Assessment at The Project School spans the entire educational framework. The curriculum is aligned with the Indiana Academic Standards and reflects our core beliefs about how children learn best.

Advancement between grade levels will be determined on a case-by-case basis with all individuals connected to the child involved. Our calendar has four conference times built into the year to meet with families, set goals, and discuss individual student progress. Conferences are also a time for families, teachers, and students to focus on the identification of an Intensive course that best meets the needs of each child.

The Project School’s Intensives (two-week courses of study) are designed around areas of student passion, strength, and challenge. Each student will be engaged in at least one Intensive session focused on an area of strength or passion, and at least one in an area of challenge. Teachers will work collaboratively to create engaging, multiage experiences for the students. The Intensive is The Project School’s response to more traditional forms of remediation and intervention. We believe focusing on not just challenges, but also strengths, will create a more balanced approached to addressing the needs of all students. Teachers strategically use the two-week Intensive to address any critical curricular areas where there may be gaps in the project-based curriculum. Because of this proactive approach, concerns will be identified and acted upon long before the determination of advancement to the next grouping.

The Project School is committed to educating the whole child through the development of the habits of the heart, mind, and voice. We expect our students to continuously demonstrate the ability to use their hearts, minds, and voices well. Student progress will be measured through teacher and student informal and formal observations, content specific assessments, conferences, presentations, e-portfolios, norm referenced and standards-based tests, and project-based assessments.

Assessment Components

• Literacy Assessments—conferences, interviews, anecdotal records, authentic student work, Reading Miscue Inventory
• Math/Logical Assessments—Investigations assessments, formal and informal teacher created assessments, instructional rubrics
• P3 Ongoing Assessment—formal and informal teacher created assessments, instructional rubrics
• Formal Standardized Assessments—NWEA, ISTEP+
• Student Exhibitions
• Museum of Authentic Work
• The Culminating Event
• Electronic Portfolios
• Student-Led Conferences
• Project School Progress Report
• Intensives

• Each student reads, writes and computes at or above grade level within the first three years at our school.
• Each student makes no less than one year’s academic growth each year as measured by standardized tests.