Progress Monitoring

The credentialed teacher affirms the learning plan that is guided by the “I CAN Statements.” Throughout the year the teacher is supporting and ensuring student learning. With so many learning pathways, we use our “I CAN Statements” as a universal tool across all homeschool learning styles. Evidence of student learning can include:

⮚ “I CAN Statement” completion list/check sheet
⮚ A healthy and reasonable sampling of student work each learning period
⮚ Parent-Student-Teacher conversations
⮚ Cottonwood adopted curriculum/learning programs
⮚ Work Samples
⮚ Star 360 results
⮚ State Testing results

Based on a collection of student learning evidence and the professional reflection and review of that evidence, a teacher is able to gauge student progress and areas of challenge.

How do we use our professional evaluation of student progress?

Families: It is valuable to communicate the progress we see to families so they can affirm what their student has learned. Then together as a team, the parent and teacher can track and help guide decisions about future learning.

School: It is important to know how students are progressing while engaging in our academic program. Are academic program offerings effective? Do we need to target specific subject matter or grade levels to provide different support and or resources? It is important to make instructional and programmatic decisions based on justifiable and clear output.

The key, and what sets our school apart from others, is connecting teacher evaluation with parent-teacher collaboration. We need to take our professional evaluations and not just share them but use them to collaborate with the family.

Focus A – Teachers evaluate student learning and use it to help each family make decisions about their individual learning plan. Collaboration and communication!

Focus B – The professional evaluation of learning will demonstrate the success of our academic program to meet the needs of students to the state, our charter authorizers, and WASC.

How do we communicate our professional evaluation of student progress?

Teachers will need to ask each family which of the following options they would like each year. (Option B is the default if the family does not choose Option A or Option C):

Option A:
⮚ Share student progress at monthly meetings and as appropriate throughout the school year
⮚ Traditional, teacher-created Report Card generated in School Pathways at the end of each semester
⮚ Report card filed in the student’s Cumulative Record

Option B:
⮚ Share student progress at monthly meetings and as appropriate throughout the school year
⮚ Traditional, teacher-created Report Card generated in School Pathways at the end of each semester
⮚ Report card NOT filed in the student’s Cumulative Record

Option C:
⮚ Share student progress at monthly meetings and as appropriate throughout the school year
⮚ No traditional report card generated or filed in the student’s Cumulative Record

Note: Report Cards are optional for TK-8th grade, though recommended for 6th-8th graders. Report cards are required for high school.

What will we do this year to show that our academic program is effective and that we are making instructional and programmatic decisions based on justifiable and clear information?

6th – 8th Grade

A= 90-100%

B= 80-89%

C= 70-79%

D= 60-69%