Designing an Assessment Plan That Reflects What Matters Most

Module 1: Getting Started with Assessment
Designing Your Microschool Assessment Approach
Module 2: The Purpose of Assessment
Rethinking Assessment: A Tool for Growth and Empowerment
Assessment as an Ongoing Practice
Module 3: Collecting Evidence
From Snapshots to Stories: Gathering Meaningful Evidence
Module 4: Artifacts Collected Through Project-Based Learning
Portfolio Evidence and the Student Success Framework
Module 5: Academic Skills
Two Kinds of Academic Outcomes
Assessment Tool 1: Rubrics
Module 6: Life Habits
Building Habits That Help Students Thrive
Assessment Tool 2: Checklists
Module 7: Purpose and Sense of Self
Reflecting on Purpose and Identity
Assessment Tool 3: Reflections
Module 8: Other Critical Outcomes
Academic Content Skills
Module 9: Helping Students Develop a Growth Mindset
Why Growth Mindset Matters
Module 10: What Comes Next?
Looking Ahead
Previous Lesson
Next Lesson

Assessment Tool 1: Rubrics

Designing an Assessment Plan That Reflects What Matters Most Assessment Tool 1: Rubrics

How the Rubric Was Used

In the sample portfolio, the Academic Skills Rubric was applied to several different artifacts:

 

  • The “Learning the Content” section was used to evaluate the Mission Log Pages and the Take Action Project—focusing on how well students understood the topic.
  • In Nicholas’ public service announcement (PSA), the rubric was used to assess not only his understanding of the content, but also his ability to build a strong argument and communicate his ideas clearly and persuasively.

Why Use Rubrics?

Rubrics help both teachers and students reflect on and track specific skills. Here are a few ways to use them effectively:

  • Identify Targets – Choose 1–3 skills to focus on at a time and set goals for growth. You don’t need to assess everything at once.
  • Assess Skills – Use the rubric to assess where a student is across all criteria, then prioritize next steps.
  • Provide Clarity – Rubrics set a clear bar. Students know what strong work looks like and what to focus on before they even begin.
  • Measure Growth – Rubrics give you a consistent way to document progress. Some use numeric scales (1–5); others, like Rock by Rock’s, use a “Rarely / Mostly / Consistently” framework.

Rubrics are especially helpful when you want to measure or score a skill, but there might not be a clear right or wrong answer, progress lies on a continuum you can clearly measure.

A Note on Complexity

Not all rubrics are created equal. More detailed rubrics allow for more nuanced feedback—but they can also be harder for students to use independently. Keep your goals in mind when deciding how complex your rubric should be.

Apply It to Your School

Open your assessment planning template and consider:

    • Which of your outcomes are focused on academics or transferable skills
    • Could any of them be assessed using the Academic Skills Rubric or a rubric like it?

NOTE: You can always modify the rubric to better align with your learners and your context. Record your decisions in your assessment plan.

Previous Lesson
Back to Course
Next Lesson
Scroll to Top