Natrona County students will one day be assessed on digital literacy and effective communication.

Both are examples of 21st Century Learning Skills, a skill set considered necessary for student success in today's society. The school district's new graduate profile is based on acquiring the skills.

But assessing 21st Century skills presents a unique challenge - how teachers can grade things like civic engagement, creative thinking and high productivity.

"If it's too abstract, kids don't know what it is they're supposed to be doing," said Verba Echols, principal at Frontier Middle School. "It sends kind of an inconsistent message to the child."

A new report from Education Sector states the skills can be measured accurately, and said emerging assessments for 21st Century skills have the potential to measure complex thinking and mastery of basic knowledge.

Frontier's curriculum has focused on 21st Century skills since the school opened. Staff members use a scoring rubric from the enGauge 21st Century Skills framework to assess students. The rubric lines out exactly what students need to know to be considered proficient in a skill.

"What we've found is that you have to be much more specific," Echols said. "We really need to teach kids, what are 21st Century skills. We have to model them."

Educators at Dean Morgan Junior High have also been working on how to teach and measure the skills, according to principal Walt Wilcox.

"It has not been easy," he said. "It's a lot of things we've talked about in theory. We've found putting it in practice is not as easy."

A group of teachers from all departments in the school have been working to find ways to integrate more technology into classrooms, while making assignments relevant for students.

Wilcox said the school is also focusing on promoting global awareness and having students think about life outside of Wyoming.

"Well-rounded students is what we're talking about," Wilcox said. "We're starting to prepare them for careers that aren't even there yet."

Vicki Foster, the district's executive director of curriculum and instruction, said she envisions an assessment model that outlines the skills needed at benchmark years.

Foster also said she's interested in the Rich Tasks model used in Queensland, Australia. Students are moved to a higher grade or level once they've mastered lower level skills. Grades aren't given.

"It wouldn't be the way we'd do it, exactly," Foster said. "It's not just learning in isolation, but really being able to apply the skills, which is a really meaningful piece we need to have for students."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com. Read her blog at my.trib.com/jasasantos.