State Model Competencies
Beginning in 2013, the New Hampshire Department of Education invited educators to participate in the process of creating statewide college and career ready competencies.
From those many educators who expressed an interest, educators representing the K-16 education spectrum were chosen for this work based on education level served, geographical representation, central office representation, and classroom educator representation. In addition to these educators, representatives from the content-specific New Hampshire Teachers Associations and other content-specific stakeholder organizations were also invited to serve on these design committees. The New Hampshire Department of Education coordinated the project with the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment and the Center for Collaborative Education.
These competencies are approved by the State Board of Education for statewide use. As of May, 2014, they include the New Hampshire State Board of Education approved Common Core State Standards-Aligned Competencies in mathematics and English language arts and the New Hampshire K-12 Model Science Competencies. In August, 2014, he State Board of Education also approved the Work-Study Practices competencies.
New Hampshire State Model High School Competencies - State Board Approved
New Hampshire State Model K-8 Competencies - State Board Approved
New Hampshire Work-Study Practices Competencies - State Board Approved
New Hampshire State Model K-12 Arts Competencies - State Board Approved
Validating the Strength of Competencies
In order to assure that competencies in New Hampshire have the opportunity to reach the highest level of quality and comparability across schools, a validation tool based on research-based practices in the field of curriculum and assessment was developed. The Department convened a committee of educators, department heads, and administrators from around the state under the leadership and facilitation of an experienced educator and administrator from the Concord Area Center for Educational Support to write the rubric. The competency validation rubric was field tested for validity and reliability against local competency statements with the participation of over 200 teachers statewide. The rubric was shown to have a high degree of reliability with comments and suggestions to promote greater reliability incorporated into the final version of the rubric.
The competency validation rubric is an analytic rubric for the elements of Relevance to Content Area, Enduring Concepts, Cognitive Demand, and Relative to Assessment. The four elements of the rubric are further supported with detailed descriptors in a four point rubric with levels one and two representing the weaker end of the continuum and levels three and four representing the strongest end of the continuum. Competencies are best reviewed with this tool in a collaborative setting. Using a four point rubric for each of the elements, teachers can determine if a competency is weak or strong in each of the elements. We understand and acknowledge that course competencies are independent yet work together in defining course outcomes. The overall set of course competencies should be judged as ‘strong’ using the Competency Validation Rubric while understanding that each individual competency contributes to the expectations of student learning defined by the course. It is suggested that each competency statement meet the criteria as a strong statement in the elements of competency design.
A glossary of terms used in the Competency Validation Rubric was developed for ease of use and shared understanding and common interpretations of the descriptors used in the rubric. The terms and descriptors were based on national research-based documentation. This glossary is attached to both the Competency Validation Rubric and to the Competency Validation Rubric Technical Assistance Advisory.
Administrator for Academics & Assessment