Graduation Guidelines - Capstone

Capstone Project

A Capstone Project is a multifaceted body of work that is district determined and serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students. Capstone projects are district determined and could:

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)

Green Mountain HS Promising Practices Thumbnail
Green Mountain High School Academy Pathways were adopted by Canon City Schools

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.

Locations and Dates:

Northwest and Mountain West, Oct 28, Glenwood Springs - Registration Closed
Southeast - Nov 14, Lamar - Registration Closed
North Central and Northeast - Jan 22, 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

Sign up for a workshop here

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.

Exploring the Implications of the Expanded Graduation Menu Guidelines: An Evaluation of the Capstone Experience in One High School (PDF)

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.

Jeffco Schools:

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

Capstone Process

District 49

Digital Portfolios (PWR Practices website, CDE)
Website
Student Portfolio "Cheat Sheet" and Building Portfolios

Denver Public Schools

Capstone website

Garfield 16, Parachute

Senior Project

Green Mountain High School, Lakewood

Capstone website
Senior Capstone Handbook (2017-2018)
Rubric: Capstone Reflective Research Paper
Presentation Rubric

Gunnison Schools

Capstone Project

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

Capstone Project Guidelines

Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, Ft Collins

Exhibitions of Learning
- Portfolios
- Presentation of Learning

University High School Charter, Greeley

Roaring Fork Schools, Glenwood Springs

Glenwood High School students talk about
the Capstone Process in Roaring Fork Schools

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.