Instruction Procedure 2420P: Grading and Progress Reports

The purpose of grades and a progress reporting system are:

1. To assist students in determining their progress for a specified period of time.
2. To inform parents of their child's academic progress during a specified period of time.
3. To guide teachers in making instructional decisions about students.
4. To provide schools with basic information for a student's permanent school record.
5. To provide district administrators with information relevant to curriculum review.

Information reported to students and parents is a combination of subjective and objective evaluation of a student's performance in the total school program. This information is an assessment of a child's progress based on an established standard for that subject.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

An effective reporting system includes frequent communications between home and school. Schoolwork, notes, telephone calls, conferences all play important roles in the formal reporting system and should be initiated by both parents and teachers. It is essential that parents understand the grading system and the way the grades describe each child's achievement.

Formal parent-teacher conferences will be scheduled for students in grades K-5, two times per year, and student-led conferences in grades 6-8, one time per year. Parents of students in grades 9-12 participate in an arena-style parent-teacher conference each November.

Informal parent-teacher conferences may and should be initiated by either parent or teacher at any time that either feels such a conference would be beneficial to the student.

Progress Reporting System

The report card

A report card will be prepared for each student in grades one through twelve.

Explanation of marks (Grades 1, 2, 3)

Achievement marks are based upon a continuum and are based on a student's progress in learning the material presented at that particular level.

• Above Grade Level: Goes beyond grade level expectations.
• At Grade Level: Fulfills grade level expectations.
• Below Grade Level: Fulfills grade level expectations periodically or rarely.
• P = Making satisfactory progress progress towards individualized goals or objectives as established in IEP. (Individual Education Plan.)

Explanation of progress indicators (Grades 4-5)

Students in grades four and five have progress reported more accurately and more consistently with expectations that all students will master the Essential Academic Learning Requirements.

Students and Parents of fourth- and fifth-graders receive copies of and explanations of the First Steps Reading Continuum and Six-trait Writing Rubric.
Rubrics based upon EALRs for each grade level are used to define student performance in all subject areas.

Progress indicators currently used are:

4  = Advanced performance:	Demonstrates thorough understanding of information/process/skills
3 = Proficient performance:	Understanding of the important information/process/skills without significant error
2 = Developing performance:	Demonstrates an incomplete understanding of important information/processes/skills
1 = Beginning performance:	Demonstrates an incomplete understanding of the important information along with several misconceptions

Explanation of marks (Grades 6-8)

Grading scale of A, B, C, NC (no credit). Students must attain 70% or higher to receive a passing grade.

Explanation of marks (Grades 9-12)

Achievement marks are based upon a student's progress in learning the material presented at that particular level. The system used shall be based on a marking/grading form that reports marks/grades earned by students in courses as applicable to the standardized school transcript. That standardized system is as follows:

 

A	=	4.0
A-	=	3.7
B+	=	3.3
B	=	3.0
B-	=	2.7
C+	=	2.3
C	=	2.0
C-	=	1.7
D+	=	1.3
D	=	1.0
F	=	0.0

The minimal passing mark/grade is D = 1.0. Pass/fail, credit/no credit, and satisfactory/unsatisfactory may also be used; however, these non-numerical marks/grades shall be clearly identified and excluded from the calculation of the grade point average. Alternative programs may use alternative means of reporting progress.

Marks/grades for each course taken shall be included in the calculation of grade point averages. Only the highest mark/grade for a class/course taken more than once to improve a mark/grade shall be included in the calculation of grade point averages. Marks/grades for recurring classes shall all be included in the calculation of grade points. Grade point averages shall be rounded to two decimal places and reported for each trimester/semester or other term and for the cumulative credits earned for all courses attempted in high school.

The standardized high school transcript shall contain:

• The student's name (last name, first name, and middle names or middle initials);
• The student's current address, address at graduation, or address at withdrawal from school (street, city, state, zip code);
• The student's birth date and sex;
• The student's identification number (if applicable);
• The school's name;
• The school's address (street, city, state zip code, and telephone number);
• The dates of the student's entry, reentry, withdrawal, and graduation (if applicable) related to the school issuing the transcript;
• The student's academic history for high school (grade level and date of course completion, course titles, marks/grades earned, credits attempted, and grade point average);
• The name and address of parent(s) or guardian(s) (street, city, state, zip code) if such information is available;
• A list of previous high schools attended (school name, address, city, state, and month and year of entrance and exit); and
• The signature and/or seal of the authorized school official (name, title, date).

Special Education classes

Teachers of Special Education classes may design their own reporting system with the approval of the Director of Special Education, Principal, and the Superintendent.

In General

• Each teacher will explain the grading system to the students at the beginning of that class.
• Students should be able to review factors that contribute to the course grade. Grading system should assist students in becoming self-evaluative.
• Teachers will notify parents when students are in danger of failing a course. Students should not normally fail a course without a warning during that grading period.
• The teacher assigned to the class will determine the grade for each student in accordance with this policy.
• Students and parents should understand the level of competency of EALRS that must be achieved to fulfill class and grade requirements.
• Daily attendance may influence grades as described in district policy 3122.
• All courses and grade levels may be retaken for an improved record. The higher grade received will be given for the course. The student will not receive credit twice.
• Grade challenges must follow the waiver requirement of district policy 2410.

ADOPTED: October 9, 1996
REVISED: March 24, 1997
REVISED: June 24, 1998
REVISED: October 15, 2002
REVISED: November 22, 2004