Standards based grading can be difficult for parents and students to understand.  I base my grades on these principles:

• Students and parents should be able to know the status of the student’s grade at any time.  IC has become a valuable tool for both students and parents to do this.
• Students should know at all times what they need to do to improve their grade.
• Grades should reflect the understanding of concepts and the ability to use, analyze and apply those concepts.
• I do not give “busy work”.  All assignments are critical to the accomplishment of understanding, using, analyzing and applying concepts.

I give two types of assignments.  Formative assignments: ones that help the student move to a deeper understanding of concepts.  Summative assignments will be assignments that show a student’s overall understanding. For example: an essay, a lab, or a test. Formative assignments will be denoted in the grade book with a small letter, summative with a capital letter.  The letters are as follows:

A – Advanced level of understanding.  This is accomplished by showing advanced proficiency on tests, quizzes and conclusions to lab write ups.  The student has a deep understanding of the concept and can use it to solve problems and apply the concept in unique ways without teacher assistance.  The rubric for lab write ups is posted online and in the classroom and will be discussed often and in depth in class.

P – Proficient level of understanding.    This means that the student can adequately use, analyze and apply the concept with little teacher assistance.  This will be accomplished with tests, quizzes and lab conclusions that consistently show proficiency on the rubric.

PP – Partially Proficient level of understanding.  This shows that the student is working toward an understanding of the concept and the ability to use and apply the concept in problem solving situations.   The student at this level may have difficulty on tests and quizzes, but shows that they are working toward proficiency by doing all homework and classwork.

U – This level is reserved for students who never show either proficiency on any tests, quizzes or lab conclusions and do not complete homework or classwork. 

M – This indicates that the student did not show proficiency because the assignment/s are missing.

The translation of standards based grades to traditional grades for transcripts, eligibility and report cards will be done carefully and using my professional judgment.  In general these are the guidelines I follow:

A – Advanced proficiency on most summative work. 

B – Most summative work is at proficient level with some possibly above or below.

C – Summative work shows some work at proficient level the rest could be below as long as formative work such as homework and classwork is completed.  This shows that the student is working toward proficiency.

D – summative work shows partially proficient, and not all formative work is completed. 

F – no proficiency on any summative work, and little if any formative work complete.

I am happy to discuss progress toward proficiency with students at any time, and will work with students to help them work toward the next level.  There will be opportunities for students to redo work that falls below expectations.