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Competency-Based Credit

Dr. Chrystal Liu, Nebraska Department of Education

Dr. Nick Ziegler, ESU5

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Objectives

  • What is competency-based credit?
  • Why should we implement Competency-based credit?
  • Proficiency vs. performance
  • How to establish Competency-based credit in schools and school districts?

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  • Carlos was from Guatemala. He came to the United States three years ago. It took him three years in high school to exit the ELL program. He did not have enough time to get enough World Language to apply for the university he wants to go to after graduation.

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  • Solution with Competency-based credit: Carlos can take a state-approved language assessment to gain competency-based credit for his home language, Spanish, and still be able to apply for the university he wants to go.

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  • María is a senior. She had a lot of struggles in her sophomore year and she failed her Spanish II class. When she was able to put things together, she did not have time to get enough World Language credits to go to college.

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  • Solution with Competency-based credit: María can get help from Spanish teachers and take a state-approved language assessment to gain competency-based credit for World Language even when she doesn’t have time to retake the Spanish II course.

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  • Abby is heritage Spanish speaker, but she is required to enroll in a Level I Spanish class to get her World Language credit. The content is too easy for her. She constantly interrupts the class since she is really bored. The teacher has to frequently refer her to an administrator

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  • Solution with Competency-based credit: Abby can take a state-approved language proficiency test and get the competency-credit for Spanish I and Spanish II, and she can be placed in an advanced language class instead of getting stuck in Spanish 1.

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  • Kai is fluent in both Japanese and Chinese. He is determined to become a computer scientist in the future. He really doesn’t want to learn a third foreign language. He would rather use the time to learn more about programming.

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  • Solution with Competency-based credit: Kai can take a state-approved language proficiency test and get the competency-based credit for World Language and skip World Language courses to concentrate on learning about programming.

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Language Ability: Performance vs. Proficiency

Performance

Proficiency

Based on Instruction

Independent of specific instruction or curriculum

Familiar Content and Context

Broad Content and Context

Practiced

Spontaneous

Demonstrated learning evidence

Sustained performance across all the tasks and contexts for the level

Assessed in classrooms and schools

Can be assessed on large scale

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Proficiency = Language Ability

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What does it look like?

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How to establish Competency-based Credit?

  • Contact chrystal.liu@nebeaska.gov to get more information
  • Work on school/district policy to establish Competency-based credit
  • Communicate with teachers, parents, and students
  • Implement the Competency-based credit

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Thank you!