At Telos Micro School, we believe that education should be a journey of mastery, not merely the pursuit of grades. In place of traditional grading systems, our students earn credits towards what we call "competencies," which represent the holistic development of our graduates. We've diligently examined the desires of students, families, and future employers to craft four essential competencies that drive our educational approach: Applied Knowledge, Personal Skills, People Skills, and Workplace Skills.

Within each of these competencies, there lies a rich tapestry of sub-skills that play pivotal roles in nurturing the competency as a whole. These subcategories are what we call foundational credits. Every day, our students channel their energy and focus into courses, projects, assignments, internships, and more, all meticulously aligned with one or more foundational credits. When a student believes they've achieved mastery in a foundational credit, they assemble a portfolio of evidence, a testament to their journey of learning and growth.

This portfolio undergoes a thoughtful review by a panel of dedicated staff members. This process isn't just about evaluation; it's a celebration of strengths, an exploration of opportunities for improvement, and a dialogue that shapes the student's path forward. Should a student need to bolster their evidence or address missing elements, they're encouraged to revise their work and resubmit, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

But the beauty of our competency-based approach extends beyond mastery—it's about passion. Students who find particular subcategories that ignite their enthusiasm have the opportunity to dive deeper and earn "advanced" credits. This is education as empowerment, allowing students to shape their learning journey based on their interests and aspirations.

The following graphic shows each competency along with the corresponding foundational credits: