We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.

A Handbook for Personalized Competency-Based Education

Michelle Finn, Robert J. Marzano, and Jennifer S. Norford

In K-12 education's growing movement of competency-based education and personalized learning, both contradictory and overlapping definitions come up around these two terms. To clear up this confusion, A Handbook for Personalized Competency-Based Education delves into the components of a personalized competency-based education (PCBE) system.

This handbook explores approaches, strategies, and techniques that schools and districts should consider as they rethink traditional instruction to fit a PCBE system and support student learning. The authors share examples of how to use proficiency scales, standard operating procedures, behavior rubrics, personal tracking matrices, and other tools to aid in instruction and assessment.

Benefits

Receive clear guidance on implementing a personalized competency-based education (PCBE) system. Determine what content to focus on and what standards to prioritize in personalized instruction. Read vignettes that illustrate the shifts that should occur to foster PCBE. Learn how a flexible PCBE learning environment of student agency can foster self-efficacy. Understand the variety of assessments available for measuring student proficiency in a PCBE system. Contents

Chapter 1: Why Competency-Based Education and Personalized Learning?

Chapter 2: What Content Will Be Addressed?

Chapter 3: How Will the Learning Environment Promote Student Agency?

Chapter 4: How Will Instruction Support Student Learning?

Chapter 5: How Will Student Proficiency Be Measured?

Chapter 6: How Will Scheduling Accommodate Student Learning?

Chapter 7: How Will Reporting Facilitate Student Learning?

Chapter 8: How Do Schools and Districts Transition to a PCBE System?

Epilogue

Appendix A: Tools to Support Student Agency

Appendix B: A Model of Effective Instruction

Appendix C: Sample Grading Sheet

Appendix D: Resources for Creating a Shared Vision

Read on Amazon
Read this for free with Kindle Unlimited

Save this book

Create your own learning path. Save this book to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Share

Help others find this book page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Amazon Buyer Protections & Purchase Guarantee

Protected by Amazon A-to-z Guarantee & generous return policies

Amazon A-to-z Guarantee
Buyer Protection

Amazon A-to-z Guarantee

Every book purchase is protected by the Amazon A-to-z Guarantee. This guarantee covers both the condition of your book and its timely delivery, providing full buyer protection whether you purchase directly from Amazon or from third-party marketplace sellers.

Return Policy

Generous 30-Day Returns & Free Shipping

Generous 30-day return policy on physical books. Amazon makes returns effortless with self-service return labels, drop-off at thousands of local locations (Kohl's, Whole Foods, UPS Stores), and free return shipping on eligible book purchases.

Savings & Discounts

Great Savings & Member Discounts

Maximize your savings with competitive pricing, deep discounts on new and used marketplace copies, bundled textbook rentals, and exclusive member savings through Amazon Prime with free fast delivery.

Formats & Programs

Kindle, Audible & Physical Formats

Read your way across versatile digital and physical formats: instant delivery via Kindle eBooks, unlimited reading with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, audiobook listening with Audible (often featuring a 30-day free trial), or traditional paperback and hardcover editions.

Amazon Purchase Protections & Benefits
Amazon A-to-z Guarantee covering third-party & direct purchases
Generous 30-day return policy with hassle-free drop-off options
Kindle eBook editions with instant delivery on any device
Kindle Unlimited program with access to over 4 million titles
Audible audiobooks with free trial eligibility
Competitive discounts across new, used, and rental copies
Amazon Affiliate Partner Protections Policy details last reviewed: 2026-10-22
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser