Textbooks no longer dictate instruction-students do. At the core of the effort are 10 standard areas based on academic and character development. All students must progress through specified levels of development in each standard area. The goal of the Chugach Model is for students to be able to apply skills in new and unpredictable situations long after they leave the school system. Three types of assessments ensure that students meet requirements.
Instruction is individualized and self-paced.
All students must meet the same standards, but how they meet the standards or how long it takes isn't as important as truly meeting them. The performance standards are set in a manner which ensures that once met, learning expectations are exceeded at the district and state levels. The district has found that when given clear expectations, a defined route for achievement, and the responsibility for learning, all students are capable of meeting high standards. Traditional report cards have been replaced with a developmental report card that takes parents, students, and teachers through the expected competency levels step by step. All classes are multiage groupings that allow children to work at their own pace.