Secondary Grading Practices
Middle and high school courses utilize consistent grading practices with a clear focus on how they communicate what your child knows and can do. These grading practices include the use of two grading categories: Assessment of Standards and Practice of Standards.
Think of these new grading categories as two different lenses through which we look at your child's learning:
1. Assessment of Standards (70% - The "What They Know" Lens):
- This is the main way we show you what your child has truly learned. This category focuses on measuring how well your child has grasped the essential knowledge and skills (the "standards") for each subject.
- The grades here come from tasks that directly assess their understanding. Things like tests, projects, quizzes, performances, or any task a teacher believes assesses if your child can apply what they've learned. There is flexibility here for teachers to determine what is assessing student learning.
- A higher percentage (70%) emphasizes that mastery is key. We want the grade in this category to be a clear indicator of how well your child understands the core concepts independently.
In simple terms, this 70% tells you: "Here's how well your child has actually learned and can demonstrate the important stuff in this subject."
2. Practice of Standards (30% - The "How They're Learning" Lens):
- This category shows you how your child is progressing as they learn. It reflects their engagement and participation in the learning process.
- The grades here come from activities that help them learn and build understanding. Classwork, homework, and discussions are important parts of practice.
- While important, this category is weighted less (30%) because it's about the journey of learning. It acknowledges that mastering new material involves trial and error and provides opportunities for your child to explore, make mistakes, and learn from them without those initial missteps heavily impacting their overall demonstration of knowledge.
Think of this 30% as showing: "Here's how your child is engaging with the material and practicing the skills that will eventually lead to mastery."
Consistent Communication:
This two-category system aims to make grading more consistent and easier for you to understand across all your child's classes. Instead of different teachers using different methods, this standardized approach provides a clearer picture of your child's learning in every subject.
Ultimately, this updated grading system is designed to give you a more accurate and detailed understanding of what your child knows, understands, and is able to do in relation to the learning standards. It separates the demonstration of mastery from the process of learning, providing a clearer picture of both.
