(110 ILCS 148/20)

Sec. 20. Competency-based, high school graduation requirements pilot program. In consultation with ICCB and IBHE, ISBE shall establish and administer a competency-based, high school graduation requirements pilot program with school districts selected pursuant to Section 25 of this Act. A school district participating in the pilot program may select which of the year and course graduation requirements set forth in Section 27-22 of the School Code the school district wishes to replace with a competency-based learning system. A school district may participate in the pilot program for some or all of its schools. The pilot program shall include the following components and requirements:

(1) The competency-based learning systems authorized through the pilot program shall include all of the following elements:

(A) Students shall demonstrate mastery of all required competencies to earn credit.

(B) Students must demonstrate mastery of Adaptive Competencies defined by the school district, in addition to academic competencies.

(C) Students shall advance once they have demonstrated mastery, and students shall receive more time and personalized instruction to demonstrate mastery, if needed.

(D) Students shall have the ability to attain advanced postsecondary education and career-related competencies beyond those needed for graduation.

(E) Students must be assessed using multiple measures to determine mastery, usually requiring application of knowledge.

(F) Students must be able to earn credit toward graduation requirements in ways other than traditional coursework, including learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom setting, such as Supervised Career Development Experiences.

(2) A school district participating in the pilot program shall demonstrate that the proposed competency-based learning system is a core strategy supporting the community's efforts to better prepare high school students for college, career, and life. The application must identify the community partners that will support the system's implementation.

(3) A school district participating in the pilot program must have a plan for educator administrator and educator professional development on the competency-based learning system and must demonstrate prior successful implementation of professional development systems for major district instructional initiatives.

(4) A school district participating in the pilot program that is replacing graduation requirements in the core academic areas of mathematics, English language arts, and science with a competency-based learning system shall demonstrate how the competencies can be mastered through Integrated Courses or career and technical education courses.

(5) A school district participating in the pilot program shall develop a plan for community engagement and communications.

(6) A school district participating in the pilot program shall develop a plan for assigning course grades based on mastery of competencies within the competency-based learning system.

(7) A school district participating in the pilot program shall establish a plan and system for collecting and assessing student progress on competency completion and attainment, including for learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom setting.

(8) A school district participating in the pilot program shall establish a system for data collection and reporting and must provide ISBE with such reports and information as may be required for administration and evaluation of the program.

(9) A school district participating in the pilot program shall partner with a community college and a higher education institution other than a community college for consultation on the development and administration of its competency-based learning system. The plan shall address how high school graduates of a competency-based learning system will be able to provide information normally expected of postsecondary institutions for admission and financial aid.

(10) A school district participating in the pilot program shall have a plan for engaging feeder elementary schools with the participating high school or schools on the establishment and administration of the competency-based learning system.

(Source: P.A. 99-674, eff. 7-29-16; 100-599, eff. 6-29-18.)