Lamar County Schools is focused on successful methods for the betterment of all students in every classroom at all times.  To maximize this potential, teachers identify what must be taught, how to teach it, and how to assess what is taught. Mastery based teaching and learning addresses each of these components.   Priority standards, evidence and proficiency scales, and high-quality common assessments are central to mastery based teaching and learning.

The district has previously embarked on the implementation of mastery based teaching and learning in early childhood grades.  The district desires to expand these efforts into higher grades through a systematic progression.  The body of research on mastery based learning focuses on the core concept that student grades should accurately reflect achievement levels. In a mastery based grading framework, students do not receive an overall grade that averages their work performance over time. They receive multiple grades or scores that reflect their proficiency level relative to specific expectations regarding individual learning targets or standards. 

The primary purpose of mastery based grading is to effectively communicate student achievement toward specific standards to parents and administrators at any point in time.  To accomplish these objectives, the district will continue to plan and conduct communication, training, and implementation functions that better equip teachers, students and families.