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Timberlane administrators brief board on ED 306 competency-based changes; policy rewrites to follow
Summary
District administrators briefed the board on New Hampshire's ED 306 rule changes effective July 1, 2026, highlighting a statewide shift toward competency-based education, new high-school credit definitions, 'Learn Everywhere' credits and required policy updates; multiple policies were presented for first read.
Sandy, presenting an executive summary of the State Board of Education's ED 306 rule revisions, told trustees the rules take effect July 1, 2026, and require districts to operationalize competency-based education pathways. She described how the changes remove seat time as the primary basis for credit, expand options for students to earn competencies (extended learning opportunities, portfolios, internships and state-approved "Learn Everywhere" programs), and adjust minimum high-school graduation-course definitions.
Sandy said many of the district's curricula and rubrics already align with competencies and that Timberlane has been reporting both competency measures and traditional alphanumeric grades for several years. She explained rubric scoring (four-point rubrics where 3 and 4 meet proficiency) and said the state's move is not a prohibition on grades but requires that credit be linked to competency attainment rather than simply a passing percentage.
Trustees asked operational questions: how credits from Learn Everywhere programs would be accepted and whether the district could cap how many externally awarded credits count toward a Timberlane diploma. Mary Anne and others pressed for clearer policy language; administration said statute guarantees districts must accept at least one-third of graduation credits from state-approved programs but the board can decide local review processes and whether to accept more than that minimum. Sandy cautioned that allowing too many external credits could reduce the district's ability to certify that a Timberlane diploma meets local competency expectations.
Administration presented two policy texts for first read—IHCA (summer learning) and a consolidated IK (credit/competency) policy along with associated rescissions—and the board voted to advance both as first reads and asked administration to refine language on career-readiness and Learn Everywhere limits. Sandy said further policy work and program-of-studies updates will follow in the coming months to align the district with state rules and to ensure parents and students can preregister with accurate course-credit information.
