Editor's note: The following Q&A is derived from information provided by the Monroe school district about grading and assessments. One more topic in the series, safety, will be published June 3. Stories on collaboration time, technology and positive behavior interventions and supports were published previously.
Monroe's Grading and Assessment Committee was established before 2009 and has been meeting monthly since then, working to ensure Monroe's grading and assessment practices are grounded in best practices.
Like many other school districts, Monroe has changed its grading practice. One major change has been separating behavior and achievement. Best practices tell us that grading should be for documenting student and teacher progress; providing feedback to student, family, and teacher; and lastly to inform instruction. When behavior is added into a grade, the grade can either be inflated or deflated and not show the student's true learning of the concepts and skills.
The committee has also looked extensively at assessment. There are two types of assessment: formative and summative. Formative assessment is to improve learning, while summative assessment is to prove learning. Summative assessments account for 80 percent of a student's grade, while formative assessments are 20 percent.
Why were the new grading practices implemented?
New practices were implemented due to too many inconsistent and varied grading practices. Many practices were happening that were not tied to what it is we expect students to know and understand. The new guidelines will provide consistency district-wide as well as a mechanism to provide an accurate reflection of student learning.
Grades should focus on learning. Discussion needs to continue around the attainment of a grade vs. the mastery of course content. A grade that is reported to students, parents, college or university that does not focus on student achievement is inaccurate and misleading. When citizenship/behaviors and heavily-weighted formative assessments are included in a grade, they may be inflated or deflated depending on the work habits of a student - thus, the importance of separating them.
What is the grading scale?
Our grading scale is as follows:
• A is 93 to 100; A- is 90 to 92
• B+ is 87 to 89; B is 83 to 86; B- is 80 to 82
• C+ is 77 to 79; C is 73 to 76; C- is 70 to 72
• D+ is 67 to 69; D is 63 to 66; D- is 60 to 62
• F is 50 to 59
Why is the lowest "F" a 50? Does this mean students "get something for nothing"?
The lowest possible score should be no more than the differential between the other cut points. (For example: 90 to 100 A's, 11 points; 80 to 89 B's, 10 points; 70 to 79 C's, 10 points; 60 to 69 D's, 10 points; 50 to 59 F's, 10 points.) If we scored to zero, there would be a 60-point "F" range of scores.
An "F" is an "F" and is failing. There is no point in allowing students to get so far "in the hole" that they cannot get out, especially early in a quarter or semester. The expectation is that if students are struggling, we teach them and help them to master the skills and standards they need.
If students have earned a score between 0 and 59, they have not learned what is necessary and it is our job to hold them accountable to this. If they refuse, which happens in rare situations, they will fail.
How is this different from what has been done in previous years?
In previous years, determining final grades has been very inconsistent. From school to school, department to department, course to course, and teacher to teacher, there has been wide variation in the factors, weight, scoring scales and methods to determine a student's grade. Some teachers included all types of homework, quizzes, extra credit, etc.; some did not. Some included participation, effort, or attendance and tardiness; some did not. Some accepted "late" work, penalized students for turning in late assignments, or did not accept late work at all. In short, each teacher was left to determine his/her own grading practices. Some were "easy;" some were "hard." There simply was no standard set for teachers as to what should be included in a grade and, therefore, what any particular grade really meant.
We are beginning to provide some consistency in how grades are determined, as well as a common understanding of the importance of uniformity. We are separating citizenship and achievement so that a letter grade really reflects the level of knowledge a student has attained.
What's the difference between "formative" and "summative" assessments?
A formative assessment is an assessment "for" and to "improve" learning. Formative assessments are considered part of instruction and should be used to adapt teaching to meet students' needs, as well as provide opportunities for students to self-assess and monitor their own work.
Formative assessment should help teachers monitor their students' progress and modify instruction accordingly. They are ongoing and frequent and deliver information during the instructional process before the summative assessment.
Examples of formative assessment (practice): Pretests; IPP's (Individual Profiles of Progress); observations; student self-assessment; feedback/response during instruction; homework skill practice; checklists; anecdotal records; quiz skill practice; and running records.
A summative assessment is an assessment "of" or to "prove" learning.
The purpose of a summative assessment is accountability as part of the grading process and should happen after instruction and ample amount of student practice. The focus is on product. Summative assessments are used as a means to determine, at a particular point in time, student learning as it relates to knowledge of targeted skills and standards as well as evidence of student achievement. They are used to make some sort of judgment or measure the level of student, school or program success.
Examples of summative assessments (accountability): Final drafts; end-of-unit assessments; culminating projects; district writing assessment (1-8); performance assessments; chapter tests; labs (6-12); portfolios; quizzes; end-of-semester exams (9-12).
Will there be a consequence for not turning in an assignment?
Yes, students will have an incomplete recorded until the assignment is completed. They will not receive credit until the work is turned in. It will also be reflected in the citizenship grade that the student will receive for the course. Organization and responsibility are important in the learning process. Completing work is always encouraged as part of student learning; however, there are times when a student chooses not to complete a requirement. In a case such as this, an "incomplete" will be given until the student does the work.
What is the advantage for my child who always completes assignments on time and gets good grades?
The reward for these students is the same. They will get good grades and learn the skills and content required. If a student has specific learning needs displayed through data and grades that necessitate higher level work, the teacher will differentiate to meet those needs or curricular changes will be made.
My child does not do well on tests, and homework has always helped raise his/her grade. Won't this "hurt" him/her?
Summative assessments include much more than just "tests." Teachers have used, and will continue to use, many forms of summative assessments in determining a student's level of mastery. All students will be assessed in multiple ways to demonstrate mastery. If, however, a student has "test anxiety," communication should take place with teachers to discuss specific learning needs.
If my student does not do well on an assessment, is there an opportunity for a "retake"?
Students have the opportunity to retake all summative assessments except final exams. Students must make a legitimate attempt on the original assessment before being eligible for a retake. Retakes are a comparable assessment on skills not mastered from the first assessment. An entire retake can be given if the student does very poorly on the first assessment or parts can be retaken if the full assessment is not needed. Students can take one retake per summative assessment. The most recent results will be reported. In a unique situation, an additional retake may be provided at the teacher's discretion.
Students may be required to complete all formative work for the unit before attempting a retake. Teachers will prepare students for retakes by offering at least two different re-teaching opportunities. Students must participate in at least one before the retake. Corrections can be part of the re-teaching process but cannot constitute the retake. The retake must be completed in a timely manner an indicated by the teacher - but not later than the next summative assessment.
How do I track my student's progress?
Family Access enables middle and high school student grades to be viewed electronically by parents. At the elementary level, we do not have an electronic reporting system available to parents yet. This is another goal we plan to work toward. Also, communication with your student and teacher is another means to track progress with grades. If you have questions regarding your child's grade, the teacher is the first person you should communicate with.
Monroe's Grading and Assessment Committee was established before 2009 and has been meeting monthly since then, working to ensure Monroe's grading and assessment practices are grounded in best practices.
Like many other school districts, Monroe has changed its grading practice. One major change has been separating behavior and achievement. Best practices tell us that grading should be for documenting student and teacher progress; providing feedback to student, family, and teacher; and lastly to inform instruction. When behavior is added into a grade, the grade can either be inflated or deflated and not show the student's true learning of the concepts and skills.
The committee has also looked extensively at assessment. There are two types of assessment: formative and summative. Formative assessment is to improve learning, while summative assessment is to prove learning. Summative assessments account for 80 percent of a student's grade, while formative assessments are 20 percent.
Why were the new grading practices implemented?
New practices were implemented due to too many inconsistent and varied grading practices. Many practices were happening that were not tied to what it is we expect students to know and understand. The new guidelines will provide consistency district-wide as well as a mechanism to provide an accurate reflection of student learning.
Grades should focus on learning. Discussion needs to continue around the attainment of a grade vs. the mastery of course content. A grade that is reported to students, parents, college or university that does not focus on student achievement is inaccurate and misleading. When citizenship/behaviors and heavily-weighted formative assessments are included in a grade, they may be inflated or deflated depending on the work habits of a student - thus, the importance of separating them.
What is the grading scale?
Our grading scale is as follows:
• A is 93 to 100; A- is 90 to 92
• B+ is 87 to 89; B is 83 to 86; B- is 80 to 82
• C+ is 77 to 79; C is 73 to 76; C- is 70 to 72
• D+ is 67 to 69; D is 63 to 66; D- is 60 to 62
• F is 50 to 59
Why is the lowest "F" a 50? Does this mean students "get something for nothing"?
The lowest possible score should be no more than the differential between the other cut points. (For example: 90 to 100 A's, 11 points; 80 to 89 B's, 10 points; 70 to 79 C's, 10 points; 60 to 69 D's, 10 points; 50 to 59 F's, 10 points.) If we scored to zero, there would be a 60-point "F" range of scores.
An "F" is an "F" and is failing. There is no point in allowing students to get so far "in the hole" that they cannot get out, especially early in a quarter or semester. The expectation is that if students are struggling, we teach them and help them to master the skills and standards they need.
If students have earned a score between 0 and 59, they have not learned what is necessary and it is our job to hold them accountable to this. If they refuse, which happens in rare situations, they will fail.
How is this different from what has been done in previous years?
In previous years, determining final grades has been very inconsistent. From school to school, department to department, course to course, and teacher to teacher, there has been wide variation in the factors, weight, scoring scales and methods to determine a student's grade. Some teachers included all types of homework, quizzes, extra credit, etc.; some did not. Some included participation, effort, or attendance and tardiness; some did not. Some accepted "late" work, penalized students for turning in late assignments, or did not accept late work at all. In short, each teacher was left to determine his/her own grading practices. Some were "easy;" some were "hard." There simply was no standard set for teachers as to what should be included in a grade and, therefore, what any particular grade really meant.
We are beginning to provide some consistency in how grades are determined, as well as a common understanding of the importance of uniformity. We are separating citizenship and achievement so that a letter grade really reflects the level of knowledge a student has attained.
What's the difference between "formative" and "summative" assessments?
A formative assessment is an assessment "for" and to "improve" learning. Formative assessments are considered part of instruction and should be used to adapt teaching to meet students' needs, as well as provide opportunities for students to self-assess and monitor their own work.
Formative assessment should help teachers monitor their students' progress and modify instruction accordingly. They are ongoing and frequent and deliver information during the instructional process before the summative assessment.
Examples of formative assessment (practice): Pretests; IPP's (Individual Profiles of Progress); observations; student self-assessment; feedback/response during instruction; homework skill practice; checklists; anecdotal records; quiz skill practice; and running records.
A summative assessment is an assessment "of" or to "prove" learning.
The purpose of a summative assessment is accountability as part of the grading process and should happen after instruction and ample amount of student practice. The focus is on product. Summative assessments are used as a means to determine, at a particular point in time, student learning as it relates to knowledge of targeted skills and standards as well as evidence of student achievement. They are used to make some sort of judgment or measure the level of student, school or program success.
Examples of summative assessments (accountability): Final drafts; end-of-unit assessments; culminating projects; district writing assessment (1-8); performance assessments; chapter tests; labs (6-12); portfolios; quizzes; end-of-semester exams (9-12).
Will there be a consequence for not turning in an assignment?
Yes, students will have an incomplete recorded until the assignment is completed. They will not receive credit until the work is turned in. It will also be reflected in the citizenship grade that the student will receive for the course. Organization and responsibility are important in the learning process. Completing work is always encouraged as part of student learning; however, there are times when a student chooses not to complete a requirement. In a case such as this, an "incomplete" will be given until the student does the work.
What is the advantage for my child who always completes assignments on time and gets good grades?
The reward for these students is the same. They will get good grades and learn the skills and content required. If a student has specific learning needs displayed through data and grades that necessitate higher level work, the teacher will differentiate to meet those needs or curricular changes will be made.
My child does not do well on tests, and homework has always helped raise his/her grade. Won't this "hurt" him/her?
Summative assessments include much more than just "tests." Teachers have used, and will continue to use, many forms of summative assessments in determining a student's level of mastery. All students will be assessed in multiple ways to demonstrate mastery. If, however, a student has "test anxiety," communication should take place with teachers to discuss specific learning needs.
If my student does not do well on an assessment, is there an opportunity for a "retake"?
Students have the opportunity to retake all summative assessments except final exams. Students must make a legitimate attempt on the original assessment before being eligible for a retake. Retakes are a comparable assessment on skills not mastered from the first assessment. An entire retake can be given if the student does very poorly on the first assessment or parts can be retaken if the full assessment is not needed. Students can take one retake per summative assessment. The most recent results will be reported. In a unique situation, an additional retake may be provided at the teacher's discretion.
Students may be required to complete all formative work for the unit before attempting a retake. Teachers will prepare students for retakes by offering at least two different re-teaching opportunities. Students must participate in at least one before the retake. Corrections can be part of the re-teaching process but cannot constitute the retake. The retake must be completed in a timely manner an indicated by the teacher - but not later than the next summative assessment.
How do I track my student's progress?
Family Access enables middle and high school student grades to be viewed electronically by parents. At the elementary level, we do not have an electronic reporting system available to parents yet. This is another goal we plan to work toward. Also, communication with your student and teacher is another means to track progress with grades. If you have questions regarding your child's grade, the teacher is the first person you should communicate with.