Competency Based Ed Committee
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SAU 16 Vision For Our Graduates . . .

A Compass to Guide Our Work

Each graduate demonstrates engaged learning and citizenships through the ability to solve problems independently and collaboratively with perseverance and resilience and communicates solutions with confidence and empathy.

Statement of Purpose

The KES Competency-Based Learning Committee seeks to support Kensington Elementary School in the on-going exploration and implementation of competency-based learning practices by nurturing a collaborative network of educators, students, parents, and other community members; as well as, to foster a culture of school engagement and lifelong learning throughout the Kensington community.

Our activities may include, but are not limited to: facilitating communication between the school community and the broader Kensington community; educating community members about competency-based learning and its application at KES; and soliciting ideas and feedback from community members.

The committee’s mandate is not tightly scripted, rather it remains fluid so that the committee is able to respond to the emerging needs of educators, students, and the community as the school’s engagement with competency-based learning deepens. (November 17, 2016)

What is Competency Based Education?

Competency-Based Education is a system of academic instruction, assessment, and reporting that focuses on students’ ability to demonstrate and apply their knowledge across content areas. Competency-Based Learning is personalized as it allows students to progress at their own pace once they have shown mastery of skills.

Why the shift to Competency Based Education now?

All of the schools in SAU 16 are committed to making the shift towards Competency-Based Learning, which is now a component of New Hampshire's Minimum Standards for Education. Specifically, RSA 193-C:3, III states that local school boards shall require no later than July 1, 2017, that in each school there is :

  1. A broad and well-balanced elementary school curriculum that outlines district competencies for the K-8 program.

  2. An instructional program that includes:

a. Procedures for diagnosing learner needs, learning styles, and interests;

b. Methods and strategies for teaching students;

c. Research-based learning opportunities;

d. Techniques for the evaluation of student outcomes, including performance assessments of district competencies and;

e. Provision of differentiated instruction for students based on learning styles, needs, and interests.

For more information, please review the New Hampshire Department of Education Competency Statements. (Click here)