Commitment 5: Students have multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency.

At Grain Valley Schools, we believe the core purpose of education is learning—and learning happens at different rates and in different ways for every student. That’s why we are committed to providing multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do. This approach supports a growth mindset and emphasizes learning over compliance or one-time performance.

• Learning Looks Different for Every Student: We recognize that students may need different types of support and flexible timeframes to reach proficiency. Our goal is to honor the learning process by allowing students to show mastery in a variety of ways over time.
• Ongoing Learning and Integration: Teachers design instruction to build on prior knowledge and incorporate past learning into new content. This approach naturally creates repeated chances for students to demonstrate their skills and understanding as they progress through the curriculum.
• Teaching for Growth, Not Just Grades: Instruction is guided by clear learning targets and proficiency scales. Teachers provide ungraded practice, offer meaningful feedback throughout the learning process, and focus on where students are going—not just where they’ve been. This feedback loop helps students take ownership of their learning and work toward mastery
  
  

In mastery-based classrooms, the focus shifts from “How many points did I earn?” to “What have I learned, and what do I still need to work on?” This mindset supports deeper understanding, meaningful growth, and long-term academic success.