Competencies:  The Basics

State Education Standards mandate that all New Hampshire schools require students to demonstrate mastery of course competencies in order to earn credit and/or to receive a diploma.  At VLACS, we have identified approximately 8-12 key concepts, or competencies, that must be mastered in order to earn credit for a one credit course.  For example, the following competency is associated with our American Government course:

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the purposes, major goals and principles of the United States Constitution.

Why are competencies important?

Competencies are based on the big ideas, concepts, and skills that courses are designed to address. Earning at least a 75 on each competency assessment shows that a student understands these big ideas and concepts and has the skills necessary to move on to other courses.  Students who do not earn the minimum grade of 75 on competency assessment may review the material and take the assessment over when they are ready. Competencies also help us move away from a time-based curriculum where all students have to start a course on the same day and end a course on the same day.  Students can work at a pace appropriate to their abilities.  While one student may take 14 week weeks to complete all of the work and meet the competencies within a course another studet may take 18 weeks, and that's OK.  The focus in a competency-based school is on understanding and learning and is not focused on the forcing all students to learn at the same rate. 

You can access our course comptency database for VLACS high school courses here. 

What does this mean for students?

In order to earn credit for a VLACS course a student must:

1.  Achieve an overall average of 60, or above, at the end of the course
2.  Pass all competency assessments with a grade of 75, or higher.  Note, this is not an average of 75.  Each individual assessment grade must be 75, or higher.

If a student does not earn a 75 on a competency assessment on the first attempt, then he/she can work with his/her instructor to build understanding and re-take the assessment. Students may also move ahead and return to the assessment at another time, but, in many cases, students will find that it's better to pass the assessment first and then move on. 

Note:  The requirement to meet course competencies will begin on Monday, March 14.  If you have started your course prior to this date you will not be required to meet the requirements outlined above.  All students who are activated on Monday, March 14, or later, must meet all course competency requirements in order to earn credit from VLACS. 

How will I know what the competencies are for my course?  Which assessments are competency assessments?

When you enter your course you will see the "Start Course Here" and "All Course Lesson" buttons as seen in the picture below.  Notice that you can get a list of the course competencies by clicking on the link titled "View all course competencies here."  As you scroll down the page you will see that there is a capital "C" next to each assessment identified as a competency assessment.  Assessments that do not have a "C" in front of them are still important as they will help you to build toward mastering each competency and the grade is part of your overall grade average.  As you progress through your course you will be provided with directions for completing each assessment and you will be prompted to return to this section to open the assesment.