Off the Clock: Moving Education from Time to Competency

The authors participated in a bold, statewide school improvement initiative that re-examined the role of a critical variable in twentieth century education’s time. Progressive educational policy changes in New Hampshire have put into motion the most dynamic approach to the delivery of education of any state in America. This statewide effort to create a system of personalized/customized learning cannot properly function in the 20th century model of teaching and learning where time is the constant and achievement is the variable. The steps that New Hampshire has taken will provide the foundation for a new delivery model where time is the variable and achievement is the constant. The New Hampshire vision is built on the assumption that students can learn through a variety of experiences - traditional classroom instruction being but one mode of delivery. Out-of-classroom Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO’s) provide alternatives to classroom instruction. These can include internships, private instruction, on-line learning and other forms of independent study. But, at the core of this vision, is the idea that student achievement (and, by extension, teacher effectiveness) should be measured in terms of mastering competencies, rather than the traditional measure of ‘seat time’. Although competency-based models have been attempted, the New Hampshire story is unique in that it offers a unique case of large-scale implementation. Bramante and Colby offer the reader the ability to understand a new context for the reinvention of education and how these challenges affect all levels and aspects of our system of public education. Education professionals - from classroom teachers to policy makers - have much to learn from the lesson of New Hampshire.