Special Feature Article

A School of Innovation is Embracing Grading Students Based on Proficiency

Submitted by Sarah Morris, M.Ed., Office for Education Policy, University of Arkansas

In the heart of Springdale, Arkansas, an approach to education is reshaping how students learn, demonstrate progress in learning, and are assessed. The Don Tyson School of Innovation (DTSOI) is grounded in Marzano’s Competency-Based Education (CBE) principles. Prioritizing student proficiency over traditional grading systems, this approach is proving to be a game-changer in students’ academic and personal development.

Founded in 2014 by Springdale Public Schools, the largest district in Arkansas, DTSOI is a public charter school offering open enrollment. It serves nearly 1,800 students across grades 6-12 and provides the district's only K-5 virtual learning option to 42 students. Many things make DTSOI different, but their community commitment to fostering a student-centered personalized learning experience makes them stand out.

From its inception, DTSOI was designed to be competency-based, a vision that has fueled its growth for nine years. Assistant Principal Tom Doppe explains, "With CBE, our students have an even greater degree of accountability for their actual learning.” This approach emphasizes the shift from traditional grading to assessing understanding and proficiency. It prioritizes meaningful learning over simple assignment completion. All teachers received professional development on CBE principles to ensure a unified and effective reform.

Doppe acknowledges the diverse opinions on student grading within the educational community. At DTSOI, success came from establishing a unified approach among staff. Doppe states, "We focused solely on the Marzano approach, developing proficiency scales for instruction and assessment," highlighting their commitment to a consistent and effective grading model.

DTSOI's grading system clarifies educational progress to students, parents, and teachers. Courses define clear learning objectives aligned with state standards, with student progress assessed via proficiency scales. Utilizing Empower LMS for sharing learning evidence and progress, the system shifts towards a standards-based approach that values each learning phase, allowing students ample opportunities to showcase their abilities.

Students are evaluated on a 4-point scale, from 'Beginning' to 'Exceeding,' which translates into traditional letter grades and GPA. This method prepares them for traditional college admissions while benefiting from a more nuanced understanding of their learning progress.

This all sounds fine and well…but is the juice worth the squeeze? I explored whether the benefits of this grading system outweigh the efforts by engaging with teachers and students and conducting a descriptive analysis. Some students and parents initially perceived this grading reform as an overly drastic change.

"The hardest thing for us this year was explaining to kids and parents how the letter grade was earned... but CBE is so much more valuable than traditional grading because the teacher points them back to a standard or competency, and the student can say, ‘Okay, I need to be able to demonstrate this,’” Doppe adds.

Though administrative perspectives suggest challenges are manageable, conversations with Mrs. Beck, a Chemistry teacher with 14 years of experience, and Mrs. Campbell, an ELA teacher with 12 years, reveal deeper insights into classroom realities. Key concerns were student maturity and readiness to assume learning responsibility.

Mrs. Campbell observes that despite adolescent immaturity, the school's design and community, featuring constant regrouping and student mentors, significantly boost interest in learning competencies. Echoing this, Mrs. Beck notes the rarity of students resisting higher-level work, attributing this to the curriculum and culture that encourage advancement.

One intriguing feature they’re describing of this DTSOI culture is its lack of traditional classroom walls, opting for flexible seating arrangements instead. Initially surprising, this open environment could raise some red flags about its influence on learning and adaptation to grading reform.

An 8th grader, Madelyn shares, “With this grading, my teachers are truly focused on what I’m learning. I appreciate their flexibility in how we demonstrate our knowledge.” A 9th grader, Logan adds, “Our teachers' expectations are clear. There's a lot of transparency, and we know exactly what's expected of us.

None of the teachers or students alluded to the new grading style not working for them, but I still had to revisit the initial thoughts of needless and extreme change.

When asked whether the shift to competency and standards-based grading was confusing or stressful, nearly all seven students affirmed. Despite efforts to communicate the benefits and principles of CBE, the DTSOI administration recognized the need for clearer, more consistent communication from the get-go, which is especially important during implementation and as new students join. Principal Amy Harrison emphasizes the importance of always returning to the ‘why’ of CBE; “Effective implementation relies on deeply understanding CBE’s foundation.”

Tai, a 6th grader, admitted feeling stressed and surprised by initially low grades. Dara, in 10th grade, shared her parents' shock due to cultural differences, noting, “They were very freaked out by the low scores at first.” She explained that her family adjusted their expectations with time, understanding that learning a standard takes time and that initial scores don't mean she's failing to meet expectations.

Olivia, a 9th grader, explains, “Having a D on your progress report is not necessarily bad; it indicates we're early in the learning process.” Despite initial stress, students appreciate the new system's encouragement to persevere. Daisy, a 10th grader, adds, “It's a relief to have so many opportunities to improve.”

Even after visiting DTSOI and hearing great things from the school community, assessing how they academically stacked up was important. I conducted a brief descriptive analysis utilizing publicly available state data that matched DTSOI to other Arkansas schools like their demographics: 60% economically disadvantaged, 40% White students, and about 1,800 enrollment size. DTSOI is fairly unique on all three matching descriptors, but of those approximate Arkansas matches:

• It ranks second among high schools, closely following one Arkansas junior high in overall student achievement and growth.

• For K-12 and charter schools, including charter high schools and charter K-12 schools, DTSOI leads in student achievement and growth across all students and subgroups.

While these results beg for a more robust, student-level data analysis, these rankings, alongside teacher and student feedback, highlight DTSOI’s success.

The DTSOI community shares a unified belief in the value of their grading reform, finding success beyond accolades and data in the transformative daily experiences of students and teachers. “Having a foundational group willing to take the risk and shift their thinking and practice was pivotal,” Harrison adds. This approach converts traditional grading anxiety into a journey of growth and proficiency.

Doppe summarizes, “We minimize the letter grade. We prioritize learning. We're not just chasing a letter grade; we're chasing an understanding and mastery of the content.” This philosophy permeates DTSOI's educational practices, valuing deep, meaningful learning.

Madelyn’s imagery reinforces this view: “CBE is less of a percentage and more of a staircase... it’s less stressful and much easier than feeling like, 'Oh my gosh, I have to get from level 0% to 100% to get the A.' No, I get to be patient with my learning."

DTSOI's focus on proficiency and understanding over traditional metrics is transforming students' academic perceptions and engagement with learning. As a beacon of innovative education, it showcases the potential of adapting to modern learners' needs. The progressive journey at DTSOI affirms the value of rethinking educational approaches. It’s clear from the voices within its walls that, indeed, the juice is worth the squeeze.