Progress Card Examples | Goal Card | Goal Card Rubric

The Plainfield Academy Progress Card represents a philosophical departure towards the assessment of student progress. Our progress card system is based on extensive research and application conducted by educator Tricia Wells. Tricia Wells, M.Ed. has over 30 years experience as a classroom teacher, special education consultant and supervisor, assistant principal, and staff developer. She has supervised programs for students with behavior disorders; was assistant principal and director of education training at Boys Town, Nebraska; worked as a consultant for the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs; and directed the Iowa Behavioral Initiative, one of the first statewide initiatives for positive discipline.

No longer is student behavior and academics mutually exclusive. Students are assessed on a moment to moment to basis through the use of our progress card system. Positive and negative behaviors are recorded real time by the student and praised or corrected at the moment of occurrence. The teacher student relationship is essential for these moments of learning. Teachers help students to understand those behaviors which are valued, along with revealing the rationales to why certain behaviors are negative and counterproductive to not only the learning environment, but current/future societal situations, and environments.

The progress card currently represents 50% of a students grade. The purpose of weighting their academic grade with a behavior grade is to help students to understand that in the work place and future environments their attitudes and behaviors will shape their employment and relationships with others.

A student receives an assessment based on a 1 – 5 scale as defined by the following rubric:

The"delta" described in the above rubric is a mark on the students card which notes an area in which the student needs improvement.  While the language of the rubric may seem foreign, it is a language that our students and staff understand and use to communicate.  This form of assessment keeps our students accountable.  Students and teachers can see a break down of their entire day by simply looking at the progress card.

At the end of the day each student meets with their homeroom teacher and debriefs their day.  Student and teacher discuss difficulties and challenges; they work together to replace the accomplished goals with new goals.  It is essential that our students keep reaching for greater successes.  


Example Progress Card Front/Back - Click here to download

Goal Card

The Plainfield Academy Goal Card represents the ability of a student to consistently demonstrate appropriate behaviors consistent with our program.  These students have developed social skills which allow them to be successful in the academic environment. Students who believe they are eligible for the Goal Card will take a Goal Card Eligibility form to his/her classes and have the teacher give them their specific grades. When a student is deemed eligible for the goal card their day is no longer assessed 50% behavior and 50% academic, they shift to an all academic assessment.  In the future, students at Plainfield Academy may elect to receive letter grades on their transcripts if they spend the required amount of time on the Goal Card.  For many of our students the opportunity to receive a G.P.A. is a motivating factor, as most universities and colleges typically look at this ranking in a determination of entrance into their school.  The Goal Card is another way Plainfield Academy is motivating students to understand the value of right thinking and right actions equaling positive outcomes.

Goal Card Rubric

• 30 days of no referrals
• Less than 3 delta marks per day for 30 days
• Minimum grade in each class of 70%
• Attendance of 90%
• Work completion of 90%

Example Goal Card - Click image to download: