Pathways to Success: Remediation Strategies in Competency-Based Education: For Students with Learning Disabilities

"Pathways to Success: Remediation Strategies in Competency-Based Education for Students with Learning Disabilities" is an authoritative textbook that reimagines how remediation should work within modern educational settings, focusing on equity, personalization, and mastery for students with learning disabilities and those from historically marginalized backgrounds. Grounded in leading educational theory, including neuroplasticity, mastery learning, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and best practices from large-scale competency-based education (CBE) implementations, this book offers a transformative vision for educators, policymakers, and school leaders. Dedicated to career and technical educators whose work enables all learners, regardless of challenge, to succeed.
This book critiques traditional remediation models for their deficit-based focus, highlighting research that shows how remedial tracks have led to increased academic segregation, fragmented educational experiences, and systematically lower graduation rates--especially among low-income and minority students. In contrast, it presents CBE remediation as a growth-oriented pathway: one that leverages mastery learning theory to ensure every student can achieve mastery, given sufficient time and support.
Inside, chapters move from foundation theory to applied practice, providing actionable strategies for designing, implementing, and evaluating remediation programs that prioritize transparency, equity, and measurable skill growth. Multiple templates, case studies, checklists, and professional development modules equip educators for topics such as writing individualized remediation plans, selecting reliable assessment tools, aligning IEP goals to CBE outcomes, integrating assistive technology and adaptive platforms, and contextualizing academic skills within real-world vocational learning. Readers learn how to use asset-based teaching, engage families and communities, and ensure legal compliance (IDEA, ADA) while upholding student dignity.
With comprehensive sections on technology integration, including adaptive learning platforms, AI-powered analytics, virtual reality, and digital credentialing, the text guides programs in leveraging data and emerging tools to personalize instruction and track outcomes. Rich case studies highlight interventions for diverse learners, including hands-on activities, real-world simulations, and reflective exercises that foster applied learning and problem-solving skills. Readers can adapt these resources to their own educational contexts and promote seamless transitions from classroom to career.
By synthesizing research, policy, and practice, this serves as a comprehensive, actionable guide for anyone seeking to advance equity and mastery in CBE remediation. Ultimately, it reframes remediation not as a barrier, but as a dynamic pathway to lifelong achievement for all students, providing research, tools, and inspiration for educational change.