North Kansas
City Schools District
How It Works
Standards-Based Learning, or SBL, is a system that gives families a clearer picture of what students know and can do. SBL focuses on specific skills and learning goals called standards. Teachers assess progress on each standard using a common scale, helping students understand their strengths and where they can grow. The result is feedback that’s more fair, accurate, consistent, and clear.
From Standards to Grades
Every subject and lesson is built around specific learning goals, called standards. These standards describe the knowledge and skills students are expected to master and come from the Missouri Learning Standards. Teachers design lessons, classwork, and assessments directly around these goal statements, or standards.
When it’s time to report grades, the focus is on how well a student has met each standard. Instead of adding up points, the grade reflects what a student knows and can do.
The Proficiency Scale
In North Kansas City Schools, we use a proficiency scale to describe how well students are demonstrating proficiency in specific learning goals. Instead of relying on points or percentages, the scale shows the level of understanding a student has reached for each skill or concept. It gives families a clear picture of what their child knows and can do—and where they may still need support.
The scale has five levels: Proficient means students independently met the learning target for the standard. Nearing Proficient means they understand most of the related concepts and skills. Developing means they are showing understanding of simpler concepts and skills. Not Yet means that even with help, they have limited understanding so far. No Evidence means there is no demonstrated understanding or there isn’t enough evidence yet to assess learning. This approach helps students see learning as a journey and gives teachers and families a shared language for discussing progress.
Every teacher and every class uses the same scale, making grades more consistent and easy to understand. The only differences start at sixth grade, when students begin to receive letter grades along with feedback on the proficiency scale.
Feedback & Grading
As students build new skills, they have many opportunities to practice, get feedback, and improve. Rather than averaging every score, teachers look at the work that shows each student’s most consistent and most recent level of understanding. This gives a more accurate picture of where a student is in their learning journey.
For example, a student may begin a unit still developing their skills, then move to nearing proficient, and eventually reach proficient by the end. The grade reflects that final level of understanding, showing the progress they made, not penalizing them for the early missteps along the way.
Students at the elementary level will receive grades of NE, NY, DEV, NP, or P. At sixth grade and beyond, students will use the same scale but will also receive a corresponding letter grade.
In NKC Schools, the purpose of grading is to use evidence to communicate the most recent progress toward proficiency in specific learning standards. Effective feedback guides student growth to empower them as agents of their own learning.