District expands SchoolLinks use and plans Mastery Transcript pilot for juniors

Madison School District staff told the curriculum committee Jan. 13 they plan to expand use of the SchoolLinks student-portfolio platform and test a Mastery Transcript pilot for volunteer juniors.

Counselors and CTE staff described SchoolLinks as easier for students to access because it integrates with Google sign-in and has a social-media-like interface that appeals to students. "It really ties into what they're used to right now," one presenter said, noting the district started a SchoolLinks pilot last year and intends to broaden teacher use so students can upload class artifacts and build a longitudinal profile that follows through grade 12.

District staff said SchoolLinks will be used districtwide beginning in middle school and would support artifact uploads in a planned pilot that focuses on three graduation-required courses — personal finance, civics and independent study. The pilot aims to have students submit examples of work and reflective explanations that map to the district’s stated "capacities" for graduates.

Separately, staff introduced the Mastery Transcript Consortium product as a parallel, credentialed transcript option for a volunteer cohort of juniors. The district said the mastery transcript would be kept separate from the traditional transcript and would require students to submit evidence that meets review criteria; the product reportedly is accepted by more than 700 colleges, according to staff.

Presenters emphasized the district’s cautious approach: SchoolLinks will remain the districtwide tool for all students, while the mastery transcript would be an optional pathway that some students could pursue for competitive college applications. Staff said they will return with sample student work later in the school year or next year for committee review and that implementation decisions remain in pilot stages.