91Ô­´´

The State 91Ô­´´ of Education approved its 2025 Mastery-based Learning Collaborative Legislative Report during a meeting December 4, 2025.  

The report, prepared in response to a request from the Legislature, highlights findings and recommendations coming out of the 91Ô­´´'s multi-year Mastery-based Learning Collaborative (MBLC) demonstration project. It also includes additional recommendations related to competency-based education (synonymous with mastery-based learning) required under .  

The MBLC demonstration project was launched in 2021 to highlight best practices for implementing mastery-based learning (MBL) — an instructional approach designed to help students learn deeply and effectively by advancing as they master content at their own pace, measured through meaningful, positive assessments tied to state learning standards. The MBLC was also designed to help identify, create, and share sample tools and resources for state educators looking to use an MBL approach in their classrooms. 

Read the Report

Over four years, the project supported two cohorts, comprising close to fifty schools through funding, professional development, coaching, and participation in a statewide learning network.  

Findings in this report are drawn from comprehensive, self-reported student, teacher, and administrative data compiled by national experts in several annual evaluation reports and from year-end school reports from Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 schools from 2021 through 2025. 

Findings & Recommendations from MBLC’s Comprehensive Evaluation 

Findings from the report demonstrate that deep, meaningful implementation of culturally responsive and sustaining MBL is possible when supported by clear goals, sustained leadership, a strong network, adequate funding, clear policy levers, and strong professional learning structures. Across both cohorts, schools reported increased student engagement, improved teacher-student relationships, and greater student ownership of learning. Schools also reported strengthened family and community engagement, enhanced equity-focused practices, and the creation of more inclusive and responsive school cultures. 

Long-term recommendations 

The report’s long-term MBLC recommendation is for the state to provide comprehensive support for ongoing school transformation and long-term network sustainability. This would involve establishing the following: 

1.  An ongoing four-year competency-based education (CBE) grant and support program that provides consistent funding to CBE schools 

2. Policy supports pertaining to CBE funding, competencies, and transcripts 

3. Regional professional learning hubs 

4. Continued network coordination provided by SBE 

5. Leadership development through the Impact Fellows and Living Lab programs.  

This long-term approach would position Washington as a national leader in competency-based, culturally responsive educational transformation. 

Near-term recommendation 

If budgetary limitations preclude immediate expansion of the MBLC, SBE recommends continuing the current demonstration site project to maintain statewide coordination and support for MBLC schools and focus on the additional learning needed to set the stage for long-term sustainability. 

Recommendations for Competency-based Education Implementation 

1. Adopt the four-domain CBE framework, CBE designation rubric, and run multi-site pilots of the designation rubric before any high-stakes use to refine language, gather data, and confirm viability; 

2. Use a diverse stakeholder panel to set minimum acceptable evaluation scores so CBE designation standards are rigorous yet equitable; 

3. Require a candidate portfolio (including a narrative and up to three artifacts per standard) evaluated by two certified reviewers with optional targeted site visits to verify implementation; 

4. Use provisional (2-year) CBE designation status for borderline cases and full (4-year) designation status for programs that meet thresholds; 

5. Invest in recruiting, training, and certifying a reviewer pool representative of Washington’s demographics and contexts and budget for ongoing calibration/audits; 

6. Publish the CBE designation framework, standards, rubric, scoring rules, and examples of appropriate evidence so that the process is public and transparent, barriers are reduced, and trust is built; 

7. Fund the recommended cost model (including choices about whether to retain site visits to balance credibility against potential savings) and require annual performance reporting and renewal cycles to ensure designations drive continuous, equity-centered improvement. 

Recommendations for a competency-based transcript format 

1. Adopt as the recommended supplement and MTC Mastery Transcript as the recommended alternative to the traditional transcript. 

2. Require a pre-implementation crosswalk translating competencies to traditional credits/subjects. 

3. Exempt schools using the MTC Mastery Transcript from GPA reporting, provided they can produce a calculated GPA when required for Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP) and scholarships. 

4. Permit an optional standards-based reporting scale (1–4) alongside the standard transcript when using the Learner Record. 

5. Fund state-level MTC membership (including existing members) to lower barriers and secure discounts. 

6. Provide targeted training, technical support, and an implementation timeline for schools. 

7. Review competency-based transcript tools on a regular cycle and consult K–12 and higher-education stakeholders before changing the recommended format.