How should competencies be organized? Which grade levels/groups should be included?
Competencies should be unpacked into a continuum that details how learners will progress toward mastery of the competency. This is called a learning continuum. Because competencies are broad and cross-disciplinary, they should be organized by levels or grade bands, rather than single subject areas or individual grades.
Whether organized by levels or grade bands, the competency learning continuum should be inclusive of all learners in the system, from PreK to postsecondary). The competency learning continuum should contain all the competencies that learners need to know and be able to do in order to graduate.
If a learning community organizes competencies by levels, they will need to determine how many levels are needed for their learners to reach graduation-level proficiency.
If organized by grade bands, competency grade bands should exist across all education levels required by the system, including PreK or anything beyond 12th grade, if offered. This ensures the learning continuum is inclusive from early childhood to life after high school.
