SAI Executive Leaders Issue Letter on Competency-Based Education to Gov. Branstad

SAI’s Executive Leaders met November 6 and 7 to learn more about the current status of competency-based education in Iowa and the issues that need to be addressed to successfully implement CBE to significantly improve the overall educational system in Iowa. As a follow up to the meeting, this letter was submitted to Gov. Branstad:

December 8, 2014

The Honorable Terry Branstad
Office of the Governor
1007 East Grand Avenue, #101
Des Moines, IA 50319

Dear Governor Branstad:

School Administrators of Iowa’s Executive Leaders, a group composed of over 200 of Iowa’s Superintendents and Chief Area Education Agency Administrators, met on November 6 and 7. Our goal was to learn more about the current status of competency-based education in Iowa and the issues that need to be addressed to successfully implement CBE to significantly improve the overall educational system in Iowa.

The group heard a presentation from Dr. Sandra Dop from the Iowa Department of Education on the current status of CBE in Iowa. It is currently a priority of the Iowa State Board of Education. The Iowa Department of Education has modified accreditation standards in Chapter 12 of The School Rules to accommodate CBE. The Iowa Legislature supported CBE with funding for ten districts across Iowa to pilot programs. Representatives from three of those districts addressed the Executive Leaders.

Iowa’s school superintendents are supportive of competency-based education and believe CBE has the potential to dramatically change and improve education for Iowa’s students. CBE has the capacity to personalize education for each student in Iowa.

Listed below are reasons why CBE has the capacity to improve opportunities for Iowa students:

• All presenters emphasized the importance of gaining community knowledge and support of CBE to ensure its success.
• The strong movement in Iowa schools to one-to-one computing devices to promote personalization. As more and more students have computers, the move to CBE is a more natural occurrence.
• The widespread use of Professional Learning Communities in Iowa will allow greater focus on teacher development and acceptance of CBE.
• Teacher Leadership and Compensation plans will promote collaborative learning and acceptance of CBE.
• More Iowa districts are moving toward standards based grading which is a component of CBE.
• Pilot districts of varying sizes across Iowa, including Cedar Rapids, Muscatine, and Van Meter, are leading the way in successfully implementing CBE.

However, SAI Executive Leaders have several questions or concerns about the future of competency-based education in Iowa:

• Is CBE a priority for the Iowa Department of Education and the Governor’s Office? There appears to have been little communication about CBE’s importance to Iowa’s educational future.
• Will there be a minimum stepping off point allowed for districts should CBE become a priority?
• Are there resources available for the DE and the AEAs to provide districts with adequate training and support?
• What is the position of Iowa’s institutions of higher education in regard to moving from the Carnegie Unit to measures of competence?
• How does CBE fit with statewide assessment and accountability expectations?
• Is CBE in harmony with Iowa’s major reform effort of Teacher Leadership and Compensation?

In summary, we believe that competency-based education is a positive approach to moving Iowa’s educational system forward. CBE has the potential, when coupled with existing technology, to truly personalize education for Iowa’s students. It will be important for Iowa communities to understand how CBE changes many educational practices. It will also be important for political and educational leaders in Iowa to explicitly support CBE and provide the connections and resources for its success.

Sincerely,

Devin Embray, Chair
Superintendent, Glenwood Community Schools