Curriculum + Grading
Learning that grows
At Salt Lake Arts Academy, achievement is about much more than a test score or a grade. Our approach helps students see where they are in their learning, and what it takes to grow.
Our Approach to Grading
Middle school is a time when students grow in self-awareness and discover many pathways to success. That’s why we look at achievement through three lenses:
- Proficiency in Core Standards: the foundational skills and concepts that lead to mastery.
- PEPR: habits of mind that lead to success in life: Preparation, Effort, Participation, and Risk-taking.
- CAB: actions that support achievement: Cooperation, Attitude, and Behavior.
Grades shouldn’t feel like something adults do to students. They’re a snapshot of where a student is on their learning journey. Our Performance Assessment Rubric shows students the entire path, so they can see where they are and what they need to do to move forward.
Getting 100% on a multiple-choice test is very different from writing an essay that draws on several primary sources, or creating an original project that teaches how photosynthesis works. Our assessments measure the depth and complexity of what students can do. Teachers design learning that builds from remembering and understanding to applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating, following Bloom’s Taxonomy.
Our rubric uses the same scale as Utah’s end-of-year tests: 2 is approaching proficiency, 3 is proficient, and 4 is highly proficient.
Read through the rubric with your student. Talk about where their work, effort, and attitude place them, and what they can do to reach the next level. And remind them that every learning journey is unique.
Curriculum Guide
Curious what your student will learn this year? Our 2026–27 Curriculum Guide outlines what students study in each subject and grade.
Conferences
Twice a year, students, parents / guardians, and teachers come together to celebrate growth and set goals, including our signature Student-Led Conferences, where students present their own portfolio of work.
Learn About Conferences