From the Blog

Proficiency Based Learning Explained

By: Melanie Shivraj

Two women sit at a table in discussion. One woman holds an orange geometric paper shape and gestures while speaking about Proficiency-Based Learning. The other listens attentively. A laptop and notebook are on the table as sunlight streams through a window.

Proficiency-Based Learning (PBL) represents a fundamental shift in how schools define success, measure student learning, and support students over time.

Many schools are excited by the promise of PBL, such as:

  • Greater equity
  • Clearer expectations
  • A focus on learning rather than points

But enthusiasm alone isn’t enough. When proficiency-based learning is implemented without the right structures in place, it can lead to confusion, inconsistent practices, and frustration for educators, students, and families.

So the real question isn’t “Should we move to proficiency-based learning?” It’s “Is our school ready for PBL?”

 

PBL Explained

 

Proficiency-Based Learning is an approach to teaching, learning, and assessment in which students progress by demonstrating mastery of clearly defined learning targets. At its core, proficiency-based learning shifts the focus from earning points to demonstrating understanding.

My experience and observations have solidified a few fundamental elements that make a PBL system, which are:

  • Learning expectations are explicit and shared with students
  • Grades communicate what students know and can do—not their behavior or compliance
  • Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate learning
  • Time is flexible, but expectations for mastery are not
 

Why Schools Benefit from Proficiency-Based LearningThree students stand by a whiteboard; one writes equations, another holds a tablet, and a third smiles while looking on. They appear to be collaborating on a math problem using Proficiency-Based Learning in a classroom.

 

Having worked in a fully built-out proficiency-based school, I have seen the tremendous benefits for students and families. In that system, students were comfortable articulating the competencies in their classes because they were consistently communicated across subject areas, starting in ninth grade. Students used the same rubrics throughout their senior year, and while the expectations and products may have changed, students knew the skills needed for success.

In addition, because each subject area had identified a set of competencies, teachers were able to use professional learning time to really calibrate grading and measurement of progress. We, in the science department, were able to spend hours really defining what mastery looked like, which led to improved instruction, better feedback, and higher success on rigorous learning. For students, PBL reduces the guesswork of “How do I get an A?” and replaces it with a clearer question: “What do I need to learn next?”

When implemented thoughtfully, PBL helps schools:

  • Create greater consistency and fairness in grading
  • Clarify what success looks like for students and families
  • Support learning over time rather than penalizing early mistakes
  • Center instruction on growth, feedback, and mastery
 

How to Prepare for Proficiency-Based Learning

 

These last few years of working in schools implementing PBL systems have really helped me to see how important it is for PBL to be part of a broader puzzle of interlocking systems that support student learning. PBL cannot and does not happen in isolation. Here are some of my observations:

 

Multi-Tiered System of Support

 

It is essential to have a strong Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) practice in place when building out PBL. MTSS is a framework that leverages data and instruction in increasingly targeted and responsive ways to support the development of academic, behavioral, and life skills in every learner.

Without MTSS, students who are not demonstrating proficiency may not be easily identified and targeted for support. PBL can easily leave those students behind, especially when compliance is not available as a cover in the gradebook.

 

Retake and Revision Policies

 

Relatedly, a school needs a strong retake-and-revision policy supported by their grading system, grading software, “What I Need” or other student need-centered blocks, and a data tracker. At one school where I taught, we had a policy allowing students two full terms to go back and show proficiency in their competencies, and this was supported by our grading platform.

In addition, teachers were supported in having weekly paid after-school tutorials to reteach and help students. Lastly, we had an academic dean who tracked data across the school, maintained communication with teachers, developed support plans with students, and organized PLGs and support among teachers based on student needs.

 

Professional Learning Groups

 

Another essential large-school structure for PBL success is dedicated, focused time for Professional Learning Groups. Professional learning groups (PLGs) are cohorts of participants who meet regularly to learn from research, share dilemmas, examine work, and push and challenge each other. I have seen the most success with PBL in schools that have a dedicated PLG point person who handles agendas, protocols, data gathering, and general organizing.

PLG time is when teachers can identify clear, shared outcomes, look at student work together, tune teacher work, such as assessments or units, review student data, and so much more. Teacher collaboration continues to be a cornerstone of defining mastery in a horizontal and vertical way, ensuring students’ progress in their learning.

 

Instructional Vision

 

Most importantly, a PBL school must either have or develop a strong shared instructional vision. Determining the pillars that support the school is essential for guiding all systems and structures in place for PBL. Whether that vision includes project-based learning, career pathways, or personalized pacing, an emphasis on rigor and clarity is essential before trying to define further

 

Tools for Proficiency-Based LearningThree students sit at a table, engaging in student-centered learning with notebooks and a laptop. A large bubble text in the top left corner says SIGN UP NOW. Other students are seen in the background.

 

Any seasoned educator or lifelong learner knows that as we learn, we grow. As GSP continues to listen and learn from students, educators, and community members, our approach to teaching and learning has grown. For us, this has led to a reimaging of our PBL toolkit to better serve our partners.

We are inviting you now to join us on May 12, 3-4:00 PM ET, for a free webinar where BL expert and GSP Senior Associate Kate Gardoqui will share how GSP is reimaging our proficiency-based learning toolkit and how schools can apply this critical framework. We can’t wait to share with you all that we have learned!

Register Here  

 

Black and white photo of a person with long wavy hair and glasses, smiling at the camera. Wearing a striped sweater, they sit in front of a plain dark background—capturing the thoughtful spirit behind Proficiency Based Learning.About the Author

Melanie Shivraj is a senior associate with the Great Schools Partnership. Melanie is a seasoned educator with over nine years of dedicated classroom experience, focusing on teaching high school biology. Throughout her career, she has held various leadership roles that underscore her commitment to excellence in education and equity. Melanie has served as a department chair, a grade-level leader, a DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) chair, and a restorative practices coordinator. Melanie has an undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master’s in Secondary Education from Long Island University, Brooklyn.

Learn More About Melanie

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