Castleton was pleased to host more than 200 Vermont educators from around the state for the Great Schools Partnership/Agency of Education Proficiency-Based Learning Institute, which ran from June 2-3.
Teacher leaders and administrators from across the state started off their professional development in Proficiency-Based Learning by viewing a webinar last November. They then attended two-day work sessions each month through May in Essex, Lake Morey, and Killington to plan for the transition to Proficiency-Based Systems and the enactment of Act 77.
Proficiency-based education refers to any system of academic instruction, assessment, grading and reporting that is based on students demonstrating mastery of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn before they progress to the next lesson, get promoted to the next grade level or receive a diploma.
The year-long work was facilitated by the Great Schools Partnership, a National Affiliate Center of the Coalition of Essential Schools and the coordinator of the New England Secondary School Consortium and the League of Innovative Schools.
During the two-day conference at Castleton participants had an opportunity to hear Ken Templeton from the Great Schools Partnership, Tom Alderman from the Agency of Education, and Dr. Ric Reardon from Castleton talk about efforts made so far in the transition to Proficiency-Based Learning Systems and the work that was ahead in the coming days.
Participants had a chance to attend plenary sessions on Assessing Transferable Skills, Community Engagement, Personalized Learning Plans, Instructional Practice, Verification, Grading and Reporting, and Tech Tools for Proficiency-Based Learning, as well as hear from students in Vermont schools who have had a voice in their own learning and about the collective role of students in shaping school change.
“Now that the institute is over, the real work begins,” said Castleton Director of Education Ric Reardon, “Taking the knowledge gained during the year-long workshops and culminating two-day institute at Castleton and bringing it back to the schools for dissemination and implementation.”