A Dallas K-12 Private School with a Competency-Based Education Program

Academic learning at Vanguard is distinguished by several critical advantages: Vanguard follows a competency-based education program aligned to Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and customized to each child;, a transdisciplinary approach reinforcing key lessons across academic subjects, access to a variety of ways to gain and demonstrate knowledge;, and profound respect for individual student interests and gifts.

Competency-based learning leads to better student engagement and better outcomes because the pace of learning is customized to each student. A student who excels in reading but struggles in math, for example, may take college courses in English literature receiving support for high school mathematics. We use this competency-based education program at Vanguard because the process enables students to master skills at their own pace—a pragmatic approach that enhances intellectual engagement while mitigating the potential for frustration and boredom.

A transdisciplinary approach creates unity in different areas of study, helping students to make connections between different types of knowledge. A social studies lesson about different political views in a constitutional republic could be reinforced by a mathematics lesson measuring levels of public support for these views. English assignments often embed key figures from history, and a study of great accomplishments in science may be reinforced through reading biographies of Nobel Prize winners.

Vanguard focuses on a variety of ways to acquire and demonstrate knowledge that facilitates early identification of a child’s natural gifts. A child who writes a mediocre essay about the forest biome, for instance, might shine in creating a visual model and making a verbal class presentation on the impact of people on the land and resources.

Respect for each child’s individual interests can become a clear path to academic growth in other areas. A passion for oceanography, or a fascination with a certain type of art can open the door to a world of accomplishment in a child who may previously have had difficulty due to lack of focus.

The curriculum for all students aligns with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and national standards of Activities of Daily Living (ADL).  All classes take place in a therapeutic environment expertly addressing social-emotional behaviors that might otherwise impede academic learning.

> Approach 

> Social-Emotional Learning 

> Measuring Progress