Standards Based Grading
WT Elementary Schools, SBG Volume II
What is the purpose of a report card?
How are standards based report cards different from traditional grades and report cards?
What is the Academic Scale being used in Grades 3-5?
Approaching - I consistently demonstrate understanding of this skill or standard with little or no assistance. I am working toward independent application and transference of learning to new tasks.
Developing - I demonstrate progress in my understanding of this skill or standard. My performance is inconsistent, and I often receive multiple supports as I work toward meeting grade level expectations.
Beginning - I demonstrate limited understanding of this skill or standard, and I need a high level of prompting and support.
NI - Not Introduced
* Students who are not submitting sufficient work may be given a Beginning. Beginning scores will be accompanied with a comment. Students should be reminded that the regular submission of completed work provides data to measure student growth within a standard.
What is the Scale for Specials, Spanish, and Behaviors that Support Learning?
Usually
Occasionally
Rarely
* Students who are not submitting sufficient work for Specials and/or Spanish may be given a score of Rarely.
My child is completing all of his or her work. Will this translate to a "Secure" rating?
In addition, some standards are not fully introduced and explored during the first marking period; therefore, there may not be the opportunity to fully assess some of the complex standards.
Why might my child receive an NI (Not Introduced)?
NI may be used when certain standards are not addressed within a marking period due to instructional modifications or pacing changes that may need to be implemented. Teacher comments should address why the NI was assigned.
How will student achievement be recognized?
As noted and summarized by Rick Wormeli and Thomas Guskey...
Wormeli and Guskey's work focuses on educational measurement and evaluation, professional development, teacher change, student assessment, and grading/reporting.
If we are educating the whole child, we should consider the vast developmental differences of our students. Students who are well into abstract thought will be working at a totally different level than other students who just aren't there yet, no matter how motivated and hard-working both types of students are in our classrooms.
Our goal is to work together with families to dismantle our view of what constitutes student success while finding multiple ways to provide positive feedback to all students. We hope to change assessment and grading practices so assessments are authentic and conducted from many angles and categories of measure, and grades are accurate reflections of mastery of standards.
Let's privately and publicly affirm the most important skills of the 21st century we find in our students: creativity, collaboration, compassion, critical thinking, flexibility, resilience, task analysis, positive social change, ethics, courage, mental dexterity, pattern recognition and manipulation, and initiative. These are worthy areas of celebration. As we move forward in standards based grading, Honor Roll and Principal's List are no longer congruent with our elementary philosophy of growth mindset.