Empowering Students and Educators Through Student-Driven Assessment
The Challenge: Why Change Was Needed
SAU-16 sought to deepen its commitment to competency-based education (CBE) by making assessment a meaningful and empowering process for students. Traditional grading systems often left students as passive recipients of scores rather than active participants in their learning. Educators recognized a need for students to develop agency over their learning by setting goals, reflecting on progress, and leading conversations about their achievements.
SAU16 had adopted a new assessment policy to support more student-centered grading practices. A key challenge was ensuring that both elementary and secondary educators were equipped to carry out the new policy with aligned practices so students could engage in student-driven assessments in a way that was developmentally appropriate and meaningful. Educators needed support in shifting their practices, developing new structures, and gaining confidence in facilitating student-driven assessment.
School Administrative Unit 16, New Hampshire
The Challenge:
Why Change Was Needed
School Administrative Unit 16 (SAU 16) was moving toward a new assessment policy to support more student-centered grading practices. A key challenge was ensuring that both elementary and secondary educators were equipped to carry out the new policy with aligned practices so students could engage in student-driven assessments in a way that was developmentally appropriate and meaningful. Educators needed support in shifting their practices, developing new structures, and gaining confidence in facilitating student-driven assessment.
The Solution:
In partnership with 2Revolutions, SAU 16 implemented a phased approach to supporting educators in designing and embedding student-driven assessment practices. The initiative included:
Community of Practice (CoP): Monthly educator learning sessions focused on formative feedback, portfolio defense, and rubric design.
Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) & Portfolio Defenses: A structured process where students reflected on their learning, set goals, and presented to families and educators.
School-Wide Exhibitions of Learning: Students shared their work in exhibition-style formats to reinforce learning ownership.
Ongoing Coaching and Support: 2Revolutions provided training, resources, and direct coaching to help educators refine their assessment practices; while concurrently supporting the district in developing the draft policy shifts necessary to ensure that the change was sustained and aligned to district-wide policy.
Educators engaged in peer collaboration, examined exemplars, and participated in guided learning experiences to build their capacity. The structured, scaffolded approach helped both elementary and secondary schools navigate the transition.
The Impact: Measurable Results
Educators rated the experience CoP highly, with an average score of 4.5/5 for overall satisfaction; sharing this was a good use of time and meaningfully impacted their practice.
Celebrations of Learning are occurring in grades K-8 and student voice and agency is at an all time high in all schools throughout the district.
Student-led conferences are happening twice a year in grades K-5 and most parents find them rich and informative.
Next year, portfolio celebrations will take place in grades 5, 8 and 12. The focus for grade 5 is “What did you learn in your elementary experience?”, grade 8 is “what is your educational passion?” and grade 12 is “what did our schools do to prepare you for your next steps in life?”
District assessment policy has moved to enable and promote student-driven assessment.
Student Perspective:
“I now understand how to find good resources that can help me in future presentations. I can use this skill outside the classroom when I want to research something I’m interested in.”
— Middle School Student
Educator Perspective:
"Students are learning to be reflective in order to own their learning… They beamed with pride when showing their mistakes and best work, learned how to lead a meeting and communicate, and took more ownership in a finished product.”
— Curriculum Coordinator & 2nd Grade Teacher
What We Learned: Takeaways
Doing this work with an eye on both the conditions at the systems level (in this case, district assessment policy shift) and teacher practice was essential to the overall success of the work.
Shifting to student-driven assessment requires a mindset change for students, educators, and families. Continued professional development, reflection, and refinement are essential for sustained success.
The Community of Practice works best when the intervention is concrete, tangible and addresses a felt needs of the teacher in alignment with the district priorities. All the learning and the direct application supports real progress toward the goal, and the peer-to-peer collaboration strengthens the success of the work.
Celebrations of Learning are a very useful change management strategy in that teachers publicly reflect directly to their peers on their work, learning, and implementation, including successes and challenges. This provides a powerful point of entry for others.