RETHINKING GRADING

Episode #2: What are we doing?

THE 2023-2024 HANDBOOK

• This Doc contains all the language related to grading that will appear in the 2023-2024 handbook.

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• This language was approved by both the Handbook Committee and the School Committee.

FOUR KEY CHANGES

• The grade scale
• Revision policy
• Late work
• Viewing grades

THE GRADE SCALE

GRADE

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Exemplary

Advanced

Proficient

Developing

Unsatisfactory

No Credit

GPA EQUIVALENT

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4.0

3.5

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

HOW DOES IT WORK?

AN EXAMPLE

THE GRADE SCALE, CONTINUED

• This grade scale is helpful because it puts the focus on learning rather than points.
• It’s closer to what students will encounter after high school.
• Are there any meaningful tests that give a percentage grade? MCAS doesn’t. The driving test doesn’t. Teaching tests don’t.
• What does it even mean to get a 72% on a haircut or CPR?

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REVISION POLICY

• Students meet with teachers to create a relearning plan.
• Students complete the relearning plan.
• Students complete a new assessment, retake the original assessment, or retake portions of the original assessment.

• Students earn the new grade rather than an average of the old and new grades.
• This is a more accurate reflection of what a student knows.

LATE WORK

• Assignments are either related to Work Habits or Achievement.
• Achievement measures skills and content knowledge.
• Work Habits measures other qualities like participation, effort, and professionalism.

• If a teacher assigns a penalty for late work, that penalty will be applied to Work Habits rather than Achievement.
• This will be more accurate: an exemplary essay should still be considered exemplary, even if it’s handed in two days late.
• There does need to be accountability, though, and it is more accurate to levy that penalty against Work Habits.

VIEWING GRADES

• Students will earn grades for power standards, which are department-determined bundles of skills and knowledge derived from state standards.
• Those standards grades are then used to calculate a course/F0 grade.
• No more A1, W2, C1, M1, etc.!

• A lot more training on how to use Power School will be provided in the very near future.
• For now, please see the sample on the next slide for an idea of what you will see.

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VIEWING GRADES SAMPLE

This is a sample for visualization purposes only. The actual view on report cards and Power School will look slightly different… and better!

WHAT DOESN’T CHANGE

• Students still earn a GPA.
• There will still be an Honor Roll, National Honor Society, salutatorian, and valedictorian.
• Accommodations and modifications on IEPs are still provided.

• Eligibility for sports and extracurriculars is the same. Instead of avoiding Fs, students would now avoid Unsatisfactory.
• Goals on future IEPs may be worded slightly differently (Proficient vs 8 of 10 instances), but they will continue to be focused on supporting student progress.

THE BIG TAKEAWAYS

• Grades, report cards, and Power School will look different.
• Grades will be more fair, accurate, and helpful.
• The important stuff—teaching, learning, and positive relationships—stays the same.

Questions? Concerns?

jscopelleti@ssvotech.org

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781-878-8822 x. 317

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