5421 - GRADING

The Board of Education recognizes its responsibility for providing a system of grading student achievement that can help the student, teachers, and parents judge properly how well the student is achieving the goals of the District's program.

The Board believes that the District's grading system should be a reliable system and one that ensures each student's grades signify accurately the student's degree of accomplishment of those expected learning outcomes which are to be stated for each program at every grade level, kindergarten through twelve.

The mandatory grade report date for all District staff shall be on the three (3) school days following the last day of the preceding grading period; "report" means to input grades into the District's grading system so that the information can be accessed by the District's administrators as well as other persons having permitted access.

To determine grades for courses, teachers are expected to:

1. develop clear, consistent criteria and standards particularly when grades are based on subjective assessment;
2. help each student understand in each course or program what behavior and/or achievement is needed to earn each grade as well as what will produce a failing grade;
3. provide frequent opportunities for each student to obtain information as to the student's progress toward the learning goals of the student's courses or programs;
4. provisions are made for a pass/fail grade in programs for which it is appropriate;
5. provide students the opportunity to assess both their own achievements and their areas of difficulty.

The grading system should not inhibit the professional staff member from learning the strengths and weaknesses of each student on an individual basis.

The grading system should be subject to continual review by staff, students, and parents. Revisions shall be made only when such changes will assure a clearer, more valid, or more reliable system of grading.

Grades K-2

Students in grades K-2 receive a standards-based report card. The scale below is used for Kindergarten in the the content areas of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies, this scale is also used for grades 1-2 in science and social studies. Students in grades 1-2 will receive a letter grade in core reading and math:

O - Outstanding/Student has met the end of the year standard

S – Satisfactory/Student is on course to meet the end of the year standard

N/I - Needs Improvement

U – Unsatisfactory/Student is making limited progress toward meeting the end of the year standard

These grades incorporate the following characteristics of learning:

1. The quality and, when appropriate, the quantity of what the student has accomplished and can apply that makes their learning outstanding, satisfactory, needs improvement or unsatisfactory. The description is not based on comparisons with other students.
2. The level of current effort, social interaction, and emotional, physical, and social control over self that qualifies a student as outstanding, satisfactory, needs improvement or unsatisfactory.

Grades3-12

The following final grading scale applies for courses completed in grades three (3) through twelve (12):

Grading Practices:

1. For all grade levels, teachers should follow these practices:
    
   1. Grade entries should be based solely on academic performance. Examples of "grade entries" include (but are not limited to): tests, quizzes, homework, in-class assignments, project checkpoints, group work, etc.
   2. If given, extra credit must relate to the content area and must enrich the curriculum.
   3. There should be a minimum of eight (8) grade entries posted per quarter and should be fairly distributed during the quarter.
2. It is the student's responsibility to obtain their assignments and complete their work during suspensions.
3. Students who are absent when assignments are given are expected to obtain their assignments and complete their work as applicable. Make-up work for a student will be due in an equal number of school days the student is absent.
4. Academic dishonesty is considered a serious violation of academic integrity and the Student Code of Conduct. Academic dishonesty will result in grade-level appropriate action. Examples of academic dishonesty include (but are not limited to): plagiarism, cheating, falsification of data, etc.
5. Collaborative group work is encouraged. Students may be assessed by using both individual and group grades. Teachers will facilitate and monitor group goals while ensuring individual accountability.
6. Teachers are encouraged to work with students who may have unusual or extenuating circumstances that may affect their ability to meet the standards set forth in this guideline.

Course Eligibility

1. Any high school credit course in which a student failed is eligible for replacement, includes courses of students transferring from other schools.
2. Students should verify with their counselor before enrolling in a replacement course to ensure that the course they are taking for grade replacement will be accepted as outlined below. Only courses taken through the District or approved partners are eligible to use as the replacement for a student’s grade, such as:
    
   1. Repeating a traditionally scheduled course, if necessary.
   2. Credit recovery courses
   3. Summer School
   4. District Alternative School

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