Accelerating Student Mastery in Real Time: A Case Study of Henderson Collegiate and Relay GSE

At Henderson Collegiate, real-time teaching adjustments are helping educators close learning gaps faster—and push student understanding deeper.

Located in rural North Carolina, Henderson Collegiate is a high-performing charter school network known for its 100% college acceptance rate. But leaders wanted more than strong outcomes—they wanted students to deeply understand what they were learning.

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To raise the bar, the network turned to Relay GSE. Through professional learning focused on high-impact instructional leadership, leaders across the network’s three schools began applying strategies to monitor student learning in real time—and adjust instruction on the spot.

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Together, they made a key shift: coaching and planning centered not just on what teachers do, but on what students learn. By focusing feedback on the evidence of student understanding—and responding immediately when students struggle—leaders report a noticeable impact on teacher effectiveness and student mastery.

“You don’t have to wait until you’re grading the exit ticket to realize students didn’t get it. You can see it in the moment and adjust—right then—so they don’t leave with the wrong idea.”
—Taro Shigenobu, Principal, Henderson Collegiate High School

In just one year, the percentage of students scoring proficient on state assessments grew from 72% to 80% in ELA and from 83% to 87% in Math.

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This case study illustrates how Henderson Collegiate is taking a strong foundation of leadership, collaboration, and academic rigor—and accelerating it with real-time practices that support teachers and students alike.