Glossary of Essential Terms

Academic Rigor: the academic or intellectual challenge of a class. What is essential for establishing the appropriate degree of rigor in your classroom is making sure that you overtly demonstrate to students what the expected outcome is.

Body of Evidence: A comprehensive collection of student work that provides evidence of the important skills, knowledge, and concepts in the content proficiencies and Transferable Skills. The Body of Evidence is stored on Google Drive.

Evidence: An object or documentation created by a learner to demonstrate their learning in order to make their thinking visible and display their knowledge. Effective evidence is accurate, specific, coherent, and relevant.

Fixed Mindset: “In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success—without effort.” ( Dweck, 2015)

Flexible Pathways: any combination of high quality academic and experiential learning opportunities designed to meet one or more of the proficiency-based graduation requirements

Formative Assessment/Task: tasks that provide feedback to students and teachers about learning progress during the instructional process; results are used to inform instructional adjustments, teaching practices, and academic support

Gateway Formative Assessment: These are Formative Assessments that must be completed in order to take the Summative Assessment.

Graduation Proficiencies: the skills departments have determined will qualify a student for a high school diploma from Leland & Gray.

Growth Mindset: “In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” ( Dweck, 2015)

Habits of Learning: a student’s approach to learning, including timely task completion, preparedness, and appropriate interactions with adults and peers; this is assessed by teachers on a weekly basis and makes up 20% of a student's grade in any course. Find L&G's Habits of Learning Scales here.

Learning Objectives: the state standards are broken down into distinct skills; student-friendly language (I can statements, Students are able to...)

Performance Indicators: the standards used to assess student learning within a proficiency area or transferable skill

Personalized Learning Plan (PLP): documentation (google site or google drive) that shows individual student goals based on academic and career objectives and personal interests.

Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements (PBGRs): PBGRs are a locally developed set of content knowledge and skills connected to state standards that all students must demonstrate to graduate.

Proficiency Levels:

• 1 - Beginning: There is little evidence at this time that the student is actively progressing toward a demonstration of proficiency

• 2 - Approaching: There is evidence at this time that the student is actively progressing toward a demonstration of proficiency and the missing components are identifiable

• 3 - Proficient: There is sufficient evidence (artifacts and reflections) that the student has demonstrated proficiency that is provided consistently and over time

• 4 - Distinguished: The student has provided evidence that they have extended, applied, or transferred their knowledge and understanding beyond the proficient level

Proficiency Scales: task-neutral scales that will be used to assess the acquisition of the learning objectives

Proficient: a high degree of competence or skill; expertise

Standards: the performance indicators; often derived from state or national curricula such as the Common Core or NGSS

Summative Assessment: tasks that evaluate learning achievement; results are used to record a student’s level of proficiency at a specific point in time

Transferable Skills: Life and career skills that are essential for students to master as they move through school and into college and careers. Leland & Gray's transferable skills are

• Clear & Effective Communication

• Self-Direction

• Creative & Practical Problem-Solving

• Responsible & Involved Citizenship

• Informed & Integrative Thinking