How Is the Final Grade Determined?

The final score may be determined by a Final Demonstration of Learning. In addition, teachers will also review a preponderance of student evidence of learning over time to determine proficiency of a standard.

Elementary teachers will not report proficiency via percentages at any grade level. Pure mathematical averages do not accurately report a child’s true level of proficiency with a standard. In fact, percentages can actually penalize a child for what he/she didn’t already know at the start of a unit of study. A variety of learning evidences over time, in conjunction with teacher professional judgment, and a child’s performance on a Final Demonstration of Learning is more strongly correlated to an accurate depiction of student learning. Teachers at our intermediate levels, particularly sixth grade will work with students to help them understand the ranges of Academic Indicators and how those will relate to the percentage grading system found in our middle schools. It should be noted, throughout middle schools many teachers are also practicing standards based grading. The transition to Standards Based Grading and Reporting is often most appropriate at the elementary level first where a foundation of learning is being built which requires measurement of self to learning target without the need to translate that data to grade point averages, class ranks, etc.