Most high school assessment is built around a simple exchange: study the material, take the test, get a grade. It tells us whether a student can recall information at a fixed point in time. It rarely tells us whether they can use what they've learned — to solve a new problem, make a compelling argument, or apply a concept in a context they haven't seen before.
When learning is project-based, multi-dimensional, and authentic, assessment needs to keep up. Students who are building things, collaborating with peers, and presenting to real audiences are generating evidence of mastery every day — not just on exam day. The challenge is capturing that evidence in ways that are meaningful, transparent, and useful to students, teachers, and the systems around them.
Competency-based assessment makes this possible. Instead of asking "did you pass the test," it asks "can you show me what you can do — and how you've grown?" It gives students multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery, provides teachers with better information to guide instruction, and creates a more honest picture of what a student actually knows and is able to do.