You are here
Graduation Guidelines - Capstone
Capstone Project
- include a portfolio of the student’s best work ─curriculum or research-based;
- feature a set of experiments organized around a central problem; and/or
- showcase a community service project or learning activity.
A portfolio is a purposeful collection of student work that exhibits effort, progress and achievement over time and against a set of clearly defined outcomes. Portfolios include collections of work that demonstrate evidence of:
- work in progress, including documentation of ICAP
- content knowledge or skills, including Career and Technical Education (CTE) competencies
- workforce readiness (i.e., skills in problem solving, adaptability or ability to collaborate)
- college readiness (i.e. applications, letters of recommendation, test scores)
News and Updates
Sign up for a Capstone Workshop!
At the request of educators across the state, CDE convened a 40-person stakeholder group to draft the Colorado Capstone Implementation Criteria intended to guide the development and implementation of capstone processes for students seeking to use this option for Graduation Guidelines purposes.
Join your school and district peers to learn about and apply these capstone criteria. Take away concrete next steps and resources.
- Southwest, Oct 17, Durango
- Northwest and Mountain West, Oct 28, Glenwood Springs
- Southeast - Nov 14, Lamar
- North Central and Northeast - Dec 12, Greeley
- Denver Metro Area - Jan 28, Denver
- Pikes Peak Region - Feb 6, Colorado Springs
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., lunch provided
If you are interested in receiving updates on this work, engaging in related professional learning opportunities, or participating in pilot efforts, please reach out to Robin Russel or Angela Landrum for more information.
New Case Study Research Report
CDE partnered with The Center for Assessment, Design, Research and Evaluation (CADRE) at the University of Colorado Boulder to study the implementation of Capstones and Performance Assessments. This multi-year, multi-site case study documents what has been learned from Colorado schools that have used capstone and performance assessments Pl to establish relevant learning experiences for students and to evaluate student postsecondary and workforce readiness knowledge and skills.
Implementation Strategies and Promising Practices
Students with IEPs
Access information and resources from the Capstone Workshop for Students with IEPs (Oct 2021) including an in-depth conversation about developing a Capstone process that includes all students, and a focus on how to include students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
- Recording & Videos
- Slides, Resources & Practices, including:
- Jeffco Schools: Graduation Capstone Essentials
Consider other practices:
- Denver Public Schools, ACE Connect Career Capstone
English Learners
In a recent update to the Menu of Options (October 2021), “English” and “Math” were more clearly defined as, “Reading, Writing, and Communicating” and “Mathematics." Because accommodations for Graduation Guidelines for English learners are locally determined, districts and LEPs have chosen to outline specific accommodations in policy and/or in students’ ICAPs, IEPs, and other formal plans. Some of the examples of EL accommodations include:
- ACT Workeys in Spanish
- AP assessment scores from AP Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, and Spanish
- Concurrent Enrollment passing scores for world languages
- Capstone portfolios or presentations in native languages
- Jeffco Schools - ELL Grad Capstone Considerations and Best Practices
- Roaring Fork Schools: Proposal Rubric ELL Levels 1 & 2
The guidelines for English Learners on state assessments are determined by federal rules under the U.S. Department of Education.
Implementation Strategies and Promising Practices, 2015-2024
Animas High School, Durango
- Senior Project
- Career And College Prep Curriculum
- LINKS: Leading INTERNSHIPS for New Knowledge
- Business Education Connection, in a collaborative role with local schools
Canon City High School, Canon City
- Pathways Program: Website and Handbook (pdf)
- Professional and Internship Community Experience Handbook
Capstone Symposium, Nov 6, 2018, hosted by Roaring Fork Schools
Capstone Workgroup (2015)
- Capstone Guidebook (2015)
Center High School
District 49
- Digital Portfolios (PWR Practices website, CDE)
- Website
- Student Portfolio "Cheat Sheet" and Building Portfolios
Denver Public Schools
Garfield 16, Parachute
Green Mountain High School, Lakewood
Gunnison Schools
Lonestar Schools
- Adulting 101 (brochure)
- Presentation and video at a PWR Symposium (2022)
North Park High School, Walden
- Senior Project: Website
- Senior Capstone Project Manual
Otis School District
- The Six P's:
- Proposal, Product/Service/Fieldwork, Paper
- Portfolio, Promotional Capstone Poster, Presentation
Poudre School District, Ft Collins
Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, Ft Collins
University High School Charter, Greeley
Roaring Fork Schools, Glenwood Springs
Resources
Performance Outcomes
Asia Society has developed a series of tools to clarify global competency goals, and help students and teachers document the contribution toward achieving those goals. For each subject area and for global leadership, they provide a rationale and series of tools to show what students need to know and be able to do. A rubric lists specific evidence students demonstrate as they progress towards global competency. This is a tool for students and teachers alike. Download these tools for free.
Advisory
- Book: How to Design an Advisory System for a Secondary School by Mark F. Goldberg. Available at ASCD.
- Changing Systems to Personalize Learning: The Power of Advisories
Rubrics
- "On Rubrics and Models, Part 2: A Dialogue" | Grant Wiggins
- Designing Rubrics (Video)
- Assessment for learning as background knowledge to inform rubric design
- Tame the Beast: Tips for designing and using rubrics, Andrew Miller
Portfolio Defense
Service Learning
- Engaged For Success: Service-Learning for Dropout Prevention(PDF)
- Colorado Service-Learning Council
- What is Service-Learning - Edutopia
Capstone Work Group (2014)
-
Implementation Guidebook is divided into the following sections:
Connect With Us