Navigating Change

New Grading Practices and Guidelines

“What we know today does not make yesterday wrong, it makes tomorrow better.”

Carol Commodore

LEARNING TARGETS

Review the activities that set the stage for the

grading and assessment changes and designed to

provide support for staff, students, and parents

Discuss the on-going feedback from the teachers,

students, administrators, parents, and community

Outline the adjustments that will be made to

address concerns with the implementation

process based on feedback

NAVIGATING CHANGE

Do our grades accurately reflect student

learning?

Do our grading practices build confidence in

our students’ belief that they can learn?

NAVIGATING CHANGE Systematically evaluate our implementation

process to identify areas for improvement so

that concerns can be addressed quickly and

effectively

Proactively communicate with parents and

students in an effort to gather information and

answer questions

Support and build instructional expertise for all

staff around our grading practices

FEEDBACK FROM TEACHERS

Successes: Teachers report students are taking more ownership of the learning.

Teachers report being able to meet individual student needs.

Teachers report that student grades have never been a more accurate

reflection of actual student learning.

Areas for Adjustment: Teachers report that some aspects of standards referenced grading take

more time so they want to learn to work more efficiently and incorporate

more technology.

Teachers report they want more opportunities to work collaboratively

with and learn from their peers.

FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS

Successes: Students report an increase in confidence because they

know exactly what to work on to be successful.

Students report that they understand effort is critically important and have expressed pride knowing their grades now reflect their actual learning.

Areas for Adjustment: Students report a need for more frequent and descriptive

feedback because they are more successful when they know how to improve.

Students report a need for more time for relearning and more options to demonstrate new learning for reassessment.

FEEDBACK FROM PARENTS

Successes: Parents have expressed appreciation for increased

communication.

Parents have reported that they have a better understanding of how to support their child academically.

Parents value the link between feedback and student achievement.

Areas for Adjustment: Parents report a need for more feedback regarding learning.

Parents report a need for consistent implementation.

Parents report, in this time of transition to standards referenced grading, the emphasis on major summative assessments is too high.

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Adjust the existing weights for summative

assessment categories from 80% major/20%

minor for Pre-AP/AP/IB courses to 70%

major/30% minor (District)

Adjust the existing weights for summative

assessment categories from 70% major/30%

minor for regular courses to 60% major/40%

minor (District)

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Establish clear guidelines that are consistently

applied across the campus/district regarding

the number of summative assessments,

number of reassessment days allowed, and

tutoring for reassessment:

Communicate student progress regularly by

publishing at least one grade weekly and by using

at least three major summative assessments

during each grading period (District)

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Teachers will determine the appropriate method for relearning content. These activities may occur during future classes, before/after school, or outside of school. (Campus)

Teachers will provide opportunities for relearning and reassessment on all major summative assessments. (District)

Teachers will determine if a minor summative will be reassessed individually or as part of a future major summative assessment. (Campus)

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Increase time for and access to tutorials:

Increase time for relearning and reassessing to 10

school days

Additional time may be granted by the teacher and

campus administrator according to individual

circumstances

Note: UIL eligibility is governed by UIL rules and explained

on our district eligibility calendar. (District)

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Proactively communicate with parents and students to gather information and answer questions:

Teachers will communicate information so students and parents are aware of topics of study, academic progress, and assignments/assessments dates. (District)

Campuses will establish a communication standard so that parents and students can access information similarly from teacher to teacher. Examples include using the TAC email feature or teacher website. (Campus)

Technology is investigating ways to automatically send parents notification emails for failure grades. (District)

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Regularly seek feedback and monitor

implementation effectiveness: (Campus/District)

Communicate campus procedures and respond to parent

and student inquiries

Establish campus based methods for continual student

and parent feedback

Create a Q&A process using the campus website

Provide training for parents regarding how to access

information in HAC

RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS

BASED ON FEEDBACK

Support and build instructional expertise for all staff around our grading practices: (District)

Support and facilitate collaborative learning opportunities for teachers around topics identified at each campus. Topics will include descriptive feedback on formative assignments, using rubrics, and reassessment practices such as how to create reassessments that are aligned and of similar level of challenge

Provide collaborative learning sessions for middle school teachers and high school PLCs on January 5th

C &I collects and communicates “teacher tested” tips

Support PLC meetings with teachers, principals, and curriculum specialists

“Assessment for learning is a gift we give our students. It is a mirror we hold up to show them how far they have come. It is a promise that we will use assessment, not to punish or reward, but to guide them on their learning journey.”

-Jan Chappuis

Questions and Feedback