Grades in the Environmental Science Academy are based on students' performance on labs (40%), the quality of their written work (30%), and their daily participation and behavior (30%). Rubrics are used to assess students' research, writing, and presentation skills. To assess their daily performance students have a time card that they punch when they arrive at and leave the academy each day. At the end of the day the ESA teachers enter a daily grade on the students' punch cards based on criteria such as punctuality, preparedness for class, and teamwork.