State Strategies for Awarding Credit to Support Student Learning

This issue brief advocates for the transition from a K-12 system based on seat time (i.e. the Carnegie Unit) to competency-based education. It outlines the rationale behind this change and provides four key suggestions for state policy change. Their suggestions are: To create flexibility that allows students to earn credit based on mastery of subjects in the classroom and in expanded learning opportunities (ELOs); to change school funding to shift from an enrollment-based allocation of resources and instead incentivize competency-based education; to align data systems across state agencies and education providers; and to mandate that institutions of higher education accept student transcripts with credits earned via competency-based promotion.