I would like to know if there is an Exceed option in place for each standard?

Answer:
This is a great question and it gets to the issue of challenging all students to excel.  It's a question that has been answered in the Frequently Asked Questions section of our Proficiency-Based Learning Guide for Parents.  An excerpt from that guide is included at the end of this response.  

Several parents have expressed concern that our new system will somehow lower expectations and that the level of academic rigor will decrease.  This notion can be reinforced when students receive assignments that do not include an exceeds option.  

Teachers will continue to create rigorous and challenging assignments at both the meets and exceeds levels.  Student have the opportunity to exceed virtually all standards.  Some individual assessments however, particularly those which require recall of factual knowledge, will only be scored at the meets level.  It would be disingenuous to offer exceeds options on assessments that require simple recall of facts.  Ideally, these types of assessments, typically formative in nature, provide feedback to students that helps to prepare them for deeper learning and more complex assessments that do have options for students to exceed.   

One of the more challenging issues in this transition is that we often want to equate the exceeds option with a traditional "A".  It's somewhat instinctual and it does take time and patience to change that mindset.  

There is really no accurate or meaningful way to convert what we are doing now with the A-F grade scale. In a nutshell, teachers are clearly identifying what they want students to know and be able to do (at a high level) and they are reporting out on whether or not students can do it. Often, students are able to exceed standards, particularly with concepts that can be applied at a higher level or used in a new or novel way.

Academic rigor will always be at the forefront of what we do. We will always challenge our students at high levels regardless of our grading practices. Quite honestly, whether or not students are challenged by assignments is completely dependent on how teachers plan and deliver instruction. It has nothing to do with the grading scale.



Excerpts from the Proficiency-Based Learning Guide:

How can students “Exceed” standards?
All students should have the opportunity to excel. Providing opportunities to exceed standards is another important way to differentiate and ensure all students are challenged and continue to progress in their learning. In order to exceed a standard, students must fulfill all of the criteria at the “meets” level. Completing work at the exceeds level does not mean simply completing additional work - although it may involve more work. The nature and quality of the work must be distinct and will often be more complex. Opportunities to exceed may be embedded in an assignment or may be a separate task that is related but more challenging and/or sophisticated than what is required of all students.


Will students be given the opportunity to “exceed” on every assignment?
On some assignments, particularly on assessments of factual knowledge, students will only be able to meet the established criteria. In these cases, the nature of the standard or learning target does not allow for the exceed option. On more complex assignments a score of “exceeds” will be possible. Indicators within assignment rubrics should define the criteria students must meet to “exceed” a standard.