Develop Process for Validating EntriesDescription
Before choosing entries for a graduation portfolio it will be necessary to review the requirements for your diploma system and review the scope of your graduation portfolio. Then consider the type and number of tasks needed to create a graduation portfolio and review your current curriculum for existing appropriate tasks before developing or adopting new ones.
Things to Consider
The collection of entries in a graduation portfolio should represent the school's Expectations for Student Learning and contain evidence of proficiency in the six core areas (ELA, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and technology), in applied learning, and in any other area where proficiency is required by the school or district for graduation (i.e. community service). The entries in a student's graduation portfolio must be chosen in collaboration with the student and include tasks from the student's area of special interest.
Remember that the graduation portfolio is one component of your entire assessment system and does not have to show proficiency in all required components. It is up to the district and schools to review the requirements and your specific system and determine what needs to go into the graduation portfolio.
Tools
Process for Judging Task Validity
The Rhode Island Skills Commission and its network schools developed this document. It represents one approach for assessing the validity of an assignment or common task; you may choose to adopt it or may prefer to explore other approaches. It is designed to assist task developers in assessing the validity of new tasks.
As mentioned earlier in the toolkit, there are specific guidelines for developing appropriate common tasks.
Validation Sheet for Anchor or Common Task
This validation sheet for an anchor, school-wide, or departmental task was developed by the Rhode Island Skills Commission as part of the graduation portfolio toolkit. You may use it as a model or as is. It is a guide for the minimum process that your school should adopt for school–wide tasks. Remember that not all tasks that go into a graduation portfolio will go through this type of validation.
Validation Sheet for Student Independent Task
This is an approval sheet for the validation process of a student-independent task (a task or activity that occurred outside of school) was developed by the Rhode Island Skills Commission. You may use it as a model or as is. Remember that not all tasks that go into a graduation portfolio will go through this type of validation procedure; some of the entries should undergo an anchor or common task validation process.
Teacher Classroom Task Sheet
This document is a template for a classroom task developed by Coventry High School. This blank template can be used by teachers to help them create and administer tasks in their classroom that are aligned to appropriate standards, rigorous, and have appropriate opportunities for fair assessment and revision. Schools may use this template, as is, or may adapt it to meet the needs of their system
