School Administrator Magazine: The Move to Mastery Transcripts

For their December 2024 issue of School Administrator magazine, the team at AASA, invited MTC CEO Mike Flanagan and Chief Program Officer Susie Bell to discuss the following question: what does it look like when district leaders work to move beyond GPAs and credit hours? Mike and Susie discuss MTC’s digital records and how they can highlight skills like critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and leadership.
A few key points:
- Skills over scores: Colleges and employers increasingly value comprehensive views of student strengths beyond test scores.
- Real-world readiness: Programs like Amp Lab in Indiana teach problem-solving through authentic projects, giving students the tools to thrive in complexity.
- Collaboration and community: Schools like Nipmuc High in Massachusetts show how phased, thoughtful implementation ensures success and community buy-in.
Special thanks to our friend and long-time partner in the work, Jill Gurtner, who lent her time and expertise to author a spotlight piece on the work of her team and their learners at Clark Street Community School!
You can read the full piece here.

Mike Flanagan led the Mastery Transcript Consortium as CEO from 2021 to 2025, guiding strategy and development for the Mastery Transcript and services for member schools. He is an experienced education technology executive, a father of teenagers, and on weekends he coaches CrossFit near his home in Winchester, MA.

