Thursday, April 24, 2014

2:00-3:00 PM ET

Understanding Grading in Competency-based Schools

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Introducing our Panelists

Abbie Forbus, Counselor, Lindsay Unified High School (CA)

Brett Grimm, Assistant Principal of

Curriculum & Instruction, Lindsay Unified High School (CA)

Lindsay Unified School District

http://lindsay.k12.ca.us/

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Overview

Welcome to CompetencyWorks

What is Competency Education

Why Redesign Grading for Competency-based

Schools?

Elements of Competency-based Grading

Grading at Lindsay Unified School District

Going Forward: Emerging Issues

Getting Involved in CompetencyWorks

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Partners

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Competency Education: Working Definition Students advance upon mastery.

Competencies include explicit, measurable, transferable learning objectives that empower students.

Assessment is meaningful and a positive learning experience for students.

Students receive timely, differentiated support based on their individual learning needs.

Learning outcomes emphasize competencies that include application and creation of knowledge, along with the development of important skills and dispositions

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Why Redesign Grading?

Subjectivity, Variation and Inaccurate Measures of Achievement

Swiss Cheese Achievement

Motivation, Competition and Control

MOST IMPORTANT – Competency education is about aligning all elements of the system with student learning and advancement.

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Elements of Competency-based Grading

Learning Progressions

Calibrating Proficiency Through Levels of Knowledge

A Culture of Transparency

A School-wide Standards-based Grading Policy

• What’s the difference between standards-referenced and

standards-based grading?

Not Yet Proficient and the Role of Feedback,

Revision and Reassessment

Tracking and Communicating Progress

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QUESTIONS?

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Transition from Traditional to PBS

Why the Transition?

System failing learners

• Valedictorians in remedial classes at university• 20-30% proficiency on state tests

Vision for the Shift – Strategic Design

Community Involvement

Guiding Beliefs/Vision Statements• All students can learn• Students learn in different timeframes

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Paradigm Shift

Traditional Personalized Learning(Performance-Based)

Quantity of Work Quality of Evidence

Summative averaged scores

Formative feedback to improve learning and achieve mastery

Failed course = Repeat entire course

Continue until mastery – Targeted instruction on areas of need

Letter grades based on teacher judgment

Proficiency score based on learning (DOK and Rubrics)

Inconsistent from teacher to teacher

Consistent calibrated scoring

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Science rubric example

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QUESTIONS?

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Transparency

Building learner ownership of learning

Learners know…• “What I must learn”• “How I can demonstrate learning”• “Where I go next”

EDUCATE© (Digital Learning Platform)

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Educate Student Snapshot

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Scores and evidence of learning

Measurement Topics and Learning Targets (standards)

Hyperlink to Overview, Scoring Guides, Resources, Learning Opportunities

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QUESTIONS?

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Personalized Learning Guiding Belief…“Students learn in different ways

and different timeframes”

Guaranteed and viable curriculum• Courses designed for average learner to complete in a

school year

Knowing this…• Pace is personalized• Ultimately we respond to needs of learner and make

sure they get it.

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Lindsay Learner ExampleThis learner started high school below 9th grade in English

By spring of freshmen year, he was still working on English 9, first semester.

He completed English 9 in the fall of his sophomore year, indicated by score 3

IP = Course In Progress (core courses)NM = No Mark (elective courses)(A) = First semester(B) = Second semester

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QUESTIONS?

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Going Forward: Emerging Issues

Recognizing Excellence in Academic Performance

Design for Deeper Learning Equity in a Competency-based System Higher Education Competency-based Human Capital

Development The Role of State Policy in Grading Badging, Credentialing and Community

Assessors

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Resources on Grading in Competency-Based Schools

Progress and Proficiency: Redesigning Grading for Comptency Education

www.competencyworks//resources/briefing-papers/

Competency-based Pathways Wiki https://sites.google.com/site/competencybasedpathways/home

Great Schools Partnership Proficiency Simplified• http://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/proficiency/grading-

reporting/

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FOR MORE INFORMATION AND SHARE IDEAS

CHRIS@METISNET.NET

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Get Involved

Become a contributing author Leadership development

Attention to your organization

Identify novice mastery among your staff

Comment!

Pass on ideas!

Share tools, materials, and know-how Join CompetencyWorks E-list

Ask everyone in your network (board members, staff,

even students) to sign up at the website.