This four-part series featuring Waukesha STEM Academy (WSA) is part of a series on personalized, proficiency-based education in Wisconsin. This blog post gives an introduction to what’s happening state-wide. WSA is a competency-based school with personalized learning for all 300 students it serves. It spans grades 6-8, but students move at their own pace and are not limited by grade levels. While there is an emphasis on project-based learning, instructional approaches are tailored to each student’s needs. Students are selected through a random lottery and without any criterion to enter. The following articles explore several aspects of the school:
- Creating a Learner-Driven System in Waukesha (Part 1) introduces the school and its theory of action that drives its learner-centered philosophy.
- Waukesha STEM Academy: Personalizing Instruction and Learning Experiences (Part 2) examines the school’s instructional approach.
- Waukesha STEM Academy: Rethinking Space, Time, and Reporting (Part 3) looks at the school’s use of resources (schedules, calendars, and space), grading system, and ways to build student success.
- Waukesha STEM Academy’s Journey from ABC to the Learner Continuum (Part 4) reviews the four stage implementation plan the school went through to transition to a personalized, proficiency-based system.
This series offers a detailed look at the development and operation of a truly personalized school and will be of interest to educators and education leaders looking to make a similar transition.
Source Organization: Competency Works