At Trillium, grades are designed to describe learning, not to rank students or penalize differences in pace. Our students are twice-exceptional (2e) learners, which means their development is often uneven and highly individualized. For this reason, our grading system focuses on current mastery and growth over time, rather than averaging performance or emphasizing compliance.
Academic learning is described using a developmental proficiency scale (Emerging, Developing, Applying, Transcending). These proficiency levels show how learning is progressing over time and help identify strengths, growth areas, and next steps. When letter grades are required, proficiency levels are translated into letter grades using clear, consistent criteria. Academic grades at Trillium are determined using a teacher’s professional judgment of a student’s current level of mastery, based on the most recent and most meaningful evidence of learning. Teachers consider multiple demonstrations of understanding—such as projects, assessments, discussions, and revisions—and place greater weight on later evidence than on early attempts. Grades are not calculated by averaging points or scores and are not lowered by organization, behavior, or effort.
It is also important to note that academic grades reflect academic learning only. Executive Function skills (such as organization and time management) and Social-Emotional Learning (such as self-awareness and collaboration) are essential to student success and are reported separately through narrative feedback. They do not lower academic grades but can impact a student’s ability to perform academically, and feedback is provided to support students in making the connection between the three domains.
