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Smith Cotton students present competency‑based education pilot and say program increases engagement
Summary
Four high‑school students described visits to Colorado schools and meetings with Marzano Education as part of a competency‑based education (CBE) project and recommended continuing phased implementation at Smith Cotton and across Sedalia School District 200.
Four Smith Cotton High School students told the Sedalia School District 200 Board of Education they support continued roll‑out of competency‑based education and personalized learning pathways after researching models and visiting schools in Colorado.
The students — seniors Morgan Weathers and Jamieson Severa and juniors Bridger Belknap and Charlotte Fisher — presented a student‑led report that began as a U.S. Government civic engagement project and expanded into a CAPS (Career and Postsecondary Success) and PLP (personalized learning pathway) initiative. The students described touring Westminster High School in Colorado and meeting with Robert J. Marzano’s team to see competency‑based scales in practice.
Presenters said classrooms that use scales and CBE can look similar to traditional classrooms but allow teachers and students to work with smaller, more closely grouped learning levels. The students told the board CBE allowed peers to collaborate at similar mastery levels, gave teachers clearer ongoing information on student progress, and increased student ownership and engagement in learning.
Students said Smith Cotton has already begun phasing in CBE elements: PLP courses, posted scales in some classrooms and CAPS projects. Staff said the high school will calibrate classroom practice in 2026–27 and intends to move toward a fuller CBE implementation at Smith Cotton by 2027–28 while adapting models to local needs.
In response to board questions, students said their Colorado visit included a teacher workshop demonstrating how scales and assessment tools are developed. One student said CBE can work at lower grade levels and noted the group’s focus remained primarily on high school because it is the step before college for many students.
Board members thanked the students for leading the presentation and said the student‑led forum and a related community engagement panel were informative. No formal action was taken; board members asked staff to continue community engagement and to bring implementation details and data back to future meetings.
