The project emphasizes procedural or factual learning.

Student work demonstrates little growth or progress over time.

Student work samples look very similar to one another, suggesting one size fits all teaching and learning.

The project is related to understanding the "why" behind some concepts and processes. Still, most learning involves factual information.

Students show an ability to compare and contrast data and concepts, with some degree of creativity and originality.

Student work demonstrates consistent growth over time.

The project consistently engages students with complex, important content that connects one or more academic disciplines to learning about place.

Student work reveals significant, deep learning that is sustained over time.

Student work samples display their ability to analyze, synthesize, organize, or apply knowledge in novel situations, resulting in unique responses in which they draw reasoned inferences or make well-supported predictions.

Students show a willingness to participate in the project, but may lack an understanding of its importance or purpose.

Adults direct all the processes for managing information, time, resources, and people involved in the project.

Students have an important role in the creation and design of the project.

Students are starting to assume decision-making roles in getting the work done, and are learning more skills to assist in this.

Students demonstrate ownership, passion, and commitment to the project by initiating, designing, and sustaining an aspect of the project on their own.

Students have a substantive role in all aspects of decision making for the project, and the skills to manage the work effectively.

The project provides one or two opportunities for students to engage in inquiry or investigation.

The project provides numerous learning opportunities that engage students in problem solving, direct investigation, inquiry and analysis of data.

Problem-posing and problem-solving, direct investigation, inquiry, and data analysis are seamlessly interwoven into the project’s activities.

The project establishes learning goals that are moderately challenging for some students and not so challenging for others.

Learning goals for students may be inconsistent or unclear.

Learning goals do not relate to state or local standards in significant ways.

The project establishes learning goals that are moderately challenging to most students.

Learning goals are generally clear and understood by most participants.

Learning goals are loosely related to state or local standards, where appropriate.

The project establishes academically appropriate learning goals that are challenging and interesting to all students.

Learning goals are clearly articulated, understood by all participants, and are revised as needed.

Learning goals meet and exceed state or local standards, where appropriate.

Some aspects of the instructional materials address students’ interests and engage some students in meaningful learning.

Materials seldom relate to the learning goals of the project.

Most students require ample direction from teachers or community members to determine where and how to get basic information for the project.

Materials are partially related to the project’s learning goals.

The project holds out some expectations for students to become independent thinkers, under close guidance from adults.

Instructional materials are designed to reflect individual students’ interests and developmental needs, and engage most students in meaningful learning.I

Instructional materials are differentiated to reflect individual students’ interest and developmental needs, and engage all students in meaningful learning.

Materials directly relate to the learning goals of the project.

The project expects and supports students to become independent thinkers who define problems of interest and actively pursue their own solutions.

The project does not make clear the particular community issue that it’s addressing.

The impact of the work has had little or no effect on the community.

The project addresses an aspect of community life or culture.

The impact of the work is primarily on students’ learning; community impacts are less obvious.

The project addresses a real community need or interest in a sustained and meaningful way.

The work has had a measurable, positive impact and adds to the well-being of the entire community.

Students are not seen as having a role in community affairs except for that of student.

Students’ work in the project shows that they are beginning to try out roles that are more typically held by adults.

Students’ work in the project demonstrates that they are taking on meaningful roles in the community.

Both students and adults see students as having an important role to play in community affairs.

Students’ work in the project demonstrates that they assume meaningful, essential roles in the community over sustained periods.

Both students and adults see students as having authority and responsibility in the community.

Student work results in products that illustrate what they have learned, but these results would not be of interest outside of the school setting.

Student work results in a product, service, or creation that has personal and social value outside the school setting.

Student results and products are routinely used in the community and are published, patented, or distributed to a wide audience within the community and possibly beyond.

The project provides students with information about their community.

The project encourages students to appreciate where they live, though its actual effect on students’ appreciation is not clear.

Through the project, many of the participating students have developed a greater appreciation for where they live.

The project provides multiple opportunities for students to develop understanding of their place, including issues and problems faced by their community.

The project extends most students’ appreciation of where they live.

Students can clearly articulate meaningful connections between local and global issues and discuss implications for their community.

Students and community members are beginning to discuss the project’s learning criteria.

Assessment criteria inconsistently relate to the learning goals of the project.

Teachers are beginning to encourage students to reflect on their work.

Student reflection is strongly encouraged and guided by teachers or community members.

Students, along with teachers and community members, define the assessment criteria and use the criteria to assess student learning.

Assessment criteria relate to the learning goals of the project and promote continued student growth.

Students, teachers, and community members are involved in every step of defining the project’s learning criteria and use the criteria to regularly assess student learning.

Assessment criteria directly relate to the learning goals of the project and promote continued student growth.

Ongoing student, teacher, and community member reflections are integrated into the learning process, and these reflections serve as the basis for changes and planning, both at the individual level and at the project level.

For the most part, student learning is assessed using short answer or multiple choice quizzes and tests made by teachers or provided by the district or state.

Teachers are beginning to try out a greater variety of assessment tools, both informal and formal, in evaluating student learning.

Performance-based efforts, such as exhibitions or portfolios, are routinely integrated into a wide range of formal and informal assessment strategies, selected according to learning goals and instructional needs.

Information from assessment data is primarily used to grade students.

Information from a variety of assessments is used to plan and modify learning activities, discern student needs, and support achievement.

Regular, deep analysis of ongoing assessment and evaluation data is used to plan and modify learning activities, discern class and individual student needs, and extend student achievement.