Why Mastery-Based Education?

At Forest City Academy (FCA), we take a mastery-based approach to instruction. This means students advance when they have truly mastered material or an objective, rather than just moving forward because the school calendar says it’s time. Since learning builds on itself, this approach eliminates gaps in knowledge that could compound over time and hold students back in the future.

How this works in practice: a kindergartener who is already reading is NOT going to be spending time coloring a letter B page and a picture of a 📖, 🏀, 🪲, and 🎈.  On the flip side, just as you need a solid foundation before installing windows on a new house, a 5th grader struggling to subtract will get support on that skill to have a build that solid foundation before learning long division. Instruction is individualized based on the child’s needs.

In a traditional school, a classroom teacher has a curriculum that they seek to get through by the end of the year based on what Ohio says a 2nd, 3rd, etc grader **should** know. Students move forward whether they have mastered the material or not. This can lead to gaps in understanding that make future learning even harder.

Why we believe the mastery-based approach is superior:

 ✅ No Falling Through the Cracks – Students don’t just “pass with a C.” They advance when they’re truly ready.

✅ Personalized Pacing – Students who need more time get it, and students who are ready to accelerate can do so.

✅ True Understanding Over Memorization – Instead of cramming for a test and forgetting the material later, students develop deep, lasting knowledge.

At FCA, we believe learning should be built to last—not just checked off a list. Every child deserves an education that meets them where they are and takes them where they need to go.

#DifferentByDesign