Six goals are essential to basic skills mastery. Goal one is the identification of specific competencies and performance indicators which are necessary for students to master to become a coping adult. The appendix lists 17 competencies modeled after the Adult Performance Level Project (APL). Competencies are organized into five knowledge areas: health, community resources, consumer economics, government and law, and occupational knowledge; and five basic skills areas: reading, listening, writing, computation, and problem solving. To implement goal two, the development of a comprehensive assessment model to diagnose student needs in functional skills from grades 8 to 11, students take reading and mathematics tests in grade 8, and 2 versions of the APL test in Grade 10. Goal three is the expansion and refinement of a Minimum Competencies Assurance Program to help students with deficiencies identified by the tests. Goal four advocates considering multiple or differential diplomas (academic, honors, vocational, regular, or certificate of attendance). To implement the competencies concept as a graduation requirement for the Finally, program success should be continually monitored and publicly reported. (CP)