Kansans Can Competency Framework Implementation Process

We strive to empowers educators to effectively facilitate students’ intrapersonal and interpersonal competency development through academic courses (addressing standards and competencies simultaneously) through consistent, meaningful, evidence-based methods. Following implementation science research, this implementation process guides schools and individual educators from exploration to sustainable implementation of embedded, meaningful, and transferable competency instruction. Our goal is to support educators to empower students to become socially and emotionally engaged, caree- equipped, lifelong learners. Download the Implementation Process.

To garner buy-in and determine a professional learning and implementation process:

1. Explore competencies.

Analyze current practices, determine needs, gain buy-in.

• What are we already doing to support development of intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies?
  • Explore the array of resources available at http://CCCFramework.org.
    Watch the 4-minute overview video, and in general, discuss the evidence-base of the competencies and types of resources available on the website.
  • Review the Kansans Can Competency Sequence Pre-K through 12.
    Discuss current school practices that support students to demonstrate the behaviors identified at each grade cluster. Click here to download the Sequence.
     
• Which competency should we focus on school-wide?
  • Determine one school-wide or district-wide foundational competency.
    While eventually, schools incorporate up to four competencies, the impact is far greater when a school or district starts by focusing on a single foundational competency (Self-Efficacy, Self-Regulation, Assertiveness, or Conflict Management). Students can determine their strengths and areas for growth by completing the Needs Assessment online (note: the needs assessment is written at a high school reading level, but it can be read aloud to students). Download and review the composite data to determine the highest need competencies as identified by students. Learn more and set up a free account at http://ResearchCollaborationSurveys.org.
  • Educators can utilize the Kansans Can Competency Sequence, Needs Assessment results, and other data sources (e.g., attendance, behavior referrals, course grades, homework completion) to prioritize competency needs. Educators can rank-order the foundational competencies through discussions or the Competency Prioritization Survey. Share the results school/district-wide to continue to gain buy-in.
     
• Do we all believe that competency development will make a difference and that together we can support students to develop competencies?
  • Complete the 1-hour Competency Framework Overview Webinar (with accompanying workbook). Ideally in small groups or as a whole staff, pause the webinar at discussion points to facilitate collaboration. After the webinar, ask participants to share their thoughts and level of commitment for implementation of the Kansans Can Competency Framework.

2. Determine professional learning.

Explore professional learning options and determine the option(s) that will best support your school’s implementation of the selected competency.

• Which professional learning options will best support our implementation?
  If starting with a team or small group of educators, who will participate in the professional learning?

  • Explore the Professional Learning Menu of Supports to determine a professional learning path.

• Options include online and in-person professional development for individual educators, installation teams, or school/district-wide in-services. Contact the Competency Framework developers at info@cccframework.org to set up a virtual meeting to discuss your professional learning needs.

Through participation in professional learning, each educator will guide competency development:

1. Develop a multi-week instructional plan.

Determine when and where instruction will occur, align instruction with curriculum, determine instructional strategies addressing each competency component. Instructional plans are designed to ensure that students (a) understand the competency and components, (b) know how the competency applies to them, (c) reflect on their strengths and challenges, (d) practice the competency over time,
(e) receive feedback throughout their practice, and (f) reflect on their development of the competency.

2. Implement and reflect on instruction.

Provide initial instruction, as well as guided and independent practice with feedback across time. Reflect on the implementation of the instructional plan, impact on students, and areas for refinement of instruction.

When systematically implementing a competency school-wide, utilize structures to support continuous refinement:

• Collaborate among staff to continuously refine competency development.

Make competency development a priority by including it as a regular agenda/discussion topic in learning communities or collaborative teams. Share successes and challenges, and support each other to refine instruction and practice opportunities.

• Analyze learning and outcomes for continuous data-informed decision making.

Analyze, interpret, and discuss data; celebrate successes; and identify areas for improvement. Recognize students’ competency development and incorporate ongoing assessment to support students’ reflection on their own competency development. Determine small group and individualized interventions as needed for individual students.

• Embed ongoing assessment.

Support students to determine strengths and areas for growth, and monitor progress. Assessment options include competency formative questionnaires, competency situational-judgement assessments, portfolios and performance-based assessments, class performance, and observation.

• Engage families and the community in competency development.

Share information about the competency and strategies that families can utilize to support competency development. Include competency development within conversations with parents/guardians, parent-teacher conferences, and individual plans of study. Garner feedback and information from families on their child’s competency development.

• Incorporate sustained training and coaching.

Ensure that educators are continually supported, and train/coach educators new to your school. Utilizing the Competency Implementation Roadmap, assess implementation and plan continued or refined competency instruction. The Roadmap and other implementation resources are available at http://pd.cccframework.org.