Every standard has a learning path. The learning path is a clear roadmap of the journey towards achieving mastery. Sometimes students will travel the path at their own pace and sometimes as part of a class. Teachers are free to organize the structure of a learning path based on their expertise and the content of the class. Ultimately, a learning path allows a student to travel the path at their own pace and empowers them to drive their own journey toward achieving mastery. Each learning path provides the milestones along the way to mastery, but the milestones do not limit the methods of mastery or the way in which a student demonstrates mastery. 

Some teachers may provide multiple ways of demonstrating mastery or even open ended methods; other teachers may have a very specific way a student needs to show mastery. For the student, flexibility in demonstrating mastery can alleviate anxiety, as well as increase engagement and confidence. How a student shows mastery varies depending on the expertise of the teacher and of the content of the course. 

When FPA gauges where a student is along a learning path, teachers and students use the following scale to identify where a student is along the learning path.

Progressing through a learning path is more important than where a student is along that path. The journey looks different for every student. Every student is unique and wonderful and moves at a pace that might be different from those of their peers. The pace is not what matters; progression is what matters the most. 

In the classroom the learning path might look slightly different. Each standard will have its own learning path. An example of a standard specific learning path looks like this: