Mastery of Standards

Staff at the Mid-Level Campus are working for continuous improvement.

Mid-Level Campus staff have a relentless commitment to seeking ways to enhance students’ academic growth and achievement. Consequently teachers have been working in Professional Learning Communities to learn about Mastery-Based Learning including identifying essential standards, developing common assessments, and creating proficiency scales for each content area and grade level.

Proficiency scales outline the different levels of proficiency for each essential standard, allowing teachers to communicate student progress in a more detailed and specific manner. This way, both students and families can have a clear understanding of what students have mastered and what areas they need to focus on, moving beyond traditional grading systems to offer more detailed and meaningful feedback.

While our elementary schools in West Valley have utilized a 4-3-2-1 scale and standards-based grading for many years, our secondary students and staff are accustomed to traditional letter grades. Staff members at the Mid-Level Campus are working to establish grading criteria that reflect students' true understanding and mastery of the learning standards. This ensures that grades are a fair representation of each student's academic achievements and emphasizes growth and progress rather than just a single grade. It also helps students to receive more personalized and constructive feedback. And, it helps teachers to identify learning gaps and address these areas of student learning. This ongoing dialogue helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous learning. As a result, staff at the Mid-Level Campus are creating an environment where every student can thrive.