Guide to the Competency-based Learning Survey for Students

Many states are moving away from approaches that base student advancement on credits and "seat time" toward competency-based learning approaches that provide schools with the flexibility to link a student's advancement to mastery of content. Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast & Islands, in partnership with the Northeast College and Career Readiness Research Alliance, has developed a new survey--the Competency-based Learning Survey for Students--to help high schools and school districts collect data on student experiences with competency-based learning. Policymakers and practitioners need this information to improve implementation of and communication about competency-based learning with students. The survey is designed to be administered to students attending high schools in which competency-based learning is being implemented. It collects information on students' beliefs about, exposure to, and understanding of key elements of competency-based learning. This report describes (1) why the survey was developed, (2) elements of competency-based learning addressed by the survey, (3) how to adapt and administer the survey, and (4) how to analyze the results. The report includes the complete survey instrument.