Making sense of K‐12 competency‐based education: A systematic literature review of implementation and outcomes research from 2000 to 2019

Background Competency‐based education (CBE) is a systems‐change approach intended to re‐shape traditional understandings of what, when, where, and how students learn and demonstrate academic knowledge and skills. Research on the factors that affect K‐12 CBE implementation and the efficacy of different approaches has not yet been meticulously reviewed. Aims The purpose of this literature review was to examine the research on K‐12 CBE for factors that affect implementation, student outcomes, and the relationship between implementation and student outcomes. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted that included 25 peer‐reviewed studies and unpublished reports from 2000 to 2019 related to K‐12 students. Results Facilitators and barriers that affect K‐12 CBE implementation were fairly consistent across studies. Factors perceived as barriers in some contexts were viewed as facilitators in others—it all depended on stage of implementation. Findings about the outcomes of CBE for K‐12 students reflected mixed results with respect to claims that CBE implementation supports (a) academic achievement and progress; (b) intrinsic motivation and engagement; and (c) other important academic outcomes. Discussion Undergirding all findings in this review is the difficulty of isolating the research on implementation and outcomes of K‐12 CBE approaches in some “pure form.” It may make more sense for the field to coalesce around a common continuum of practices in relation to the key elements of CBE from more traditional models to more competency‐based models. Also, assessment as a key feature of CB implementation was absent from most of the studies reviewed which is notable given that determining competence is fundamentally an assessment decision. Directions for future research are discussed. Conclusion For many, the promise of CBE and related practices is that student achievement will improve and minimize equity gaps. This systematic review serves to amplify what is known about CBE approaches and what still needs investigation.