The Opportunity to Pursue their Dreams

How Rigorous Instruction Prepares Students for Postsecondary Success at the Pioneer Charter School of Science II

The Pioneer Charter School of Science II —winner of the 2021 Pozen Prize for Innovative Schools—was founded out of a deep belief that all students can achieve academic excellence and become successful professionals in today’s competitive world. Since the school received its charter in 2013, it has regularly outperformed state averages in standardized test scores and graduation rates. The school's graduates have gone on to succeed at some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher education. This case study explores how Pioneer educators empower students to set ambitious college and career goals, provide rigorous instruction to make students’ goals a reality, and offer individualized support to ensure that every student has the tools to succeed in a demanding environment.

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Rethinking Grading

March 28, 2024

Schools have assessed student learning and growth with essentially the same grading system for more than a century. Since this system was created, the field has learned so much more about the way students learn, the systemic inequities embedded in the design of traditional grading and assessment, and what type of learning leads to success in life. Grading should be aligned with what we know about the learning process, child and adolescent development, and the demands of career, college, and community life. But traditional grading is so deeply ingrained in our culture, that making changes to this system can seem like an insurmountable task. That’s why we partnered with DESE and reDesign to support five unique high schools as they interrogate their traditional grading practices and make shifts toward new systems that better measure student learning and growth.