Dive Brief:

• Maine’s eighth-graders are the first students in the state who will be held to proficiency-based academic standards, District Administration reports.

• Under a 2012 state law, students will need to demonstrate proficiency in English, math, science and social studies in order to receive a high school diploma.

• Content specialists from the Maine Department of Education will support school districts in making the shift, which includes a greater emphasis on personalized learning 

Dive Insight:

Moving away from letter grades, which many educators say don’t really provide information on what students know and are able to do, school districts across the country — and now some states — have increasingly adopted proficiency- or standards-based grading practices. The model, which communicates the specific skills that students can demonstrate, is also referred to as competency-based grading.

In New York City, for example, 40 schools are implementing such a model, with some working with an organization called Mastery Collaborative, which helps schools make the shift toward what is sometimes viewed as a time-consuming approach to grading. Some critics argue that not all learning can be boiled down into a skill, but proficiency-based grading is gaining popularity in part because blended learning models allow students to move at an individual pace and spend more time on areas where they are struggling.

A 2015 report from Hanover Research on standards-based grading recommends that districts spend time informing parents about the new approach and provide follow-up support to teachers following the initial implementation. The document also provides detailed examples from districts that have used the approach.