Something I didn't see here is allowing students to earn credit for classes by demonstrating mastery. This is often called competency-based learning, but that t

Something I didn't see here is allowing students to earn credit for classes by demonstrating mastery. This is often called competency-based learning, but that term encompasses a wide variety of approaches. The larger point of this approach is that students earn credit when they've demonstrated that they have learned a certain body of knowledge, and developed skills to a certain level of proficiency. This can be as simple as testing out of some classes, and can involve more holistic portfolio-based assessment practices. The school I most recently taught at implemented an approach along these lines. It was really interesting that it didn't actually change much for a lot of students, but the option to go more at your own pace relaxed almost everyone in a really healthy way. Students were less anxious, but got way more done and enjoyed their learning much more than they had been previously.