Mastery Academics High School is a microschool founded by a former homeschool parent and current college professor, Tonya Whitaker. Over the past decade, Whitaker has taught dual credit high school students at both the community college and university level. She has seen every kind of learner, in every kind of classroom. She knows what works. And she knows what doesn’t. The school, set to open September 2026, will enroll no more than 15 teenagers in face-to-face, hybrid, and online learning environments. Our main office is located in Dallas, Texas.
Microschools are small, personalized learning environments, typically with under 15 students. They use a hybrid learning model, often located in non-traditional settings, and allow students to progress at their own pace with teachers acting as guides. They are not required to be accredited.
Courses will be held Monday-Thursday. Our school follows a hybrid-learning schedule, where students will meet face-to-face on Mondays and Wednesdays at library locations* in Dallas and Plano and work individually in a virtual format on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fridays are reserved for students who need extra support. Each student will have an individualized learning plan they will follow their entire duration of “high school.”
*The Dallas and Plano public library systems are not affiliated with our school.
We do not accept TEFA funding. However, we offer several flexible payment options for families to pay tuition. Contact us to discuss your options.
No, we are not affiliated with any church or faith-based organization.
We replace grade-level, high-stakes testing with a continuous feedback loop and mastery-based progression. This ensures that progress is measured by what a student actually knows and can do.
1. The Mastery Learning Model
Research shows that placing student competency at the forefront prevents learning gaps. Unlike traditional letter grades that average out “success” and “failure,” our model requires students to reach a high threshold of understanding before moving forward.
For Accelerated Learners: Students who grasp concepts quickly are not held back by a rigid class schedule; they advance as soon as mastery is demonstrated.
For Students Needing Support: Those who need more time receive immediate, targeted reinforcements, ensuring they have a solid foundation before tackling more complex material.
2. Project-Based Learning (PBL)
This allows students to authentically apply the skills they have mastered to real-world challenges.
3. The ‘Artifact of Learning’
The primary evidence of progress is the Artifact of Learning. This is a tangible product (such as a research publication, a built prototype, or a digital portfolio) that serves as proof of competency, a reflection tool, and transparent reporting to parents, employers, and colleges/universities.
4. Continuous Monitoring
Progress is maintained through a combination of small class sizes that ensure no student “fades into the background” and feedback at least once a week.
Accreditation is not required of microschools; however, MAHS is a member of the National Microschooling Center, a nonprofit dedicated to the health and growth of microschooling. In addition, the microschool was partially developed through a collaboration with the Arizona State University (ASU) Prep Microschool Entrepreneur Fellowship for Texas microschool founders.
