Rubrics are usually used as assessment tools to measure performance. They are scoring guides that don’t depend on a numerical score. Instead, they list a full range of criteria to assess performance and they describe varying degrees of quality for each element.

A benefit of rubrics is that they provide benchmarks of progress and can help point to next steps for individuals and entire schools.

This implementation rubric helps you assess your status as a practicing professional learning community.

How Might You Use the Rubric?

You might choose to use the rubric in a range of ways. For example:

• Individual staff members complete the rubric privately and give it to a designated person or team who collate(s) responses and feed(s) these back to the staff for discussion.
• Individual staff members complete the rubric before sharing and discussing their responses with each other.
• Small groups complete the rubric together and then compare, summarize, reflect upon and discuss their responses. This could culminate in a process that identifies group differences and similarities which may pose as the catalyst for healthy dialogue.

The following documents will provide you a comprehensive PLC implementation rubric, a summary response sheet, and some questions for reflection and discussion.