Our methods to reach all students are no longer effective for the student body before us. Many students are struggling with stress, inattention in class, and absences from school. A significant number of our students are struggling to get to and stay in school. In addition to these issues, students are struggling to find relevance in their…

This study works to assess the degree to which the impact of implementation of Mastery Learning can be described through teacher perception, academic achievement, and student growth. Elementary school teachers in a suburb in North Carolina implemented the Mastery Learning framework. The school's end-of-grade test scores were above state and…

In this paper we report a study in which we have developed a teaching cycle based closely on Bloom's Learning for Mastery (LFM). The teaching cycle ameliorates some of the practical problems with LFM by making use of the STACK online assessment system to provide automated assessment and feedback to students. We report a clinical trial of this…

Competency-based education, also referred to as mastery-based, proficiency-based or performance-based education, is a system of education designed to equitably ensure all students develop the success skills they will need for college, career and life. Competency-based education is gaining momentum and visibility. Districts and schools turn to…

Few studies have examined the impact of mastery learning on mastery goal structures or even on students' motivation more generally. In this study, we examined one middle school that implemented a schoolwide mastery learning system, conducting interviews with a sample of administrators (n = 3), teachers (n = 4), and students (n = 9) to determine…

Over the past 15 years, students with disabilities have been included in the general education environment at markedly higher rates; however, their achievement is not increasing at the same pace. One reason for this lack of increased achievement may be that academic standards lay the foundation for instruction in this environment, but standards…

This paper explores how an Alaskan school district shifted from a traditional K-12 education system to a personalized, performance-based system, embedded in the culture of the community, which led to increased student achievement. Chugach School District (CSD) first implemented competency education over twenty years ago, paving the way in…

The pedagogy of mastery learning requires students to demonstrate a deep understanding of a given course topic before being allowed to proceed to the next topic. Teachers use formal or informal assessments to monitor students' progress, providing additional support to students whose performance shows they have not mastered the content. Students…

When low test scores demanded a hard look at the curriculum, literacy became a focus for improvement at Brockton (MA) High School. Schoolwide training for teachers and a rolling implementation model ensured consistency and reinforcement of the skills. Results came in improved scores and national recognitions, including selection as a National…

Urges accurate assessment of program implementation and the determination of student performance in areas not measured by achievement tests. Offers indicators of hard-to-measure levels of achievement in teachers and students, as they have been developed in the Johnson City, New York, Public Schools' mastery learning approach. (JW)

This document presents information on one school district's approach to the introduction of success-based instruction. The first section defines success-based instruction, also called "predictable learner mastery" (PLM) and the requirements for having an operational system. The second section compares mastery learning with the PLM system…

This paper describes the design principles, instructional practices, and specific curricula of Direct Instruction--one example of focused, systematic, explicit instruction. At a time when public schools are increasingly held accountable for students' achievement and for closing and preventing the achievement gap between minority/disadvantaged and…

The School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) Program, initiated in Maryland in 1980, was concerned with improving classroom and school activities through the application of process-product research on classroom and school effectiveness. All 24 local education agencies voluntarily implemented one or more of four research-based…

The impact of the School Improvement Through Instructional Process (SITIP) program in Maryland schools was evaluated. The program encourages application of research on planned change to implement one or more of four instructional models: (1) Active Teaching--emphasis on direct instruction, review and discussion of homework, individually supervised…

In spite of the brief duration of the Mastery Learning Program at Durham College, this final report on the activities and outcomes of the project reveals several positive effects upon students and faculty. The report begins by providing background data on the college, an independent junior college serving a population of economically disadvantaged…