The Clark Street Community School (CSCS) community members, educators, students and families developed the following goals for our graduates.
The following work has been reviewed, influenced, and advised by a range of experts from Tony Wagner, Corinne Neil (assessment expert formerly of Renaissance Learning), Steven Rippe, (charter school consultant), and Tracy Money, (Harvard School of Education).
Goals for Clark Street Community School graduates:
- understand and value the interconnectedness of people and their communities
- are invested in and capable of promoting the well being of their communities
- are producers, and critical consumers, of new knowledge.
- think critically and strategically
- solve problems creatively and collaboratively
- develop dispositions, knowledge, practices and skills that promote life-long learning and mindful civic engagement.
- practice the skills and dispositions needed to engage in a living democracy.
- use a variety of media to communicate articulately in multiple contexts
- practice reflection and self-awareness in their learning
- In order to achieve these goals the CSCS will implement the Wisconsin State Standards through core content area Essential Learner Outcomes (ELOs). Additionally, we recognize that to attain the rigor and relevance that we want requires another level of fewer, clearer and higher standards, the CSCS Essential Elements. These Elements reflect the values represented in the CSCS Vision and Mission.
In order to graduate from CSCS, a student must meet the following requirements:
1. Demonstrate proficiency in each of the Essential Learner Outcomes (ELO) in the core content areas of Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, English, Physical Education and Health (as required by the state), as well as the Arts.
- Proficiency will be defined through performance in a variety of contexts and by progression toward independence.
- Students will develop rubrics that outline wherein they need instruction, practice, feedback, or are ready to assess for proficiency.
- Assessment is completed by a team which includes the student, their advisor, and the appropriate/necessary content area specialists.
2. Demonstrate proficiency in each of the Essential Elements: Creative Problem Solving, Collaboration, Civic and Community Engagement, Inquiry and Critical Thinking, Life Long Learning, Literacy and Communication.
- Proficiency is articulated for each element within the rubric.
- Students will be assessed for growth in each element area on a semester basis.
- Assessment is completed by a team which includes the student, their advisor, and the family members.
3. Completion of a CSCS graduate capstone project that demonstrates learning over time and has authentic value to the community.
- A capstone project could be…
- An extended inquiry project
- Internship
- Entrepreneurial Experience
- Service Learning Opportunity
- The difference between the capstone project and other learning experiences at CSCS is its scope and focus on growth over time.
The CSCS graduation model provides many benefits for CSCS students, families, teachers, and community members.
- By allowing students to access ELOs directly, they have maximum flexibility in determining how and when they meet these standards.
- Giving students ownership over their graduation requirements encourages responsibility and provides an opportunity for students to learn more about themselves as learners.
- The CSCS assessment model provides the ability for CSCS learners to show specifically how and when they met proficiency in each ELO or EE, provides transparency in teaching and learning, and holds CSCS students to high standards.
- Students at CSCS regularly have the opportunity to go back to things they have learned and improve. Thus, a student's transcripts show growth and improvement over time.