1. DRAFT
Adapted from The Envision Schools Graduation Portfolio Handbook for Student, Teachers, and Families
in conjunction with Stanford University, 2008
Asia Society International Studies School Network
Graduation Portfolio Handbook
for Students, Teachers, and Families
2009-2010
(Version 1.5)
Please use this template to create a GPS handbook for your school
community.

2. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 2
Table of Contents
Part I: Internal Studies School Network Graduate Profile
Part II: The Graduate Portfolio and Exhibition Process
Part III: The Portfolio Assessment Process
Part IV: Appendices of Supporting Materials

3. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 3
Profile of an International Studies Schools Network (ISSN)
High School Graduate
The goal of the International Studies Schools Network (ISSN) is that every student who graduates from
an ISSN school possesses the knowledge, skills, and habits of mind necessary to succeed and contribute
in the 21st century global environment. It is a goal for each and every ISSN student; our mission is
excellence and equity in the global era. The following is a profile of the attributes we strive to develop in
each ISSN high school graduate.
ISSN graduates are Ready for College. They:
• Earn a high school diploma by completing a college-preparatory, globally focused course of study
requiring the demonstration of college level work across the curriculum
• Have the experience of achieving expertise by researching, understanding, and developing new
knowledge about a world culture or an internationally relevant issue
• Learn how to manage their own learning by identifying options, evaluating opportunities, and
organizing educational experiences that will enable them work and live in a global society
• Graduate with all options open for post-secondary education, work and service
ISSN graduates have the Knowledge Required in the Global Era. They understand:
• Mathematics as a universal way to make sense of the world, solve complex, authentic problems,
and communicate their understandings using the symbols, language, and conventions of
mathematics
• Critical scientific concepts, engage in scientific reasoning, and apply the processes of scientific
inquiry to understand the world and explore possible solutions to global problems
• How the geography of natural and man-made phenomena influences cultural development as
well as historical and contemporary world events
• The history of major world events and cultures and utilize this understanding to analyze and
interpret contemporary world issues
• Arts and literature and use them as lenses through which to view nature, society, and culture as
well as to express ideas and emotions
ISSN graduates are Skilled for Success in a Global Environment. They:
• Are “literate for the 21
st
century” – proficient in reading, writing, viewing, listening, and speaking
in English and in one or more other world languages
• Demonstrate creative and complex thinking and problem solving skills by analyzing and
producing viable solutions to problems with no known or single right answer
• Use digital media and technology to access and evaluate information from around the world and
effectively communicate, synthesize, and create new knowledge
• Make healthy decisions that enhance their physical, mental, and emotional well-being
ISSN graduates are Connected to the World. They:
• Effectively collaborate with individuals from different cultural backgrounds and seek out
opportunities for intercultural teamwork
• Analyze and evaluate global issues from multiple perspectives
• Understand how the world’s people and institutions are interconnected and how critical
international economic, political, technological, environmental, and social systems operate
interdependently across nations and regions
• Accept responsibilities of global citizenship and make ethical decisions and responsible choices
that contribute to the development of a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world
PART II:

4. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 4
THE GRADUATION PORTFOLIO SYSTEM AND EXHIBITON PROCESS
Definition and purpose
The ISSN Graduation Portfolio System is part of the body of evidence to assess
whether a student, utilizing multiple indicators (e.g. the completion of coursework,
participation in projects, community service, a student’s proficiency on the relevant
content standards and other measures identified by individual network schools) that a
student is ready to be successful in college with knowledge, skills and dispositions to
effectively contribute as a global citizen.
Rationale
The completion of the Graduation Portfolio System is required for all graduating
students and serves several important purposes for students and staff:
1. Requires each graduating student to demonstrate what he or she knows and is
able to do in an individualized format;
2. Emphasizes the importance of reflecting on one’s learning (meta-cognition);
3. Enables a committee established through the exhibition process to assess his or
her readiness for college and work;
4. Produces meaningful indicators of student learning that informs curriculum and
teaching practice throughout ISSN schools;
5. Promotes a shared understanding among students, teachers, parents, and
community of the quality of work and what graduates are expected to know and
be able to do.
The Graduation Portfolio is the deliberate and thoughtful selection of student mastery
work assembled by the student in a unique and compelling way to provide evidence of
his or her learning at an ISSN School.
The Exhibition Process is an individualized student presentation of learning where
students reflect on their work and demonstrate how their work both meets the school’s
criteria for graduation and supports their personal and professional goals.
1 ISSN Schools will provide Professional Development devoted to the review of certified work artifacts and the
calibration of scoring across schools and disciplines. This process will ensure that scoring of student work is valid
and that the graduation assessment system remains credible and defensible. Also, an external review panel of
assessment experts (such as our partner organization, Stanford School Redesign Network) will examine a selection
of graduation portfolios by ISSN Schools’ graduates to ensure the quality of the assessment system and our
alignment to national benchmarks for college readiness.
PART IIA:

5. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 5
The Graduation Portfolio Components
1. A student cover letter and introduction to the portfolio:
This cover letter will help anyone reviewing the portfolio to orient themselves to the
individual student and the contents of the portfolio.
2. A digital arrangement of certified, mastery level student work:
Graduating students must select and include in their portfolio, as part of their evidence
of learning, artifacts of mastery level work produced through core content and
interdisciplinary studies in the following areas:
Graduation Portfolio Seven Area Requirements:
A certified artifact and an accompanying reflection in the following seven content areas:
1. Mathematics
2. Scientific Literacy and Scientific Inquiry
3. History/Social Science
4. English/Language Arts
5. World Language (Draft under development)
6. Arts (Draft under development)
7. Global Leadership (Draft under development)
Content areas may connect interdisciplinary components. Other required content or
technical skills such as communication skills and technology applications are imbedded
in specific content performance outcomes. (See Appendix __)
Building the Graduate Portfolio:
Before entry into the Graduation Portfolio, a Subject Area Teacher or Advisor must
certify all artifacts of student-produced work as having met standards of proficiency. The
work artifacts must be certified before the student presents his or her portfolio in the
Exhibition process. Subject area teams will have a process to calibrate their standards
for scoring student work in the content areas. Each student will also have the
opportunity, through consultation with his or her advisor, to include further work artifacts
that he or she feels highlight or exemplify his or her strengths as a learner.
The Graduation Portfolio has the following components:
1. A student cover letter and introduction to the portfolio;
2. A digital arrangement of certified, mastery level student work produced in
seven areas, which is assessed and certified by teachers
3. Prior to the exhibition; reflective summaries of the work artifacts in the
seven areas;
4. Assessment/Reflections written by the student’s advisor

6. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 6
3. Reflective Summaries (see Appendix for further details)
For each of the seven areas, a student must write a formal reflective summary that
attests to the rigor and relevance of each of the work artifacts included in the portfolio
that:
• Discusses the essential concepts, subject-specific understandings, and task-
specific skills related to the work entered in that content area;
• Describes the relevance of the concepts learned and application of the skills
used to complete the work;
• Connect the work to the ISSN Graduate Profile
The process of writing a reflective summary is one that students will practice numerous
times, in the classroom, before having to prepare one for the Graduation Portfolio.
4. Assessment/Reflections from the Student’s Advisor
The advisor will write a one-to-two page reflective narrative highlighting the student’s
overall engagement and accomplishments with the graduate portfolio process and the
student’s develop within the ISSN Graduate Profile.
PART IIB: The Exhibition Process
PART III: THE PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT PROCESS
The Exhibition Process is an individualized student presentation of learning where
students reflect on their work and demonstrate how their work both meets the school’s
criteria for graduation and supports their personal and professional goals.
Each Asia Society ISSN School will establish the Exhibition Process that reflects
the unique characteristics of their program. The Exhibition Process will take place
during the final year of high school. The school process should contain the following
elements.
• Students provide an oral presentation of three or more Mastery Level Work
Artifacts demonstrating how the work meets the graduation criteria, reflect
elements of the ISSN Graduate Profile, and meet their personal goals.
• Students may begin defending their Graduation Portfolios once all of the work
has been certified and approved by the advisor or teachers. In the event that a
student does not pass his or her exhibition, the student will have the opportunity
to re-present
• The Exhibition Committee is composed the student advisor, other faculty, and
family members. Schools are encouraged to include a fellow student and
community members as well. Schools may decide to ad a community member.
• A support system is established where the Advisor assists the students in
selecting the artifacts and preparing the oral defense. Advisors may help
students will selecting the Exhibition Committee members and scheduling the
exhibitions.

7. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 7
The portfolio assessment process includes certifying a student’s mastery-level work,
evaluating the reflections, and determining whether the student passes the Exhibition
Process. The role of the teacher in this process is to provide students with multiple
opportunities to produce graduation-level work through projects and course
assignments and to provide students with feedback in relation to graduation standards.
The role of the advisor is to help each student identify whether particular work artifacts
meet graduation standards.
Compiling the Portfolio
1. The advisor will hold an initial planning meeting with each advisee to review and
discuss the Graduation Portfolio and explore work artifacts for inclusion;
2. As each piece is identified, teachers, the advisor and the advisee will use the
following guidelines to create a schedule for revision (if necessary) and timeline for final
certification of all work artifacts (see Appendix for a visual representation of this
process)
The Advisor’s Guidelines:
If a work artifact meets the standard for proficiency on the Graduation Portfolio rubric:
a) it is certified for inclusion in the Graduation Portfolio;
b) student completes reflection for the artifact (where appropriate).
If the work artifact does not meet proficiency standard on the Graduation Portfolio rubric:
a) it is returned to the content teacher for review, or
b) the advisor suggests revisions if the artifact is non-content specific.
In the event that an advisor disagrees with the assessment of a content-specific work artifact
(certified or not-certified), he or she is encouraged to talk with the certifying teacher, as an
advocate for the student, and ask for a second read if appropriate.
The Content Teacher’s Guidelines:
If the work artifact meets the standard for proficiency on the Graduation Portfolio rubric:
a) the work artifact is certified;
b) the artifact then goes to the Advisor for possible submission in the Graduation
Portfolio.
If the work artifact is not proficient on the Graduation Portfolio rubric:
a) suggestions are made for revisions, or
b) an alternate work artifact may be proposed for certification.
Preparing for the Exhibition

8. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 8
The Preparation of the Exhibition takes place in a number of stages (Some elements
may change depending on the process of a specific school):
1. Student presents all certified work to advisor for approval;
2. The student and the advisor determine the composition of the Exhibition Committee
and a date for the defense;
3. The student and the advisor determine which work artifacts will be highlighted during
the Exhibition:
a) In consultation with the advisor, who plays a significant role throughout
this process, student reviews all the certified contents in the Graduation
Portfolio. The student selects three artifacts that will provide strong
evidence of learning, college preparedness, and mastery of Global
leadership. The work should be drawn from a balanced variety of portfolio
areas;
b) When making selections, the student should also consider work he or she
is particularly proud of, work he or she has struggled with but eventually
mastered, work he or she has a continued and genuine interest in, and/or
work he or she is comfortable discussing in the forum of the Exhibition
Committee;
4. Plan the structure of the presentation and rehearse;
5. All participants on the Exhibition Committee will have the opportunity to review a
student’s Graduation Portfolio, paying close attention to the three items selected for
defense. The advisor and student are responsible for ensuring the delivery and/or
accessibility of this material to each committee member at least two weeks prior to the
Exhibition;
6. The advisor coaches the advisee through a final rehearsal of the Exhibition;
7. Student defends and the Exhibition Committee determines whether the student
passes or needs to re-submit for a subsequent defense.

9. Asia Society ISSN, draft v. 1.0 July 2010, page 9
Part IV: Appendices of Supporting Materials
Appendix A
Performance Outcomes & Rubrics
1. Mathematics
2. Scientific Literacy and Scientific Inquiry
3. History/Social Science
4. English/Language Arts
5. World Language (Draft under development)
6. Arts (Draft under development)
7. Global Leadership (Draft under development)
Appendix B:
The Graduation Portfolio Checklist
1. Graduation Portfolio Contents and Certification Check-List
2. Advisor Checklist
Appendix C:
Exhibition Process, including visual representation