1. School Board Roundtable May 3, 2011 Grading Practices Committee Recommendations Tabetha Esposito Amy Falvey Brad Wright 1

2. Overview of Focuses Focus 1: Achievement Focus 2: Zeros Focus 3: Clear Expectations Focus 4: Standards-Based Grading Focus 5: Cheating A Repair Kit for Grading: 15 Fixes for Broken Grades By: Ken O’Connor 2007 2

3. Focus 1: Achievement Don’t include student behaviors in grades; include only achievement. 3

4. Focus 1: Achievement Recommendations Grade academic achievement and work habits separately and with equal importance. Work with the assessment committee, ESE and ELL personnel, and district level staff to set clear grading practice policies. 4

5. Focus 2: Zeros Don’t include zeros in grade determination as punishment or when evidence of learning is missing. 5

6. Focus 2: Zeros Recommendations Students should be encouraged and held accountable to complete work. Create a way to report “insufficient evidence” of learning. Using a 5-point option may solve a lot of issues with the use of zeros, but does not directly address Focus 2. 6

7. Focus 3: Clear Expectations 7 Assign grades using appropriate and clear performance standards; provide clear descriptions of achievement expectations.

8. Focus 4: Standards-Based Grading Base grades on a student’s achievement; compare each student’s performance to preset standards. 8

9. Focuses 3 and 4: Recommendations Revise report cards to reflect standards. Develop common formative and summative assessments based upon the standards. Do not curve grades. Grade according to achievement on the standards. 9

10. Focus 5: Cheating 10 Don’t punish academic dishonesty with reduced grades.

11. Focus 5: Recommendations Develop and implement an educational presentation for all stakeholders to teach academic honesty district-wide. Modify/Clarify current Statement of Academic Honesty. 11

12. Finalized Committee Recommendations Revise “Student Progression Plan” and “Statement of Academic Honesty” to reflect recommended grading practices Report academic achievement and work habits separately, but with equal importance 12

13. Student Progression Plan: Academic Achievement Grade When reporting a student’s academic achievement grade the evaluation shall relate to: 1.level of mastery of standards of the course objectives that have been identified for each course in the state course description and are compatible with the current K-12 FLDOE Standards, 2.performance on district and/or school assessment criteria and 3.teacher evaluation of students based on mastery of performance standards. 13

14. Student Progression Plan: Academic Achievement Grade The academic achievement grade shall be representative of the student’s level of mastery of standards based on data collected throughout the grading period for which the student is being evaluated. The academic achievement grade shall be based on non-curved measurable evidence. 14

15. Examples of Academic Achievement Grades End of Course Exams Chapter/Unit Tests Alternative Assessments (oral exams, rubrics, labs, projects, portfolios, etc.) Benchmarks (Not baseline) Individual Class Work (essays, research papers, note-taking, etc.) 15

16. Student Progression Plan: Academic Achievement Grade Accommodations for ELL and ESE students must adhere to the individuals’ IEP or 504 Plan. A student’s academic achievement grade shall not be lowered as a disciplinary measure according to SDIRC School Board Policy, Pupil Personnel 5.14. 16

17. Student Progression Plan: Work Habits When determining a student’s work habit grade the evaluation shall relate to: 1.learning practices that lead to the mastery of current K-12 FLDOE standards and 2.behaviors and personal responsibilities that contribute to student success. 17

18. Student Progression Plan: Work Habits The work habit grade shall be based on measurable evidence such as: Conduct/Behavior Class Work/Homework Completion Individual and Group Participation Organization Preparedness Punctuality Attendance Honesty (Code of Student Conduct, Statement of Academic Honesty) 18

19. Student Progression Plan: Report Cards A report of student academic achievement, work habits in each subject area, and attendance shall be made each nine weeks during the school year. ONLY academic achievement grades will be used to calculate semester grades. Report cards and eSembler need to be revised to reflect recommended grading practices. 19

20. Student Progression Plan: Report Cards Incompletes Evidence of learning must be demonstrated within twice as many days as missed with excused absence(s) not to exceed ten days without administrator approval or the grade will convert to an F {FS 1003.437(6)}. 20

21. Student Progression Plan Consistent changes are needed at all levels (K-12) as well as changes that are level-specific. Levels: Grading and Reporting for Kindergarten to Fifth Grade (16) Grading and Reporting for Sixth to Eighth (25) Grading and Reporting for Ninth to Twelfth (43) 21

22. Code of Student Conduct: Statement of Academic Honesty In addition to the consequences applied by the teacher, a cheating or plagiarism violation may be referred to the administration. Refer to the “Matrix of Infractions and Consequences (For Formal Discipline)” on page 18 within this booklet for a listing of consequences relating to violations of academic honesty. 22

23. Next Steps Upon School Board Approval, implement and evaluate recommendations Revise report card and eSembler to reflect academic achievement and work habits separately, include ESE and ELL personnel in development. Develop common formative and summative assessments based upon the standards. Provide training for all stakeholders regarding new procedures and report cards. Consider additional “focuses” regarding grading practice procedures. 23

24. Questions??? 24

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