Many successful models for graduation portfolios exist within Rhode Island, regionally, and nationally. Most schools or organizations with successful models have Web sites that contain examples, handbooks, and materials that can be reviewed and revised to meet specific state and local criteria. Districts or schools using portfolio assessments can often be visited to learn how portfolio assessments are implemented.

Things to Consider

Some Rhode Island high schools have received funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Grant to serve as pilot sites for portfolios. They are in various stages of implementing their portfolio systems and have provided some of the tools included in this toolkit. The names of the model schools are provided in the toolkit and should be contacted for visits or information about the processes they used for planning and implementing their systems. The 2004-2005 pilot sites were as follows:

• Chariho High School
  http://www.chariho.k12.ri.us/chs/
• Cranston High School East
  http://www.cps.k12.ri.us/~chse/
• Scituate High School
  http://www.scituateri.net/SHS/
• Woonsocket Career and Technical Center
  http://www.wactc.wo.k12.ri.us/home.html