The Maine Township High School District 207 pilot program seeks to build upon a movement we have been working on for several years – creating a more personalized learning environment because we know students learn in different ways and at different paces, and we believe that all students can achieve at high levels given the appropriate support. This pilot will allow for a personalized learning environment not only focused on robust content, but on learning skills - both disciplinary and adaptive in nature - that will prepare our students for an ever-changing world of school and work.
Through the use of new technologies such as our 1:1 Chromebook initiative and the adoption of a dynamic learning management system, students will have clear learning targets to meet at a clearly articulated level of competency. Students are assessed through traditional and non-traditional means - more often than not scored on a standards-based rubric. Students’ progress through the learning targets at their own pace and receive support and more time as needed or are encouraged to move beyond acceptable levels of accomplishment through enrichment or moving on to higher levels of coursework.
As stated above, D207 is poised to take this next step as all of our efforts in the last decade have been pointed in this direction. Below is a list of practices in the district that support, compliment, or reflect competency based learning:
- Assessment Literacy practices adopted -
- Clearly articulated learning targets and students can retake and redo assessments
- Curriculum Frameworks developed -
- Each course has its curriculum outlined, coordinated with the Common Core State Standards, and assessments mapped to each.
- Rubrics have been developed for assessing -
- Writing, research, argument, and presentations.
- Blended learning pilot has been launched -
- Teachers are using personalized learning strategies and students are able to work through the curriculum at their own pace allowing for remediation and extension.
Participation in this pilot represents the evolution of learning in District 207 and in the State of Illinois.