What if you could earn a college degree by demonstrating your mastery of a specific set of skills, rather than completing a minimum number of hours instructional seat time?

That's the premise behind a massive experiment underway in California's community colleges. EWA Reporting Fellow Adam Echelman of CalMatters shares insights from his close look at the promise – and potential perils – of "competency based education."

Who are the students most likely to enroll in these programs? What's known about the quality of their experience and their long-term outcomes? Why are some faculty pushing back while others are embracing the experiment?