Dive Brief:

• Schools across the state of Maine are looking toward proficiency-based education and testing out both new and traditional methods of instruction, experiences which could serve as models for other schools nationwide.  
• The focus on proficiency is driven by a 2012 state law which requires all students to graduate with a proficiency-based diploma, beginning with the Class of 2021. The law stipulates that every district develop proficiency standards in eight subjects and grant diplomas based on mastery in each area, reports The Hechinger Report.
• To meet these goals, schools like Yarmouth High School, have implemented gradual shifts in their curriculum, focusing on using traditional methods to tackle new problems; others have begun to adopt new strategies, such as learning communities. 

Dive Insight:

Currently, only Maine and Vermont have actually passed laws to mandate changes in the curriculum to meet the goals of a proficiency or competency based education. However, the trend is gaining attention in other state across the nation, and the models, which come out of Maine as the schools try to adapt can serve as examples to others.

Some schools, like Yarmouth, have already seen success in specific subject areas; by using Next Generation Science Standards, which focus on students figuring out scientific processes rather than memorizing them, teachers have been able to offer more time to students that need it for skill mastery — skills which teachers spent hours together identifying as essential for competency in the topic area. Students interviewed at the school said that they did not mind re-doing assessments, if they didn't master the content on the first try. 

However, critics of the program argue that while skill mastery is important, it is only going to be effective if the program is truly personalized — and creating personalized learning programs can take some time. While some teachers feel as though the law was the work of state legislators and not educators with expertise on instructional methods, others feel as though the state has treated them like professionals and given them autonomy over dealing with the requirements. Teachers are still experimenting with their courses to see what is the right fit for their students.