A clear three- or four-tier rating scale gives staff a concrete map of where they stand and what moves them forward. Applied to our running example on a four-tier scale:

• Level 1 (Emerging): Head counts are inconsistent or undocumented; requires direct reminders from an administrator during outdoor time.
• Level 2 (Developing): Head counts happen but timing is inconsistent (e.g., skips the 10-minute interval under pressure); log is usually but not always completed.
• Level 3 (Proficient): Head counts and documentation happen reliably on the stated schedule, without reminders, across varied outdoor conditions.
• Level 4 (Exemplary): Consistently proficient, and also positions and coaches assistant staff on sightline coverage — modeling the practice for others.

The tiers should be mutually exclusive — each one should describe a clearly different level of independence and consistency — and the lower tiers should read as a learning path, not just a list of what’s wrong.