Scrutinizing real-world experiences from the field is essential for uncovering how personalized, competency-based learning strategies are reshaping education.

From Theory to Practice: Cross-State Themes in Student-Centered Systems Change expands on KnowledgeWorks’ earlier commissioned research to span more time and different geographies. This report serves as a comprehensive cross-state research analysis examining the implementation of personalized, competency-based learning in Arizona, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina. It is the culmination of extensive evaluations and analyses conducted by multiple external research teams, and it provides valuable insights for education leaders, policymakers, researchers and funders navigating the complexities of education systems transformation.

What’s inside?

The publication outlines five key themes that deepen the understanding of personalized, competency-based learning implementation across diverse educational landscapes. These themes are examined within the context of the pandemic and the challenges to equity, offering a timely and critical perspective on the current educational climate. 

Key highlights

• Examination of the challenges encountered during the adoption and implementation of personalized, competency-based learning in each state
• A brief overview of the principles and characteristics of personalized, competency-based learning models as implemented in the four states
• Analysis of more than 100 data sources including observational documentation, outcomes analysis and quantitative survey data
• Implications for other districts and states considering large-scale student-centered efforts