As the Chief Learning Officer of competency-based education work at KnowledgeWorks, Virgel Hammonds partners with national policymakers and local learning communities throughout the country to redesign learning structures to become more learner-centered and based on proficiency, rather than seat time. He also works with KnowledgeWorks staff to build out competency education tools and services to help districts implement this personalized learning model.

Virgel previously served as the superintendent of RSU 2 School district in Maine. There, he collaborated with five communities to develop and implement a curriculum designed to ensure mastery of standards by all students. Before serving as superintendent, Virgel was a high school principal at Lindsay Unified School District in California. With 4,100 K-12 students in the district, 100 percent qualify for free and reduced lunch. There, Virgel helped implement a personalized learning model where “learners” don’t earn letter grades, but rather are awarded mastery for subjects in which they’ve proven to be proficient.

Currently, Hammonds also serves on multiple boards and leadership councils: Innovation Lab Network Leadership Advisory Council; Jobs for Maine Graduates Executive Board; Literacy for Maine Board; Maine School Superintendents Executive Committee; Maine Academic Decathlon Executive Committee; Maine Healthy Communities Board; and International Association for K-12 Online Learning (iNACOL) board.

Virgel earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts Lowell and his Master of Education from Fresno Pacific University.