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Please direct all questions to:
- Alissa Muller, Director of Policy
- Seema Bahl, Associate Director of the Mastery-based Learning Collaborative
Mastery-based Learning (MBL) is an instructional approach designed to help students learn deeply and effectively. It is sometimes referred to as “competency-based education.” Learning environments using MBL have these in common:
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Students advance upon demonstrated mastery of content;
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Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students;
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Assessments are meaningful and a positive learning experience for students;
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Students receive rapid, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs; and
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Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge along with the development of important skills and dispositions.
At its core, MBL is personalized learning. MBL honors students’ assets and cultural backgrounds and has been shown to help close opportunity and achievement gaps.
Supporting Mastery-based Learning in Washington Schools
In 2021, the state launched the Washington State Mastery-based Learning Collaborative (MBLC), led by the State Board of Education with executive sponsorship from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Professional Educator Standards Board.
The goal of this project is to:
- Highlight best practices for implementing culturally responsive-sustaining Mastery-based Learning.
- Identify, create, and share sample tools and resources for educators using an MBL approach.
- Offer professional learning to in-service educators, including teachers, principals, and counselors.
The project’s overarching goal is to inform future policy by helping decision makers better understand what quality MBL looks like, how long it takes to implement, and what resources are necessary.
At the local level, this project is helping participating schools jump start a longer-term shift to MBL to transform education into a more relevant and equitable learning experience for each and every student.
Right now, 47 schools in 28 districts are part of the collaborative.
MBL Resources
Reports
- MBLC Evaluation Report (Year 3)
- 2021 Mastery-based Learning Report (full version)
- 2021 Mastery-based Learning Report (summarized graphic report)
- Mastery-based Learning Work Group report (2020) Graphic summary
- 2019 Mastery-based Learning Interim Report
Implementation Resources
- Mastery-based Crediting Handbook 2.0
- Mastery-based Crediting Rule (Procedure for awarding students mastery-based credit) and Model Policies
- Washington’s Public Four-Year Universities and Colleges - Washington High School Mastery Transcript Statement (Council of Presidents - May 2022)
- Washington Student Achievement Council MBL webinar
- Aurora Institute: Aurora Institute (formerly iNACOL) is a nonprofit organization that originated as advocate for
online learning, that now has a broader mission to support transformative personalized and student-centered learning. - CompetencyWorks Resources: CompetencyWorks is a collaborative initiative lead by iNACOL to support competency-based education.
- See Previous Mastery-based Learning Newsletters