The Shift Toward Mastery-Based Learning
Imagine an education system where every student feels seen, challenged, and empowered to learn at their own pace. A system where mistakes were seen as stepping stones instead of roadblocks. An education system in which educators are provided the tools to truly unlock each student's potential. This is the goal of mastery-based learning.
As the workforce needs continue to evolve, with a growing emphasis on skill development, the education system is starting to mirror this change. Today, many districts are moving away from traditional assessment methods toward a mastery-based method, focused on skill and competency development and individual learning pathways to support students of all backgrounds. This article was written to give you a robust understanding of the key elements of mastery-based learning and tangible ways you can implement these elements in your school district.
What is Mastery-Based Learning?
According to the Washington State Board of Education, mastery-based learning (also known as competency-based education) is defined as an instructional approach where students progress through the curriculum only after demonstrating mastery of skills and learning outcomes, allowing them to learn at their own pace and receive individualized support until they achieve proficiency.
Core Principals of Mastery Based Education
- Clear Learning Goals: The first key to mastery-based learning is defining clear learning objectives. Doing so provides students with a tangible expectation, which enables them to create a functional roadmap for their learning journey. Putting students and educators on the same page from the very beginning is critical to the success of a mastery-based learning classroom.
- Flexible Pacing: In a mastery-based system, students advance through the curriculum at their own pace, rather than adhering to a rigid timeline. Acknowledging that students learn at different rates gives students the ability to process course material on their timeline, helping all students achieve success.
- Formative Assessment: Ongoing formative assessments are integral to mastery-based learning. With continuous feedback between students and teachers, areas of strength and weakness can be more easily identified and supported to foster an effective learning experience. This iterative process ensures that students receive the necessary guidance on their path toward subject mastery.
- Personalized Support: Meeting each student at their level is the central key advantage of a successful mastery-based learning program. Providing individualized support in the form of targeted interventions, individualized assessments and activities, and access to a wealth of specific resources gives students a level of dynamic care that can overcome challenges that traditional programs simply cannot.
Mastery-Based Learning Vs. Traditional Models of Learning
Where traditional classrooms have focused their efforts on a generalized education curriculum, mastery-based learning approaches are shifting the paradigm towards flexible learning plans tailored specifically to the needs of each student. Success is measured in tangible understanding and subject literacy, often accompanied by evidence of learning through hands-on projects or a digital portfolio, as opposed to the traditional standardized testing format. Applying this technique empowers students to engage thoughtfully with course material and develop a deeper level of long-term retention.
At the core of mastery-based learning is the belief that every student can achieve high levels of learning when given the time, space, and support to do so. Studies have shown a direct increase in drive, connectivity, and growth in students participating in a mastery-based learning program when compared to the traditional “one-size-fits-all” model.
Where traditional time-based models often prioritize covering a set curriculum within a fixed period, mastery-based learning allows for flexible pacing, ensuring students advance only when they have demonstrated a deep understanding. The focus is removed from assessing a student’s ability to perform within a given timeframe and shifts to their ability to achieve mastery of a subject, regardless of the time it takes. When assessments can measure actual learning in this way, foundational knowledge can be established and solidified.
Creating space for formative assessment and refinement until reaching the point of mastery is proven time and again to be the key to better learning. Carol Dweck, a leading researcher in motivation and mindset, emphasizes, “The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset." This is how people with a growth mindset look for and use feedback. When mistakes can be viewed as opportunities for learning, students can embrace challenges and grow at rates that previous models simply cannot facilitate.
The Mastery Based Learning Model: How Schools Can Implement It Successfully
The true potential of mastery-based learning is realized when you look beyond theoretical concepts and explore its practical application in a classroom setting.
Key Components of a Mastery Based Learning Model
The following illustrates how mastery based progression, personalized learning pathways, and formative feedback can create a dynamic learning environment.
Mastery Based Progression
Mastery-based progression is an approach to learning that allows students to advance through course material at their own pace, moving forward only once they have demonstrated a clear understanding of the material. This approach prioritizes demonstrated competency over time spent in class. It requires thoughtful shifts in instructional practice and school culture to ensure every student gets the time and support they need to master course material.
Personalized Learning Pathways
Personalized learning pathways give students the opportunity to engage with content in ways that match their own learning styles, needs, and interests. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, personalized learning offers flexible options, such as simulations for visual learners or podcasts for auditory learners.Giving students options helps them demonstrate their understanding in meaningful and relevant ways. By adapting teaching materials and pacing, personalized learning pathways empower students to take of ownership of their progress and stay actively engaged in their learning.
Formative Feedback and Assessment
Exit tickets, student-teacher check-ins, and multimedia feedback are just a few ways for teachers to monitor progress in real time and give specific, targeted support. These ongoing, low-stakes assessments give educators the opportunity to identify learning gaps early, adjust instruction on the fly, and ensure that each student is progressing toward mastery, not just moving through the curriculum.
Formative feedback and assessment also empower students to become active participants in their learning. When students receive timely, actionable feedback, they can reflect on their progress, take ownership of their next steps, and build confidence in their abilities.
Transitioning to a Mastery-Based Learning Model: Key Steps for School Districts
Critical thought is the key to developing a functional mastery-based learning model. Here are six steps a school district may wish to consider when adopting a mastery-based approach.
1. Identify an Entry Point
Begin by identifying an area in which your school district is already implementing mastery-based learning strategies and doing it well. Common entry points for schools and districts include project-based learning, CTE, and Portrait of a Graduate frameworks.
2. Develop an Implementation Plan and Change Management Strategy
Once you have determined your entry point, create an implementation plan that considers your key stakeholders, goals, timelines, and resources, along with a change management plan.
3. Identify a Small Group of Educator Champions to Be Early Implementors
Identify a group of enthusiastic and innovative educators to serve as your initial pilot group. This is often an overlooked step but plays a critical role in the long-term success of any major change. By having a group of champions onboard before rolling out mastery-based learning to the larger school district community, these champions can serve as leads for other educators.
4. Gather Feedback and Revise Your Approach
Regularly collect feedback from educators, students, and families to understand what’s working and where adjustments are needed. Use this input to refine your implementation strategy, address challenges early, and celebrate successes. A responsive approach shows stakeholders that their voices matter and helps build momentum as you expand mastery-based practices.
5. Developing a Professional Development and Communication Plan
Ensure educators feel supported by creating a professional learning plan aligned with your implementation goals. This includes offering training on mastery-based learning strategies, collaborative planning time, and resources tailored to your entry point. Pair this with a clear communication plan that keeps all stakeholders informed, aligned, and engaged throughout the transition.
6. Implementing a Staggered Rollout
With the mastery-based learning strategy, it’s often best to begin with a pilot program in a specific grade level or subject area (within the entry point you identified above). This allows for early wins, manageable adjustments, and ultimately longer-term sustainable success. As one group begins to experience success, you can gradually expand the model to additional grades or subject areas.
Mastery Based Learning Pros and Cons
Pros & Benefits of Mastery-Based Learning
The most substantial benefit of mastery-based learning is its ability to thrive where traditional education models fail. Instead of memorizing and regurgitating information for an exam, mastery-based learning cultivates a deep enough understanding for genuine retention and future application. Beyond the benefits within an educational setting, learning in this way sharpens the durable skills of students, giving them a significant advantage that extends far beyond the classroom.
Another key benefit of mastery-based learning is its emphasis on educational equity. Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds. For this reason, educators must meet each student where they are, providing the specific support they need to flourish. Regardless of prior learning experience, mastery-based learning acknowledges that each learner comes with their own experiences, strengths, and needs, and gives each person the time and space they need to gain a deep understanding of even the most challenging concepts.
As technology continues to evolve, the ability to think critically and approach tasks with a growth mindset is more important than ever. Self-regulation, perseverance, and problem-solving are the keys to positive outcomes in the modern workforce. Within a mastery-based learning program, each student is steeped in these skills through clear learning objectives and ongoing support. Facilitating better learning environments is a monumental task, but the most substantial result of mastery-based learning is its ability to mold highly functional members of society.
Cons & Challenges of Mastery-Based Learning
While the benefits of mastery-based learning are numerous, implementing this system can create challenges that should be addressed before you begin. Where traditional learning styles are relatively straightforward, mastery-based learning requires a mindset reframing for students, educators, and families.
A key challenge for school districts is how to begin and implement it in a way that's sustainable for teachers, who are already overwhelmed and have a million things on the go.
Once the implementation of mastery-based learning has begun, the primary challenge becomes the personalized learning plan for each student. With a class of over 30 students, building an individualized roadmap for each student can be a daunting task for teachers and requires a great deal of planning and intentionality. This is where educational technology tools can play a key role in streamlining workflows. Tools designed specifically for mastery-based learning can help teachers identify trends and gaps in learning, provide personalized, formative feedback quickly, and create differentiated learning and assessment opportunities more efficiently.
Mastery-based assessments also present unique challenges that should be considered as you begin implementation. Developing assessments with the intent of measuring where a student falls on their journey toward mastery requires a shift in thinking compared to simply measuring general knowledge in a classroom. Assessments should provide students opportunities to show what they can do and be measured using tools like rubrics and taking competency frameworks into account, like Future9.
While mastery-based learning requires a substantial culture shift at the district level and in schools and classrooms, its implementation will make a tangible difference in the education and overall lives of your students.
Designing a Mastery-Based Curriculum for K-12 Schools
The key to creating a functional mastery-based learning curriculum is emphasizing clear checkpoints on a personalized roadmap that serves to empower students to develop a growth mindset. Below are a few key strategy points to keep in mind as you implement this style of curriculum in your classroom.
Clear Learning Checkpoints
By creating a step-by-step path for students to follow on their path to mastery, you empower them to gain a holistic view of their education. This empowerment found in these smaller, granular, and sequential steps is a critical way to develop a growth mindset in the classroom. The aim is to put students and educators on the same page from the very start.
Personalized Learning Plans
No two students learn in the same way. Each has unique skills and needs that mastery-based learning identifies and addresses. Practically, this could mean giving students space to approach a topic they are less proficient in or pushing forward with topics in which mastery is easily attainable. Offering a variety of learning materials, activities, and assessments to cater to diverse learning styles and preferences empowers students to take ownership of their learning.
Mastery Based Assessment
Using formative assessments to guide instruction is one of the cornerstones of mastery-based learning. Providing ongoing feedback and support allows students to engage in the learning process by identifying their strengths and weaknesses, whereas summative assessments only measure outcomes. Creating this continuous feedback loop gives students a deep understanding of where they are on their learning journey and provides them with tangible steps to move forward.
Flexible Learning Environments
Mastery-based learning can only thrive with educational flexibility. Certain students may benefit from flexible scheduling, while others will need access to learning materials outside of traditional class time. Being flexible also means being prepared for students to work independently or in small groups, depending on the needs of the class. The goal is to create a learning environment where students feel supported and empowered to take control of their learning.
Fostering a Growth Mindset
Harvard Business School defines a growth mindset as a mentality that views intelligence, abilities, and talents as learnable and capable of improvement through effort. On the other hand, someone with a fixed mindset views those same traits as inherently stable and unchangeable over time. Encouraging students to embrace challenges, view mistakes as learning opportunities, and persevere in the face of setbacks is the key to mastery-based learning.
Mastery Based Learning Technology
It is no surprise that leveraging technology is a crucial way to find success in the modern world, and mastery-based learning is no exception. Platforms that offer built-in mastery-based assessment tools and differentiation capabilities are often considered the key tech tools for mastery-based learning. They allow teachers to easily track individual student progress, identify gaps in learning, create customized learning paths, and provide targeted multimedia feedback to ensure mastery of concepts before moving on—all while keeping administrators informed of student progress at the school and district levels.
How To Measure Mastery-Based Learning
- Developing Rubrics: Creating a clear and concise rubric will give students complete clarity on what is expected to reach the final goal of mastery of any given subject. By creating this consistency and transparency, students can flourish with a tangible roadmap for success. Beyond these benefits, rubrics are a highly impactful way to create an environment in which an objective assessment of a student’s work is easily measurable.
- Digital Portfolios: There are few feelings more rewarding in a classroom setting than the pride a student takes when they can showcase what they have learned in the form of a portfolio. These documents are far more than a backlog of completed work. They stand as evidence of the hard work a student has put in on their path to mastery. Giving students ownership in this way is a critical source of empowerment in the classroom.
- Performance Tasks: Performance tasks empower students to engage with their work by applying their knowledge in a real-world context. Showcasing their skills in this way creates an authentic understanding of the subject matter while boosting a student’s confidence in speaking on a particular subject. Application is a far better motivator than memorization, and it is one of the primary cornerstones of a mastery-based learning program.
Mastery-Based Learning Examples
Mastery-based learning seems legitimate in theory, but the real-world examples are all the more compelling. Here are several examples of this learning philosophy in action at district, school, and state levels:
District & School Case Studies
Lindsay Unified School District (California)
Dreambox Learning described Lindsay Unified School District as a small, rural community home to a large population of immigrant families that serves more than 4,000 learners. In 2007, the district began the work of transformation to better serve its learners and implemented the performance-based system, a competency-based grading model that emphasizes mastery and personalization in learning. Today, their mastery-based learning program has led to significant improvements in the engagement and achievement of their students.
Valor Collegiate Academies (Tennessee)
Valor Collegiate Academies employs a "blended mastery" approach. Here is how they describe it. “We start by broadening the vision for education by placing human development at the core of our model. Ranked in the top 5% of Tennessee schools for growth and achievement since opening in 2014, we are proving that schools don’t have to compromise academic results for comprehensive human development. Relationships are central to everything we do – from academic curriculum to classroom management. At Valor, we are changing the approach to social-emotional learning… and it’s working.”
State & Policy-Level Adoption of the Mastery Based Model
Washington
Launched in 2021, the Washington State Mastery-based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) is a statewide initiative led by the State Board of Education in partnership with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Professional Educator Standards Board. The MBLC supports schools in shifting to culturally responsive and sustaining mastery-based learning models by providing professional development, implementation tools, and community learning opportunities for educators.
At the district level, schools like Innovation Lab (Northshore), Maritime High School (Highline), and Quincy Innovation Academy (Quincy) are putting MBL into practice through personalized learning pathways, hands-on experience, and performance-based assessments like exhibitions and digital portfolios. These Washington schools center student agency, equity, and deep learning in both their instruction and assessment practices.
As the MBLC states, the goal is to “foster a more equitable and meaningful educational experience for every student” while also informing future education policy by showcasing what high-quality MBL looks like in action.
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is known as one of the states at the forefront of mastery-based learning. Their policies encourage a decrease in “seat time requirements” and instead focus the bulk of their energy on educating with mastery as the focus. The framework they have developed has created personalized learning pathways for students with competency-based assessments that empower local schools to thrive.
Utah
Utah has broken new ground in the mastery-based learning space with the implementation of its Personalized, Competency-Based Learning initiative. This strategy supports districts by allowing them to create personalized learning environments with state funding. The end goal of this initiative is to ensure that every student in their state has access to a high-quality, personalized learning experience.
Studies That Support Mastery-Based Learning
There is a growing body of research that supports the effectiveness of mastery-based learning. Here are several other articles to consider in tandem with our work:
- "A Practical Review of Mastery Learning" (PMC): The objective of this article is to review mastery learning and provide recommendations for implementation in a competency-based curriculum. Their evidence suggests that students within a mastery learning model perform better academically than those in non-mastery learning models, with moderate effect sizes. Mastery learning may result in better performance due to several theoretical reasons, including aspects of motivation, testing, and feedback.
- "What Happens When Students Have More Chances to Master Concepts" (Harvard Business School Publishing): This article reviews student surveys at Brigham Young University-Idaho about what exactly teachers do that might cause unnecessary anxiety. They found that of the practices we asked about, none gave students more stress than “not understanding course material and the class is moving on anyway.” Similarly, the second-highest–rated practice for decreasing stress was “being given the opportunity to continue practicing outcomes until they are mastered.” As a result, they explored several strategies for decreasing unnecessary stress and discouragement in students through mastery-based learning.
- "Understanding Mastery-Based Learning" (Edmentum): This resource offers a comprehensive overview of mastery-based learning, explaining its core principles and benefits. It explains the nature of mastery-based learning as an instructional approach where students must demonstrate the ability to solve problems in their own way. The resource emphasizes that mastery-based learning is based on the premise that different students will take different paths to attain the desired understanding and that different students may require more or less time on topics or subject areas than others.
- "What is Mastery-Based Learning?" (Modern Classrooms Project): This article from the Modern Classrooms Project offers a practical perspective on implementing mastery-based learning in the classroom. It emphasizes the true definition of the term ‘mastery’ and applies it to its proper context within the classroom. They claim that mastery-based learning, in the context of a modern classroom, is the goal for each lesson. Beginning each lesson by first asking, “What skill do I want my students to master from this lesson?” and working backward from that central point.
- "Mastery-Based Learning: What Does the Research Say" (Modern Classrooms Project): This resource from the Modern Classrooms Project begins by asking a straightforward question: "If mastery is the goal of teaching and learning, educators need to understand how to take a more systematic approach in their classrooms to be most effective. But what does the research say?” This 2023 literature review sheds light on the latest research related to mastery-based instruction, including best practices for application, areas of improvement for implementation, and the preparation of educators to be successful.
The Future of Mastery-Based Learning
Mastery-based learning is a powerful way to improve education. By moving away from the outdated "one-size-fits-all" teaching methods, school districts can instead focus on providing personalized learning that allows students to progress at their own pace.
Integration with AI and EdTech
The mastery-based learning process is one that seamlessly integrates with the modern tools provided by AI and EdTech. These platforms give educators the ability to generate custom learning paths, give feedback in real-time, and find learning gaps with the data it provides. EdTech specifically offers dynamic resources that assist you in catering to specific learning styles, giving you a clear advantage as you set each of your students up for success.
Policy Shifts and Growing Adoption
As educational policies consistently evolve toward competency-based frameworks, mastery-based learning has become the preferred strategy of many due to its ability to yield tangible results. The limitations of the traditional, time-driven models have become clear, leading to this shift in thinking. You can see this shift in the implementation of new assessment tools, programs, and funding initiatives. Each of these supports and facilitates mastery-based learning in the modern classroom.
As we approach the next frontier in the educational space, educators, policymakers, and technology developers must collaborate to embrace mastery-based learning. Investments in research, development of tools, and training will be the cornerstones of the modern classroom.
The future of education lies in creating personalized and student-centered learning environments. If our goal is to empower all learners to reach their full potential, mastery-based learning provides a powerful framework for achieving this goal. A commitment to creating these learning environments today could make a world of difference in the lives of students everywhere.
