Proficiency-Based Digital Portfolio System

We are thrilled to be collaborating on an essential and exciting transformation of our grade level expectations and graduation requirements at Peoples Academy Middle Level and High School.

We talk with students everyday about what they need to hand in to pass, what classes they need to pass to graduate, what grade they need to earn to raise their GPA’s, and what GPA they need to reach in order to make their dream school a viable option. It’s almost as if the handing in, the showing up, the earning the grade become the goal—the proficiency we’re requiring. It would be an honest assumption.

This conversation needs to change. We need to talk more about essential understandings and how they connect to what it takes to be successful in our rapidly changing society. As Tony Wagner writes in his book, The Global Achievement Gap “In light of the fundamental changes that have taken place in our society in the last 25 years, what does it mean to be an educated adult in the 21st century? What do we think all high school graduates need to know and be able to do to be well prepared for college, careers, and citizenship? And since we can’t teach everything, what is most important?” The answers to these questions may shift the paradigm and help inform what it takes to move through and ultimately graduate from Peoples Academy. These answers should become our proficiencies, and what we discuss with students.

We can do this within our school community by clearly articulating and creating a proficiency-based digital portfolio system with students, parents and teachers to determine what students need to know, learn, and demonstrate what they can do. A system like this can help students to expand beyond mainstream learning opportunities while respecting, recognizing and cultivating their interests and strengths. What we get in return is a higher level of engagement among students, as well as students who rather than achieving a grade, work towards mastery or excellence by choosing a pathway that speaks to them. They will learn early in their high school career what specific skills they need to show proficiency, and we will be able to detect early the important skills and concepts that individuals struggle with or excel at. We can then create the appropriate interventions or accelerated learning opportunities needed to help that student reach their full potential.

We are looking forward to getting started and are confident that positive changes lie ahead!

UPDATE

Carrie and Shaun are back in their respective roles and are excited about the changes taking place at both the high school and middle level. During the 2014-2015 school year, the high school went 1:1 with Chromebooks, and proficiency-based learning and grading with fidelity became much more of a focus. This did not come without frustrations. It was a busy, busy, exhausting year, but we made strides–big ones. With help from educational consultant Bill Rich and the Tarrant Institute of Innovative Education (TIIE) we are well on our way to making the shift to a PBGR model. Our teachers designed and shared learning scales for greater use.

The middle school community worked tirelessly last year to roll-out and implement our digital portfolio system in grades 5-8. Teachers designed and taught portfolio components. Students went through the challenging process of outlining academic and personal goals, and, armed with their evidence, they reflected on those goals throughout the school year. Parents, guardians and other valued stakeholders attended and supported student-led “goal setting” meetings in the fall and “goal reflection” meetings in the spring. This year, the middle school staff is working with TIIE to incrementally implement proficiency-based learning model. Peoples Academy Middle Level and High School are picking up they left off with the goal of building a student-centered community of learners with the courage to grow.