‘Proficiency Days’ Are a Great Way to End the School Year

As the final weeks of the semester approach, a familiar end-of-year scene unfolds in high schools: Students are mentally checked out or scrambling to pull up their grades, teachers are juggling late submissions or pleas for extra credit, and administrators are fielding concerns about missing assessments and last-minute grading disputes. 

This approach to the end of the year creates a stressful environment, undermining the chance for genuine learning opportunities. Instead of the end feeling caught in an academic whirlwind, what if we flipped this narrative? What if, instead of being caught in the end-of-the-year sprint to the finish line, we used the final days to reinforce student learning, encourage proficiency of skills and content, and provide meaningful opportunities for reassessment? 

We launched “Proficiency Days” in Fargo Public Schools with a simple but transformative goal: to give students structured time at the end of each semester for academic recovery, reassessment, and enrichment. But making that vision work across three comprehensive high schools required more than a good idea—it required planning, clarity, and buy-in.

Creating a Structure for Proficiency Days

The conversation began with facilitators trying to identify that traditional end-of-year practices did not support our transition to implement grading reform. With the conversation being brought to building principals, we recognized the need for intentional opportunities for students to turn in missing assessments and pass a course. These conversations led to the Proficiency Days model.

Here’s how we made Proficiency Days work:

Setting clear parameters and purpose: We repurposed the final two school days of each semester. Our parameters were clear:

• Students with no missing summative assessments or failing grades earned these days off. 
• Students needing academic support would attend structured sessions in classes where they had missing work or needed reassessment. 
• Students who were on the edge of a letter grade could retake an assessment to improve their letter grade. 

To help make the plan clear to students and parents, we shared early communications explaining the expectations and purpose of Proficiency Days. This clarity helped reduce confusion and build support. We knew teachers needed structure, not just suggestions. We provided them with the following to ease the transition:

Instructions for identifying and flagging students. Teachers were given clear guidelines on how to identify students who needed to attend and which courses needed recovery (e.g., missing assignments, failing grades, specific interventions). 

Communication guidelines. Teachers were provided guidelines for notifying families about student status, attendance, and expectations. This helped maintain consistent communication and transparency across the district, to parents, and to students. 

Sample agendas and intervention schedules. To make time effective, teachers were given sample agendas and an invention schedule that outlined how the time could be used, such as time blocks for reassessment or skill-based interventions. 

PLC time for planning. Teachers needed professional learning community time to talk about reassessment options and collaboratively design reassessments. This time ensured that the structured days were common across teachers within a PLC and effectively tailored to student needs. 

Importantly, teachers have autonomy within their PLCs. For example, in an English language arts PLC, one classroom hosted students to make up missed speeches, while another focused on writing reassessments. A social studies PLC decided to let students make corrections to a semester-long project. In math, the PLC decided that students could reassess on multiple smaller assessments within the structured time.

This flexibility allows time to be used intentionally and aligned to course-specific needs, avoiding a one-size fits all model.

Managing buy-in: Initially, some skepticism surfaced. Teachers wondered if this was just another thing on their plates. Would this create more work? Would students take these days seriously? We found that teacher buy-in hinged on two things: clear expectations and visible impact. 

To successfully help create buy-in, focus on the benefits that align with the school district’s values and priorities. Proficiency Days emphasize the positive impact on students by giving students one last chance to recover, reassess, and demonstrate proficiency of standards, which supports student success and fosters a growth mindset. The initiative allows students to take ownership in their learning to pass a course or increase a letter grade.

To reduce stress, the implementation must be clear and communicated efficiently to teachers. It is important to address questions and concerns, allowing time to problem-solve with teachers, giving voice to all. Recognition and ongoing support will ensure continued buy-in and success, making Proficiency Days a focus for student success at the end of the year. It is critical to collect data and communicate the results, using the data to not only showcase the visible impact of Proficiency Days but also use the data to reflect, revise, and improve the system.

Ensuring Success

First, teachers began to think of ways to communicate clear expectations around the new policy. Many teachers began embedding formative grade check-ins, student reflections, and proficiency self-assessments into their units. One teacher reflected, “I used grade checks throughout the semester to encourage students to reflect on their proficiency levels and write reflections on their success criteria. This helped them to be more accountable within the semester rather than just at the end.” Another shared, “Students wanted to be proficient the first time around, so they were rewarded with the last two days off of the semester.” 

After just one semester across three comprehensive high schools, the results showed an impact. There was a 41 percent reduction in missing summative assessments and a 55 percent reduction in failing grades, and over 1,500 students attended the Proficiency Days to participate in voluntary reassessment. 

By repurposing the final days into Proficiency Days, we created a system that rewards continuous effort, prioritizes support over punishment, and gives students a meaningful chance to grow. As you rethink the end of the year, you can make those last few days count.