In this episode of Innovating Education, Dr. Riley Williams is joined by Dr. Valcine Brown—educator, researcher, literacy advocate, and author of Credit Recovery Through Demonstration of Mastery—for a conversation that rethinks reading, credit recovery, and assessment from the ground up. Dr. Brown shares how her work moves recovery programs away from seat time toward skills, growth, and demonstrated mastery, centering student agency and equity in the process.​​

They explore why mastery-based learning must remain teacher-led, how student choice and “mirror books” fuel motivation, and how data, PLCs, and honest conversations can drive scalable change. Dr. Brown also spotlights her podcast, Drive Thru Lit Review, where she breaks down education research into actionable insights for time-strapped educators.​

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