based education, a model that prioritizes student mastery of content over seat time. Learn how this approach can create more personalized learning experiences and ensure all students achieve the competencies they need for future success. To learn more, visit Aurora Institute and read the Policy Priorities.

 

Access the full podcast transcript at: https://bit.ly/3YY6rc7 

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
Hi, this is Aurora from the Educating All Learners Alliance,
and you're listening to Six Ways State Policymakers Can Build More Future-Focused
Education Systems, a podcast series with the Aurora Institute.
The Aurora Institute is a national nonprofit organization working on policy
advocacy, field building and capacity building, research and knowledge sharing,

(00:24):
and convening to advance innovative approaches that transform education for youth across America.
In April of 2024, the Aurora Institute released state policy recommendations
to transform education for all learners,
especially those who have been underserved by the current system.
Each five-minute segment in our series will cover one of the six identified policy shifts.

(00:47):
Joining us today is Virgil Hammons, CEO of the Aurora Institute, and Jennifer Kabaker.
So Jennifer, let's dive into the second recommendation, which is to create the
conditions for equitable, learner-centered, competency-based education systems.
So just tell us a little bit more about what that means, you know, from a systems level.

(01:08):
What are we talking about here? year. Absolutely. Thanks so much, Aurora.
So once states have developed their portrait of a graduate or their profile
of a graduate, they can use that portrait or profile to identify what existing
policy barriers they have to making that a reality,
as well as what policy gaps exist to help achieve those learning goals.
So for example, if a state's envisioning a system where learners can progress

(01:31):
based on mastery rather than seat time, they may need to provide districts that
that are doing that work with a waiver from C-TIME policies to make that vision possible.
You also see some states create what we call innovation zones,
which provide schools additional flexibilities beyond those waivers,
as well as guidance and a professional community of practice to share their
lessons learned as they're doing the work.

(01:52):
Some states like Washington and Utah have launched competency-based education
and pilots, where they're engaging schools and systems directly in spreading CBE policies.
In those best cases, the states are actually providing funding,
professional learning, and even evaluation services to support the work and
understand how those practices are actually shifting.
But ultimately, achieving student-centered education systems moves beyond policy

(02:16):
that affects what happens in the classroom and can affect other aspects of state
education policy, like funding formulas, digital connectivity.
Even access to technology and teacher professional learning.
And states may need to tackle these areas of policy as well when they're creating
the right enabling conditions.
There are tremendous Tremendous opportunities to build networks of schools,
similarly, that are exploring this work together to share the lessons learned

(02:38):
both within states and across states regionally.
I mean, lots of opportunities for state leaders to make real moves in a lot of these areas.
And what about barriers or challenges
that you anticipate? And I love the framing of opportunity, right?
There's opportunity to change and to innovate.
So, you know, through that lens, what can you imagine folks saying like,

(02:58):
oh, well, we can't do this because X, Y, Z.
Right. Great question. So with great opportunity also comes great complexity,
particularly in the education policy space.
And making change in education policy requires buy-in from many different stakeholders,
state state superintendents, governors' offices, boards of education,
the legislature, needless to say, also parents, students, educators, community members.

(03:23):
And making those changes at the state level requires different moves in different
states because they all work differently.
So there's not really a one-size-fits-all approach to making these sort of shifts.
Similarly, education policy is highly interconnected.
If you change your funding formulas, then that might be linked to your attendance
policies, which is then linked to supporting data systems, and on and on and on.

(03:45):
So making one change in policy might require a trickle down of many different
changes that take time and, more importantly, often political will.
And we know education is extremely local. People care about what's happening
in their local school because that's what affects them the most.
And so when you change what schools look and feel like, what teaching and learning
entails, it's a public relations campaign just as much as it is a policy challenge.

(04:09):
Yeah, I love that. It's really about changing mindsets and making a shift that's
not just happening in the classroom.
Sure. But give us a sense of what might this look like in practice, in real life?
You know, I know that there are implications for outside of the classroom,
but for an educator listening, like what could this policy shift that you're
recommending? What might that look like?
Well, when done thoughtfully and in partnership with local leaders, educators,

(04:32):
parents and families and learners, these enabling conditions can really open
the door to education practices that will allow learners to progress based on
demonstrations of mastery,
moving away from age-based, grade-based progression that's been sort of the
hallmark of education systems for so long.
And it will ultimately empower educators and leaders to design learning experiences

(04:53):
that truly meet their students' needs and interests, regardless of the student's
backgrounds, of their learning needs, of their identities.
So this is really about building learning experiences for that specific student.
You know, we're in the process as a field of building an evidence-based to support
competency-based learning, but the learning sciences tell us that the longest-lasting

(05:13):
learning occurs when students are engaged, when they understand the relevance
of what they're learning, and when they feel agency in that experience.
And all of these enabling conditions will help us get closer to an education
system that reflects those learnings.
That's it for us today, folks. Folks, thank you to Virgil Hammons and Jennifer
Kabakar. Be sure to check out the next episode in our series.

(05:35):
I'm Aurora from ELA, and this was Six Ways State Policymakers Can Build More
Future-Focused Education Systems.