Vision-Aligned Policies Impacting the School Site
The learning environment operates within a policy context that is conducive to both learning and demonstration of mastery that happen flexibly in a variety of times, places, and customized conditions.
a. Learners have flexibility regarding where and when they learn, demonstrate mastery, and earn credit (through freedom from seat-time and “line of sight” requirements or other workaround).
b. Schools can provide flexible, on-demand interim and summative testing (which may require loosening policies requiring end-of-course assessments).
c. Scheduling and staffing can be flexible (via class-size policy changes, merging classes, or using creative staffing measures).
d. Innovative staffing models create flexibility for professional development days beyond the district’s typical allocation (via repurposing site-level professional development, securing funds to enable the additional professional development days, or making changes to collective bargaining agreements).
e. Educator, coach, and site leader evaluation systems and policies are aligned to the vision for personalized learning.
f. Grading policy is representative of understanding of material versus the timeliness of completion.
g. Schools are able to take full advantage of digital tools (via data-privacy and technology use policies at the district, state, and federal level).
h. Athletics eligibility is based on adequate academic progress in a mastery-based grading environment (via athlete eligibility policies).