Answer: An MBL environment consists of state standards and district-level competencies and puts focus on students demonstrating what they know and are able to do through the compilation of a body of evidence. The competencies that all students are expected to meet are clearly articulated.
It is recommended that a core set of competencies be developed at the district level that align with state content standards. Since it is impossible to define everything a student will learn during the course of his or her K-12 education, individual students and teachers are empowered to pursue areas of specific interest and anticipated future needs.
The identified competencies must be drawn from, and align with, the various state content standards. Since the various state content standards that will be used to create the competencies are structured differently and use different language, districts should consider creating a system of common language across grades in order to better communicate expectations to students and parents. The structure of the learning environment is based on locally-developed graduation competencies; content area graduation competencies; and unit-based student learning objectives.
Locally-Developed Graduation Competencies are standards created by individual districts through research- based curricular concepts that focus instruction on the most foundational, enduring and leveraged concepts and skills within district-determined competencies.
Content Area Graduation Competencies are standards that focus instruction on the most foundational, enduring and leveraged concepts and skills within each content area. Attaining these competencies requires multiple years of learning as students engage with and deepen their capacity through age-level appropriate goals. Students are expected to demonstrate achievement of each graduation competency in each required content area over time. Five to eight content area graduation competencies in each content area are recommended.
Unit–Based Student Learning Objectives derive from competencies. They are daily classroom learning expectations grouped by units of study or grade levels. They are defined statements of what a student needs to know or be able to do and facilitate the progression toward a complex critical knowledge base or skill.
To maximize student achievement of competencies, the development and implementation of relevant and authentic learning experiences will enable students to attain these competencies through varied student- centered means. Referred to as pathways, these student-centered experiences extend student learning from the classroom to the community. Pathways in concert with a common set of state content standards in all content areas, ensure that all students are prepared for college, career and civic life.