Why Personalized Competency-Based Education (PCBE) Matters
Competency-based education is not new. 
After 50+ years of research, Marzano Resources knows that the shift to a PCBE system is not a temporary fad, but rather the future of K–12 education. The only question is how quickly the shift will occur. Armed with this belief of inevitability, educational leaders need to start the competency-based education journey right now.
We also believe that, while the concept of PCBE has been discussed and even attempted for decades, this is a new era in which all the pieces are in place for an easier, more straightforward implementation than was previously possible. This is not to say that such a transition is simple; it is to say that such a transition is doable.
PCBE moves schools from seat-time to demonstrated mastery, increasing equity, clarity, and student ownership. But success requires coherent systems—assessment, instruction, scheduling, reporting, and leadership—that work together. That’s where Marzano Resources helps.
PCBE Professional Development Services 
Marzano Resources offers a full menu of professional learning and implementation supports for teacher and leadership teams. Depending on the needs of your school or district, we are able to customize a PD plan tailored to your priorities:
- Keynote
- Personalized Competency-Based Education Overview
- The Marzano Academies Model Overview
- Competency-Based Education: High Reliability Schools Level 5 Overview
- Content and Proficiency Scales for PCBE
- Learning Environments and Student Agency for PCBE
- Instruction for PCBE
- Assessment for PCBE
- Scheduling for PCBE
- Reporting and Tracking Progress for PCBE
- Leading the Transition to PCBE
- Mindsets and Skill Sets for Learning
- The Marzano Academies Model
Dr. Robert J. Marzano offers a solid starting place 
A Handbook for Personalized Competency-Based Education by Robert J. Marzano, Jennifer S. Norford, Michelle McCann, and Douglas Finn III, states that:
K–12 district- and school-level administrators and teachers must craft answers to seven questions for effective PCBE implementation. These questions are derived from our cumulative experiences working with districts and schools on PCBE design and implementation over twenty-five years.
In short, building a PD plan that answers the following questions will give your journey clarity.
- What content will we address?
- How will the learning environment support student agency?
- How will instruction support student learning?
- How will teachers measure student proficiency?
- How will scheduling accommodate student learning?
- How will reporting facilitate student learning?
- How do schools and districts transition to a PCBE system?
Marzano Resources PCBE professional learning services helps teams answer each question with practical tools, examples, and an implementation roadmap.
Customize Your PCBE Pathway—Start with a Needs Assessment 
There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline or template. We begin with a readiness audit, co-design a plan, pilot with coaching cycles, and support scale and sustainability. If your district is ready to move from theory to action, speak with a Marzano Resources representative to customize a PCBE professional development program that fits your context, priorities, and timeline.
Contact us today and take the first step toward a competency-based system that puts mastery, agency, and equity at the center of learning.
