High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction

Students Rubric

Individual Version

Facilitation Guides:
Students who cannot work independently (opens in new tab) | Students who can work independently (opens in new tab) 

A learning environment with High Expectations and Rigorous Instruction is academically and intellectually challenging and prepares and empowers students to engage in critical reasoning and independent learning.

Instructions: Use the guiding questions below to estimate where your school or classes are overall on the progression. Be candid – all responses are combined together so that individual responses are never identified. We recommend spending about 20 minutes completing the rubric. Your ratings and comments will not be saved until you click SUBMIT at the bottom of the page. 

Progression of Engagement

Exploring

Cultural Responsiveness (CR) is in its initial phase

Growing

CR is practiced in some situations

Utilizing

CR is practiced in most situations

Transforming

CR is continuously practiced and promoted

Commitments

The extent of stakeholder dedication to culturally responsive practices across the school experience

Commitments

School holds High Expectations for All Students

Guiding Questions:

Do my teachers have different expectations for different students? How do they communicate and uphold their beliefs?
Exploring

My teachers have different expectations for different students.

Growing

My teachers have different expectations for a group of students.

Utilizing

My teachers have high expectations for all students.

Transforming

My teachers have high expectations for all students, and they consistently uphold these expectations in their words and actions.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

Instruction is Differentiated to Meet Varied Student Needs

Guiding Questions:

How much do my teachers make adjustments to my school work based on my ability level and learning style? Do the adjustments they make help all of my classmates?
Exploring

My teachers assign mostly the same work to all students.

Growing

My teachers sometimes make adjustments (1-2 times per curricular unit) to my work based on my ability level and learning style.

Utilizing

My teachers regularly make adjustments (on a weekly basis) to my work based on my ability level and learning style.

Transforming

My teachers regularly make adjustments (on a weekly basis) to my work based on my ability level and learning style and make special efforts to make adjustments that meet the needs of all my classmates.

Selected Rating: None
Commitments

Ideas about Equity are Incorporated into Classroom Lessons

Guiding Questions:

In what ways am I able to discuss ideas of fairness and as part of my class lessons? How much am I able to use what I learn about fairness and justice to make positive changes in classes, at school, or in my daily life?
Exploring

I rarely (about 1-2 times per year) learn about fairness and justice in class.

Growing

I sometimes (about monthly) learn about fairness and justice in class.

Utilizing

I regularly (about weekly) learn about fairness and justice in class and why they matter.

Transforming

I regularly (about weekly) learn about fairness and justice in class and why they matter, and I use what I learn to make positive change.

Selected Rating: None

Empowerment

School practices include all stakeholder voices

Empowerment

All Students Participate in Class

Guiding Questions:

How many of my classmates feel comfortable and motivated to participate in classes? How do my teachers encourage and support participation from all students?
Exploring

My teachers rarely encourage me to participate in class.

Growing

My teachers sometimes encourage me to participate in class.

Utilizing

My teachers make multiple efforts to encourage all students, including myself, to participate in class.

Transforming

I am comfortable and motivated to participate in class, regardless of my teachers' involvement.

Selected Rating: None
Empowerment

Teachers seek Lesson/Learning Activity Input & Feedback from Students

Guiding Questions:

How often am I able to share my opinions about class lessons? Do I notice that teachers change lessons based on my feedback?
Exploring

I have few opportunities (around once per year) to share my opinions about my lessons with my teachers.

Growing

I have some opportunities (about 3-4 times per year) to share my opinions about my lessons with my teachers to improve later lessons.

Utilizing

I have frequent opportunities (about monthly) to share my opinions about my lessons with my teachers to improve later lessons.

Transforming

I have frequent opportunities (about monthly) to share my opinions about my lessons with my teachers, and I can see the influence of my feedback in later lessons.

Selected Rating: None
Empowerment

Teachers Hold High Beliefs About Student Capability

Guiding Questions:

Do my teachers believe that all students are capable of succeeding in school? How do they show us that they believe in us?
Exploring

My teachers believe that only some of my classmates can succeed in school.

Growing

My teachers believe that most of my classmates can succeed in school.

Utilizing

My teachers believe that most of my classmates can succeed in school, and they show us they believe in us sometimes.

Transforming

My teachers believe that all of my classmates, including myself, can succeed in school and show me they believe in me daily.

Selected Rating: None

Relationships

The quality of connections amongst school community members

Relationships

Adults Develop Strong Relationships with Students

Guiding Questions:

To what extent do I have relationships with my teachers? How comfortable am I in asking for their help with academic and personal challenges?
Exploring

My teachers rarely make much effort to build a relationship with me.

Growing

My teachers sometimes build a relationship with me to improve my learning.

Utilizing

My teachers regularly build a relationship with me to improve my learning and I feel comfortable asking for help on academic challenges.

Transforming

My teachers regularly build a relationship with me to improve my learning and I feel comfortable asking for help on both academic and personal challenges.

Selected Rating: None

Collaboration

The extent of cooperation between and amongst stakeholders

Collaboration

Teachers and Students Collaborate to Develop Class Rules & Expectations

Guiding Questions:

How much do I work together with my teachers to set the rules and expectations for my classrooms?
Exploring

My teachers have few conversations (about 1-2 times per year) with me about the rules.

Growing

My teachers have some conversations (about monthly) with me about the class rules.

Utilizing

My teachers have ongoing conversations (about weekly) with me about the class rules, and my classmates and I feel empowered to create and uphold the rules in the classroom with other students.

Transforming

My teachers have ongoing conversations (about weekly) with me about the class rules, and my teachers shift power to my classmates and me in creating and upholding the rules, which forms a more engaging classroom.

Selected Rating: None
Collaboration

Students Share Responsibility for Learning

Guiding Questions:

How much of my learning is my teacher's responsibility or my own responsibility?
Exploring

Most of the time, my teachers are the only ones responsible for my learning.

Growing

My teachers are mostly responsible for my learning.

Utilizing

I consistently share responsibility for my learning with my teachers.

Transforming

I am responsible for my learning, and my teachers support me.

Selected Rating: None

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