1 How IGPro Can Help Teachers Understand the Grades They Assign & More

2 Essential Question: What effect does IGPro’s operation and setup have on the grades that teachers assign?

3 Before we begin… The use of IGPro has made gradebooks much more “public.” BUT Many teachers consider their gradebook a somewhat personal item. Complicated systems are not necessarily more precise – they are just more complicated! We have no direct measure of students’ knowledge of the AKS, only indirect measures of how they perform and demonstrate knowledge on a variety of tasks.

4 Before we begin… Teachers must understand HOW IGPro is calculating their students’ grades. A good gradebook system enhances the instructional process – it does not replace good teaching! Mathematical precision does NOT yield fairer or more objective grading.

5 What is the Policy? Board Policy The teacher has the responsibility for evaluating student progress and providing grades that represent the student's academic achievement. (From GCPS Policies and Procedures)

6 What are the Procedures?  The grade mark is a report of the individual student's progress, (as defined by the AKS), to the student, to his or her parents, and to others who are concerned with the student's progress in education.  All aspects of the evaluation of student progress, including any tests, should assess mastery of the AKS.  Parents and students need to know what learning activities will determine a grade, and the percentile weight of each learning activity. (From GCPS Policies and Procedures)

“Policy” Myths & Legends 7 EXAMPLES  You can’t give a student a zero.  Grades may be used in a punitive way, but only if there is written notice before the grading period (signed by student/parent).  Teachers must accept all late work for full credit.  Special education students cannot get a “U” on their report card (or an “A” for that matter).  You can’t count homework in a student’s grade.  Only tests can be used to assign students’ grades.  Benchmarks  don’t count  can’t count  must count 20%, 10%, as a regular test, etc.

8 Policy & Procedure Structure

9 Why do we use IGPro? Communicates with SASI –Student scheduling –Import/export of grades –Student data available to staff Allows us to report grades to the district Allows the district to report grades to the state The state pays the school system for the classes that we teach The school system pays us!

10 Results of using computerized gradebooks include… Teachers have become more thoughtful about the grades they assign Administrators have instant access to gradebooks Students have more immediate feedback about their progress (if teachers make use of the gradebook) Parents’ expectations have increased

11 Weighted vs. Total Points Total Points: Best for classes with a fixed number of assignments for the grading period and is sure this will not vary. Can be difficult to have the mathematics work the way you think it’s working if you begin to making changes.

12 How does IGPro Calculate Weighted Grades? Here are the weights: Test – 30% Quizzes – 20% Projects – 30 % Classwork – 15% Homework – 5% Here are the grades: Tests: 83, 82, 64, 79 Quizzes: 25, 100, 100 Project: 100 Classwork: 100, 60 Homework: 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 0, 100 Can you explain it to parents?

13 Time for some math…. Here are the same grades: Test: 83, 82, 64, 79 = 308 / 4 = 77 Quizzes: 25, 100, 100 = 225 / 3 = 75 Project: 100 = 100 Class work: 100, 60 = 160 / 2 = 80 Homework: 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 0, 100 = 900 / 10 = 91 But… we are not done yet….

14 And now more math…. Here are the same grades: Test: 30% 83, 82, 64, 79 = 308 / 4 = 77 x.30 = 23.1 Quizzes: 20% 25, 100, 100 = 225 / 3 = 75 x.20 = 15.0 Project: 30% 100 = 100 x.30 = 30.0 Class work: 15% 100, 60 = 160 / 2 = 80 x.15 = 12.0 Homework: 5% 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 0, 100 = 900 / 10 = 90 x.05 = 4.5 Add up each category for a total of … or 85% = B

15 That was easy… right? Now for a new example….

16 Is this student passing or failing? Here are your weights: Test – 30% Quizzes – 20% Projects – 30 % Classwork – 15% Homework – 5% Here are the grades: Tests: 90, 96 Quizzes: NONE Project: NONE Class work: 70, 70, 100, 100, 100, 100 Homework: 100, 100, 100, 100

17 Let’s find out…. Here are the grades: Test: 30% 90, 96 = 186 / 2 = 93 x.30 = 27.9 Quizzes: NONE Project: NONE Class work: 15% 70, 70, 100, 100, 100, 100 = 540 / 6 = 90 x.15 = 13.5 Homework: 5% 100, 100, 100, 100 = 400 / 4 = 100 x.05 = 5.0 But does the student really have a … or 46% = U?

18 No. Let’s find out why…. Because the student did not have grades in these two categories... You only have 50% of the picture. Quizzes: NONE Project: NONE 46.4 = x Cross multiply and solve for X to get the real grade. Use your basic algebra to solve for x, so the final grade is 92.8 or 93% which equals an A.

19 IgPro will do that part for you. If you have everything set up correctly.

20 Here’s another example… Grades for Susie Creamcheese. What grade would you assign? Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88 Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 Projects = 82

21 Scenario Student A vs. Student B Both are average students in their grade level. Both students happen to have the same grades and the same assignments. Let’s see how two different teachers grade them using different grading scales on the same curriculum material.

22 Teacher A vs. Teacher B Test = 30 %Test = 30 % Quizzes = 20%Quizzes = 20% Classwork = 30%Classwork = 30% Projects = 20%Projects = 20% Grades are: Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88 Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 Projects = 82Grades are: Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88 Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 Projects = 82 Test = 50%Test = 50% Quizzes = 30%Quizzes = 30% Classwork = 10%Classwork = 10% Projects = 10%Projects = 10% Grades are:Grades are: Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88 Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 Projects = 82 What do you think the difference will be on their mid-term reports?

23 Teacher A vs. Teacher B Test = 86, 79, 92, 88 = x.30 = Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 = X.20 = Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 = 47.5 X.30 = Projects = 82 X.20 = 16.4 Final grade is or D Test = 86, 79, 92, 88 = x.50 = Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 = X.30 = Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 = 47.5 X.10 = 4.75 Projects = 82 X.10 = 8.2 Final grade is or B Luck determined the final grade!

24 How do we remove the luck of the draw? For our school (Harbins ES), we have adopted… –Create grade weights that all teachers on a grade level must follow. –Minimum numbers of assignments for each grade category in each subject area. –Consideration of not only minimum number of assignments, but proportion of assignments in a category.

25 Why care about minimum number of assignments?

26 Why care about minimum number of assignments?

27 Why care about minimum number of assignments?

28 Why care about minimum number of assignments?

29 Live Demonstration 1 Demonstrate the “split screen” Special Scores “gotcha’s” –use of scale factorscale factor –“Grading Rules” decimal settingdecimal setting –showing the class average on student reports –End of term spreadsheet: make sure that “percentage” is chosen as the export option (MS/HS) or “letter grades” (ES)

30 Live Demonstration 2 ing progress reports –Good practice: Class notes, spreadsheet notes, etc. Showing the “Percent of Spreadsheet” –Avoid showing the “Class Average”

31 Thoughts, suggestions, etc. Templates for gradebook Make corrections in IGPro, not CLASSxp Create gradebooks at the start of each grading period, not at start of the year teachers can update in CLASSxp and, of course, in IGPro What to do with students who enroll late in the grading period? Maintain gradebooks on the school server The MASTER PASSWORD… (and security of gradebook information)

32 Tips to remember … We suggest an annual review of grading policy and procedure. Make sure parents and students are told how grades are weighted at the beginning of grading period. Be sure at least one assignment is given for each category by mid-terms. Pay attention to the math… Giving 10 tests with a Test weight of 30% means each test counts 3%. While giving 1 quiz with a weight of 20% means that quiz counts 20%.

33 Tips to remember … Parent involvement is very important to student success! Consider the option of ing and/or printing progress reports more often. Enter grades as a matter of routine. Create midterm reports using IGPro.

34 Considerations Grading procedures sometimes seem work against the mission and vision of GCPS. Should failure be an option in our school? Should we require students to replace NHIs and zeros?zeros How should scores from benchmark assessments factor into the final grade? What are the implications?

35 Our goal is to help make this common statement true: “I didn’t give you a grade, you earned it.”

36 Acknowledgements Sandy Ewanowski, Information Management Division Courtney St. John, Accountability & Assessment Office Dr. Emmett Mullins, Harbins Elementary School Tom Transou, Parkview High School Jeff Robertson, Information Management Division

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38 Back The lower limits determined by GCPS must be used!

39 Back

Parking Lot Issues Are grades “currency” in the classroom? If so, what are the implications of this? To what extent are grades a reflection of behavior? 40

41Considerations We average grades by finding the mean. Why do we do it? Because teachers have always averaged grades? Example = for 2 digit division Test #1 = 20 % and teacher remediates Test #2 = 40 % and doubles his success Test #3 = 60 % thanks to extra efforts from his teacher Test #4 = 80 % mastery of AKS –When grades are averaged, the student made a 50. How can we best report student achievement?

42 The Case Against the Zero Number Grade Letter Grade Four Point ScaleFour Point Equivalent using zeros A B C D U/F U/F U/F U/F U/F U/F U/F0-6 Back