Proficiency-Based Learning

November/December 2009

The Beaverton School Board has adopted a new five-year Strategic Plan calling for individual, personalized learning goals for each student. The Proficiency-Based Learning and Instructional System is a core strategy to ensure that these personalized learning goals are met. This work has been occurring over the last three years at secondary schools throughout the Beaverton School District. I’m sure many of you have heard about it so I thought I’d take some time to outline the key components of this project.

First, a little background . . . . .

There is very clear, consistent, research-based data about successful schools that are raising student achievement across the country. The three foundations these schools share are:

 • High expectations for all students and staff
• Skillful teachers in every classroom

• Rigorous curriculum that includes very clear learning targets, assessments designed to measure student progress on these targets, and interventions for kids who need                       something more or different (flexible grouping, small group tutoring, alternative assessment options, etc.)

The foundation of the Beaverton School District Proficiency work has four questions educators must be able to answer for all students. They are . . . .

• What do students need to know and be able to do?

• How will we know they have learned it?

• What will we do when they haven’t learned it?

• What will we do when they already know it?

The work is about . . . .

• Clarity – around the key learning targets

• Consistency – between classrooms, schools, and grade levels

• Truth – about more accurate, reliable information regarding student achievement

Our goal is for teachers to be very clear with students and parents about the essential skills students must have to be successful in college and the work force. These skills, taken from the Oregon State Benchmark Standards, are then divided into specific learning targets that everyone understands. Ongoing teacher-generated classroom assessments and collections of student work form the basis for evaluation and grading in this proficiency system. Two challenges educators in any system face are filling the academic holes when students struggle with material andchallenging those students who already understand and need enrichment. This issue hasn’t changed in a proficiency model, but it gives teachers more reliable, accurate data regarding where we need to concentrate our efforts.

We are not replacing letter grades with this learning and instructional model. Our purpose is to make grades more meaningful for students and parents. We obviously live in a world where a final grade is important information for parents and colleges. Our challenge is to develop a conversion method so that these learning targets are easily translated to a letter grade so you know more about your child’s level of development. Westview teachers are working extremely hard on this project and their passion is energizing. For this year our goal is to agree on common learning targets for 9th and 10th grade students and to agree on assessments that measure student progress on these targets.

I will continue to update you about the District’s work with proficiency and I am happy to help with questions or concerns. My job, through a variety of means, is to help you understand our goal and our work.

Mike