Imagine walking into an 8th-grade science classroom and hearing a discussion among students about a challenging assignment they recently completed. A pilot program in 18 Tennessee schools develops agency through competency-based education. Students in Beth Hines' 8th grade physical science class at West Collierville Middle School in Tennessee are building ownership and agency for their learning. As a result of owning the learning process, they and their peers are seeing grades as reflections of learning rather than a prize or status to attain. These shifts can only occur if principals, teachers, and students have opportunities for agency -- the capacity and propensity to take purposeful initiative. One of several personalized learning strategies led by the Tennessee Department of Education (n.d.), the competency-based education pilot, launched in 2018, supports educators in shifting learning to a more student-centric endeavor. It offers flexibility in how students learn, demonstrate mastery, and progress through content, all of which requires the development of agency. The teams represent 18 schools from 11 districts, both urban and rural.