Mastery-Based Grading

As a Galileo scholar, learners will not earn the traditional grades (A, B, C, D, F) but will show student agency by taking an active role in their learning to move from the Initial Mastery level in a subject to the Mastery or Advanced Mastery level. This is where drive, risk-taking, study skills, collaboration with others, and active engagement in the learning process will help learners achieve their academic goals.

Galileo Prep is a mastery-based school and honors a growth mindset. Each learner has a personalized learning plan and we do not grade using a traditional scale.  We provide opportunities for each learner to continue advancing in mastery of skills and standards until Advanced Mastery is met.

At Galileo, having a growth-mindset means that our students will be given input from teachers, advisors, and even experts in the community, so they can grow in their intellectual and personal capabilities and talents.  Feedback and positive criticism are viewed as opportunities for growth and not mastering a subject or a specific task are also opportunities for growth with the help and guidance from others.

We have the following levels for assessing student mastery:

• Advanced Mastery
• Mastery
• Initial Mastery
• Non-Mastery

Growth Mindset: Even though I scored an 80 on the pretest, I am confident I will score higher on the actual test because I’ve reworked all of the problems, and I met with my teacher three times this week for reteaching. I understand the problems I initially missed and am excited to improve.