Boxed in: Structural limitations to flexible pacing in Michigan competency-based education pilot districts

Over the last decade, policymakers have been experimenting with competency-based education, an instructional reform that relies on flexible pacing to enable students achieve content mastery at their own pace. In this paper, we draw mixed-methods data from teacher surveys and interviews examine use of in five Michigan school districts implementing education. While was challenging for all districts, identified several promising practices facilitated districts. These included adoption school-wide interventions ability teachers share across classrooms. resulted explicit prioritization some whereas others, they occurred somewhat by happenstance. cases, structural challenges (e.g., division time space allocation individual classrooms) inherent “the grammar schooling” impeded or efforts implement pacing. It will be essential tackle these future education reforms.