Parent's Guide to Assessment, Grading, & Report Cards
THE VILLAGE SCHOOL STANDARDS BASED LEARNING: A Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading, and Report Cards SEPTEMBER 2013
The Village School Mission: The Village School, an interna1onal community, is commi6ed to developing inquisi1ve life-‐long learners prepared to think cri1cally, to collaborate genuinely, and to give of themselves generously, as they prepare to lead the next genera1on into an ever-‐changing world.
What is StandardsBased Learning Standards-‐based learning (SBL) helps us achieve our mission. It is the process of using an agreed upon set of learning objec1ves (standards) to drive teacher planning and instruc1on; to drive a s s e s s m e n t o f s t u d e n t achievement; to drive specific, descrip1ve, 1mely feedback given to students; and to inform the grading and repor1ng of student achievement. Research has shown that grading a n d r e p o r 1 n g t o s p e c i fi c standards, while using the a c c o m p a n y i n g s t r a t e g y o f forma1ve assessments and feedback related to progress towards standards, significantly boosts student achievement and mo1va1on.
The Village School Assessment Philosophy: At The Village School we believe that the primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Fundamentally, assessment is the process of gathering information that reflects levels of student achievement so as to give effective feedback to students and teachers regarding student learning. However, assessment tends to serve slightly different purposes for different stakeholders.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 1
Effective Assessment at The Village School
For students, effec.ve assessment is: For teachers, effec.ve assessment is: For parents, effec.ve assessment is: an opportunity to demonstrate an opportunity to determine what they have learned. degrees of prior knowledge before beginning a unit. an opportunity to idenJfy and an opportunity to monitor their support learning differences and own learning, set goals, and plan next learning styles. steps. an opportunity to ascertain degrees of understanding and an opportunity to understand the achievement at various stages of the benchmarks and the criteria for learning process. success. a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o m o d i f y instrucJon and curriculum based on an opportunity to reflect and the needs of the students. share with peers, build confidence an opportunity to evaluate, and self-‐esteem. r e c o r d , a n d r e p o r t s t u d e n t achievement to stakeholders.
an opportunity to become an acJve parJcipant in the learning process. an opportunity to be accurately informed of their children’s progress. an opportunity to be accurately i n f o r m e d o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n ’ s strengths, and areas in need of support. an opportunity to assist their children in planning for the future, both immediate and longer term.
The Village School Assessment and Grading Practices 1. Student academic achievement is evaluated according to the academic standards and objec1ves outlined in The Village School Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum. 2. Evalua1on of student achievement to the standard does not include non-‐academic achievement factors such as homework, effort, par1cipa1on, behavior, etc. 3. Homework, effort, par1cipa1on, behavior, and other non-‐academic achievement areas are key elements in the learning process that are evaluated and reported separately. 4. Academic, standards-‐based achievement, as well as non-‐academic achievement are equally important and are both taken into considera1on when determining student eligibility in all curricular and extra-‐curricular ac1vi1es. Likewise, both achievement factors are taken into considera1on when determining grade promo1on. 5. Rubrics are oVen used when evalua1ng students’ levels of academic and non-‐academic proficiency.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 2
What is Standards-Based Grading?
BENEFITS OF STANDARDS BASED GRADING Indicates what students know and are able to do Expectations are clearly communicated ahead of time. Allows for more specific, descriptive feedback to students Allows for more accurate reporting of student’s academic achievement to students and families
Standards-‐based grading (SBG) is the process of assessing and rendering a judgment of student achievement toward the standards outlined in The Village School Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, based on established criteria. Standards-‐based grading is designed to provide specific, descripJve, Jmely feedback to students and parents on student achievement towards our standards. The goal of this approach is to provide the teacher, student, and parent(s) with an accurate picture of the student’s learning and to encourage a dialogue about how the student can best meet the expectaJons for each class. In parJcular, because learning is a process that takes place over Jme, each of the standards assessed will provide feedback for the student about what to focus on next.
Non-Academic Achievement is also assessed and reported out to parents. Allows teachers and administrators to more accurately triangulate student achievement data to inform instructional decision making.
With standards-‐based grading, teachers report a student’s knowledge and understanding relaJve to the academic standards. Typically, the non-‐academic achievement factors that so greatly impact overall student performance are assessed, graded, and reported out in a separate yet parallel structure. This separaJon of academic and non-‐academic achievement in a student’s grade allows for more accurate reporJng of student academic achievement, and more effecJve feedback to inspire future growth and moJvaJon. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 3
The Village School Academic & Non-Academic Scoring Marks Many Village School teachers will be using a four-‐point rubric to assess their students’ academic and non-‐academic performance. The Village Four-‐Point Scale uses the following ‘Grade Mark Indicators’ to indicate proficiency levels. These ‘Grade Marks’ will be used to report student achievement to standards and non-‐academic achievement on the report card.
EE
ME
AE
BE
Exceeding Expecta.ons
Mee.ng Expecta.ons
Approaching Expecta.ons
Beginning Expecta.ons
A very high to outstanding level of achievement
A high level of achievement.
A passable level of achievement
An insufficient level of achievement
Achievement meets the Village standard.
Student is approaching the Village standard of achievement.
Student is just beginning to approach the Village standard.
No major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes, major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes
With help, a parJal understanding of some of the simpler details and processes and some of the more complex ideas and processes
Achievement exceeds the Village standard. In-‐depth inferences and applicaJons that go beyond what was taught, not beyond the expectaJons for that grade level
No major errors or omissions regarding any of the informaJon and/ or processes (simple or complex) that were explicitly taught
There is no comparison to A, B, C, and D.
When performance is not ‘Mee.ng’:
•
•
•
The ‘Grade Mark Descriptors’
Students who are ‘Approaching
are designed to show how
ExpectaJons’ are making
your child is achieving
progress towards the grade
relaJve to the grade level
level standards. Some
standards.
addiJonal support may be
The ‘MeeJng ExpectaJons’
needed.
mark indicates that your child
•
The ‘Exceeding ExpectaJons’
is meeJng the grade level
mark indicates that your child
standard. Students who are
has demonstrated a profound
meeJng the grade level
understanding or applicaJon
standards are prepared to be
that goes beyond what was
successful at the next grade
explicitly taught in class.
level.
The OMNIBUS Class Grade has not disappeared While the EE, ME, AE, & BE Grade Marks will be used to report out student achievement on more specific repor.ng topics and non-‐academic achievement, ‘Omnibus’ Class Grades will s9ll be given out of 100 in grades 3 -‐ 8. See Report Card Sample. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 4
The Village School Non-Academic Achievement Factors At The Village School, we believe that there are certain non-‐academic achievement factors which are essen1al to student success -‐ at Village, and in life. Beginning this school year, all Village School elementary and middle school students will be assessed on the following non-‐ academic achievement factors: CONDUCT, EFFORT, and PERSONAL HABITS.
Just what does Conduct, Effort, and Personal Habits mean? CONDUCT: • • • • • • •
Respects others’ opinions. Respects others’ feelings. Respects others’ ideas. Properly follows class expectaJons. Does not interrupt. Does not distract or disrupt the class. Has self control.
EFFORT: • Shows persistence and perseverance: tries hard • • • • • •
to reach standards and expectaJons. Uses feedback as a tool to improve. Shows interest in learning and improving. ParJcipates in class discussions. Stays on task following acJvity expectaJons. Turns in all homework and class assignments on Jme. Prepared for class.
PERSONAL HABITS: • Wears the complete uniform. • Follows Village School grooming and personal • •
appearance expectaJons (hair cuts, accessories). Demonstrates organizaJon and neatness (cubby, backpack, desk). Picks up aaer him/herself.
NON-‐ACADEMIC CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS As these non-‐academic achievement factors are all behaviors, the criteria for success is determined by the frequency with which the various behaviors are demonstrated.
EE ME AE BE
Exceeding Expecta.ons Student consistently demonstrates all behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor Mee.ng Expecta.ons Student usually demonstrates all behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement Approaching Expecta.ons Student only some9mes demonstrates at least one of the behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor Beginning Expecta.ons Student rarely demonstrates at least one of the behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 5
This key describes the grade marks used to represent student
How to read The Village School Standards-Based Report Card Johnny
Apples
eed
achievement.
This ‘omnibus’ class grade is the More specific
same ‘overall’ class grade that you
feedback to
have seen on previous report cards.
students and parents on sub-‐strand achievement.
Each class may have mul.ple strands.
Achievement marks Comme
will also be given to
nt sec. on for t eachers studen t’s stre to rem ngths a ark on nd area s of opp ortunit y
Non-‐Academic repor.ng marks for Conduct, Effort, and Personal Habits
the more specific repor.ng topics under each class.
If a standard is not taught and assessed it will not appear OR will have an asterisk.
Grade calcula.on: Sub-‐strand marks are calculated the same way grades have always been calculated. That is, from tests, quizzes, and daily work, etc. which are all weighted differently. As has always been done, teachers may use rubrics or a 100-‐point scale to grade assignments. The class grade is the average of all of the strand grades. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 6
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: How is standards-based grading (SBG) different from traditional grading? A: In the traditional 100-point grading system, a student’s grades are typically based on all of the work assigned in class, including classwork, homework, projects, quizzes, and tests. These scores are often arranged in the grade book based on the type of assignment rather than on the essential standards for the class. The grade may also include points for non-academic factors, such as participation, effort, or attitude. With standards-based grading, all of the work a student does is used to assess the student’s understanding of the academic standards. A student’s scores from his/her work are tracked by the standards, which give the teacher, student, and parent a very detailed picture of whether or not a student can demonstrate understanding. A student’s non-academic achievement is assessed, graded, and reported out in a separate yet parallel structure. This separation of academic and non-academic achievement in a student’s grade allows for more accurate reporting of student academic achievement, and more effective feedback to inspire future growth and motivation. With standards-based grading, a student’s grade mark more accurately represents a student’s proficiency of the standards than a traditional grade does. Standards are broad statements that identify the knowledge and skills that students should acquire. The specific standards that are taught and evaluated each marking period are reported out on the student’s individual report card. A significant difference in SBG is that students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of a standard throughout the school year. What you will see in Skyward from our teachers’ grade books are all the assessed standards and a grade mark of how students are achieving on each one. This will give us the ability to quickly identify students who need intervention or enrichment.
Q: Why does homework count so little in the final grade and will that discourage students from completing homework? A: SBG shifts the priority focus to clear and consistent evidence of learning rather than the multiple practice times it may take a student to get to that learning. We believe students will recognize that without practice, they will not be successful on the assessments. Homework assignments, participation, attendance and attitude have a weight of zero in the grading of academic achievement. However, those formative assessments provide guidance for day-to-day differentiated instruction. In addition, student non-academic achievement is evaluated and reported out to parents on each report card.
Q: How will my child be assessed? A: Your students’ learning will be assessed in much the same way that it is currently assessed. That is to say, using a variety of formative and summative assessments. These tools will include formal assessments such as traditional paper-and-pencil tests, projects, written papers, lab reports, or verbal assessments; but they may also include informal assessments such as classroom discussions or teacher observations. Essentially, everything that a student does in a standards-based class provides the teacher with evidence of student learning.
Q: Are there other schools successfully using this model? A: Yes. School districts in Texas, as well as across the country and around the world, have made the progression to a standards-based grading system. This is an international movement based on years of research. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 7
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: So why is the school moving to standards-based grading? A: The goal of The Village School is to enhance our academic plan by reporting grades that are accurate, consistent, meaningful, supportive of learning, and aligned to the curriculum standards articulated by our Curriculum Committees. This evolution to standards-based grading is our earnest effort to reach that goal by August of 2013. Here is how standards-based grading addresses each of those four criteria: Accurate: By basing a student’s grade solely on academic factors, the teacher creates a clear picture of what the student has learned without the influence of other factors. These other factors, such as effort and attitude, are still essential, but are not part of the student’s academic grade and are communicated separately. Consistent: For each unit presented, the teacher will provide assessments that describe exactly what the student will need to understand and learn. Using these assessments establishes clear expectations for proficiency up front and clear expectations consistently throughout the quarter and/or semester. Meaningful: A meaningful grade is one that clearly communicates what learning has taken place. In a school with standards-based grading, scores are recorded by the essential standards rather than by type, such as tests or homework, making it easier to identify areas of strength and to address areas of concern for each student. Supportive of Learning: Standards-based grading supports learning by focusing on the material that has or has not been learned rather than on accumulating points to reach a certain total. The practice of reassessment also supports student learning by allowing new levels of learning to replace old when a student shows improvement on an assessment.
Q: Is there research to indicate that standards-based grading significantly increases student achievement? A: Research on standards-based grading overwhelmingly shows that students learn the subjects and perform better when instruction and assessment are aligned and each implemented with great fidelity. The works of people such as Douglas Reeves, Robert Marzano, Jay McTighe, Grant Wiggins, Thomas Guskey, Rick Wormeli, Susan Brookhart, Carol Ann Tomlinson, and Tammy Heflebower support this research. Students perform best when they are informed about the learning targets and the expectations of the standards. When feedback and corrective procedures are used, most students can attain the same level of achievement as the top 20% of students. Wiggins agrees that it is only through this cycle of feedback that excellence results: “Students must have routine access to the criteria and standards for the task in which they need to demonstrate proficiency; they must have feedback in their attempts to achieve those tasks; and they must have opportunities to use the feedback to correct work and resubmit it for evaluation against the standard. Excellence is attained by such cycles of model-practice-perform-feedbackperform.”
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 8
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: I understand there is some research, and that some public schools are doing this, but parents already know what letter grades mean, so why change a system that has been around for years? A: A standards-based report card gives more information than traditional letter grades, and reports how well the student is progressing towards achieving the standards expected for his/her grade level. It measures student performance in a more equitable way. Students are measured against a standard rather than against their peers. A standards-based grading system is a national movement based on years of research. We recognize that letter grades are a time-‐honored tradition and are what most parents experienced as students; however traditional letter grades do not always accurately reflect a learner’s knowledge of the standards. It is important to understand that letter grades come from the belief that grades should serve to differentiate students on the basis of demonstrated talent; it is our belief that our teachers develop individual talents, not rank them. Therefore, the practice of rank-ordering learners through grades is not helpful with respect to the idea of promoting learning and demonstrating proficiency of the standards. We will continue to provide an “omnibus” grade that gives an overall “mark” for a given content area. For example, in addition to reporting student achievement toward specific learning objectives, students will also receive an overall “grade” in Math, English, History, etc.
Q: How does a teacher know if a student is ready for the next grade level? A: Meeting the standard is considered the Village standard. Teachers and parents can be confident that students who are meeting the Village standards are prepared to be successful at the next grade level. Students who are still approaching the standard are not as prepared to be successful at the next grade level. Exceeding the standard signifies achievement that demonstrates a profound understanding of the standard that goes beyond what was explicitly taught in class. It should be noted that exceeding does not mean that a student has achieved standards beyond those specified for his or her particular grade.
Q: How will teachers know when a student has met a standard? A: The standards require students to understand more than just facts, they must understand concepts and demonstrate that understanding using the skills they have acquired while learning the content. Prior to teaching any standards, teachers should work with their grade level teams to identify the criteria for success for each standard. This criteria will be determined based on the General Proficiency Rubric, yet may be tweaked for individual standards and/or for individual assessments. Teachers determine when a student achieves proficiency by that student’s performance on daily assignments and assessments given throughout each trimester (Primary) and quarter (Elementary and Middle School). Teachers will have greater flexibility to use a variety of means to determine when and if a student can demonstrate proficiency, which can allow for greater differentiation of instruction and provide more frequent opportunities during an instructional unit for some students to study concepts at a deeper level,
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 9
Grading and Assessment Definitions: The Village School Standards and Benchmarks is the Village Curriculum Document. As outlined for each content area, Village Standards are broad learning targets that may span all grade levels and articulate learning objectives for each content area. Assessment refers to all of the materials and procedures used to: collect evidence of student achievement, evaluate student learning and provide feedback, record student learning, and report student achievement. Formative Assessment, or assessment for learning, happens while learning is still underway. These are the assessments that teachers and students conduct throughout teaching and learning to diagnose student needs, plan next steps in instruction, provide students with feedback they can use to improve the quality of their work, and help students to see where they are going or where they have been, and feel in control of their journey to success. The ultimate goal of formative assessment is to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes. (Stiggins) Summative Assessment is the attempt to summarize student learning at the end of a sequence of instruction. It is designed to provide a formal evaluation of student achievement. Common Assessments are assessments developed by a team of teachers to assess a few selected benchmarks. The assessments are evaluated by teachers other than that of the students who took the assessment. Results are used by teachers and leadership to analyze school-wide practices and curriculum. External Assessments are assessments that are developed and assessed by external test developers and are used by teachers and the leadership team to analyze school/wide practices and curriculum. Evaluation is the rendering of judgment of one, or a group of, assessment(s) used as evidence of student achievement based upon comparison of the evidence to our Village Standards and Benchmarks. Grading is the attachment of a grade symbol (usually a number or a descriptor) to one, or a group of, assessment(s) based upon comparison of the performance score to our Village Standards and Benchmarks. Reporting is the process through which student achievement is formally communicated to parents and other stakeholders. Ongoing Assessments are assessments that take place while the learning is still going on. These assessments should be formative in nature. Effort is d1010efined as the frequency with which a student demonstrates effort in his or her daily work as observed by the teacher: demonstrating persistence and perseverance in his or her work, positively responding to feedback, showing genuine interest and curiosity in learning and growing, participating in class discussion, engaging in learning tasks, turning in all completed class work and homework assignments on time, and being prepared for class. Conduct is defined as the frequency with which a student: respects other people’s opinions, feelings, ideas, and property (i.e. refrains from bullying, name calling, laughing at, making fun of, stealing, etc); follows classroom expectations (i.e. does not interrupt others while speaking, does not distract or disrupt class, exercises self control of impulsive behaviors); acts as a positive team member; and acts with kindness and honesty. Personal Habits is defined as the frequency with which students: wear the complete uniform and adhere to Village grooming and personal appearance expectations, demonstrates organization and neatness in personal belongings (i.e. cubby, desk, locker, backpack, etc.), picks up after oneself and is on time for all classes.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 10
Resources and References: Chappuis, Jan, Stiggins, R. Chappuis, S., Arter, J. (2012). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well. Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service Black, P. & William, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappa, 80(2), 139-19. Brookhart, S. M., & Nitko, A. J. (2008). Assessment and grading in classrooms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Covington, M. V. (1992). Making the grade: A self-worth perspective on motivation and school reform. New York: Cambridge University Press. Guskey, T. R., & Bailey, J. M. (2001). Developing grading and reporting systems for student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin. Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning. New Yourk: Routledge. Marzano, R. J. (2000). Transforming classroom grading. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Marzano, R. J. (2006). Classroom assessment and grading that work. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Marzano, R. J. (2010). Formative assessment and standards-based grading. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory. O’Conner, Ken. (2009). How to grade for learning: K-12 (3rd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Pollock, Jane E. (2007). Improving Student Learning: One Teacher At A Time. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Reeves, D. (2011). Elements of grading. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 11
The Village School Mission: The Village School, an interna1onal community, is commi6ed to developing inquisi1ve life-‐long learners prepared to think cri1cally, to collaborate genuinely, and to give of themselves generously, as they prepare to lead the next genera1on into an ever-‐changing world.
What is StandardsBased Learning Standards-‐based learning (SBL) helps us achieve our mission. It is the process of using an agreed upon set of learning objec1ves (standards) to drive teacher planning and instruc1on; to drive a s s e s s m e n t o f s t u d e n t achievement; to drive specific, descrip1ve, 1mely feedback given to students; and to inform the grading and repor1ng of student achievement. Research has shown that grading a n d r e p o r 1 n g t o s p e c i fi c standards, while using the a c c o m p a n y i n g s t r a t e g y o f forma1ve assessments and feedback related to progress towards standards, significantly boosts student achievement and mo1va1on.
The Village School Assessment Philosophy: At The Village School we believe that the primary purpose of assessment is to improve student learning. Fundamentally, assessment is the process of gathering information that reflects levels of student achievement so as to give effective feedback to students and teachers regarding student learning. However, assessment tends to serve slightly different purposes for different stakeholders.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 1
Effective Assessment at The Village School
For students, effec.ve assessment is: For teachers, effec.ve assessment is: For parents, effec.ve assessment is: an opportunity to demonstrate an opportunity to determine what they have learned. degrees of prior knowledge before beginning a unit. an opportunity to idenJfy and an opportunity to monitor their support learning differences and own learning, set goals, and plan next learning styles. steps. an opportunity to ascertain degrees of understanding and an opportunity to understand the achievement at various stages of the benchmarks and the criteria for learning process. success. a n o p p o r t u n i t y t o m o d i f y instrucJon and curriculum based on an opportunity to reflect and the needs of the students. share with peers, build confidence an opportunity to evaluate, and self-‐esteem. r e c o r d , a n d r e p o r t s t u d e n t achievement to stakeholders.
an opportunity to become an acJve parJcipant in the learning process. an opportunity to be accurately informed of their children’s progress. an opportunity to be accurately i n f o r m e d o f t h e i r c h i l d r e n ’ s strengths, and areas in need of support. an opportunity to assist their children in planning for the future, both immediate and longer term.
The Village School Assessment and Grading Practices 1. Student academic achievement is evaluated according to the academic standards and objec1ves outlined in The Village School Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum. 2. Evalua1on of student achievement to the standard does not include non-‐academic achievement factors such as homework, effort, par1cipa1on, behavior, etc. 3. Homework, effort, par1cipa1on, behavior, and other non-‐academic achievement areas are key elements in the learning process that are evaluated and reported separately. 4. Academic, standards-‐based achievement, as well as non-‐academic achievement are equally important and are both taken into considera1on when determining student eligibility in all curricular and extra-‐curricular ac1vi1es. Likewise, both achievement factors are taken into considera1on when determining grade promo1on. 5. Rubrics are oVen used when evalua1ng students’ levels of academic and non-‐academic proficiency.
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 2
What is Standards-Based Grading?
BENEFITS OF STANDARDS BASED GRADING Indicates what students know and are able to do Expectations are clearly communicated ahead of time. Allows for more specific, descriptive feedback to students Allows for more accurate reporting of student’s academic achievement to students and families
Standards-‐based grading (SBG) is the process of assessing and rendering a judgment of student achievement toward the standards outlined in The Village School Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum, based on established criteria. Standards-‐based grading is designed to provide specific, descripJve, Jmely feedback to students and parents on student achievement towards our standards. The goal of this approach is to provide the teacher, student, and parent(s) with an accurate picture of the student’s learning and to encourage a dialogue about how the student can best meet the expectaJons for each class. In parJcular, because learning is a process that takes place over Jme, each of the standards assessed will provide feedback for the student about what to focus on next.
Non-Academic Achievement is also assessed and reported out to parents. Allows teachers and administrators to more accurately triangulate student achievement data to inform instructional decision making.
With standards-‐based grading, teachers report a student’s knowledge and understanding relaJve to the academic standards. Typically, the non-‐academic achievement factors that so greatly impact overall student performance are assessed, graded, and reported out in a separate yet parallel structure. This separaJon of academic and non-‐academic achievement in a student’s grade allows for more accurate reporJng of student academic achievement, and more effecJve feedback to inspire future growth and moJvaJon. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 3
The Village School Academic & Non-Academic Scoring Marks Many Village School teachers will be using a four-‐point rubric to assess their students’ academic and non-‐academic performance. The Village Four-‐Point Scale uses the following ‘Grade Mark Indicators’ to indicate proficiency levels. These ‘Grade Marks’ will be used to report student achievement to standards and non-‐academic achievement on the report card.
EE
ME
AE
BE
Exceeding Expecta.ons
Mee.ng Expecta.ons
Approaching Expecta.ons
Beginning Expecta.ons
A very high to outstanding level of achievement
A high level of achievement.
A passable level of achievement
An insufficient level of achievement
Achievement meets the Village standard.
Student is approaching the Village standard of achievement.
Student is just beginning to approach the Village standard.
No major errors or omissions regarding the simpler details and processes, major errors or omissions regarding the more complex ideas and processes
With help, a parJal understanding of some of the simpler details and processes and some of the more complex ideas and processes
Achievement exceeds the Village standard. In-‐depth inferences and applicaJons that go beyond what was taught, not beyond the expectaJons for that grade level
No major errors or omissions regarding any of the informaJon and/ or processes (simple or complex) that were explicitly taught
There is no comparison to A, B, C, and D.
When performance is not ‘Mee.ng’:
•
•
•
The ‘Grade Mark Descriptors’
Students who are ‘Approaching
are designed to show how
ExpectaJons’ are making
your child is achieving
progress towards the grade
relaJve to the grade level
level standards. Some
standards.
addiJonal support may be
The ‘MeeJng ExpectaJons’
needed.
mark indicates that your child
•
The ‘Exceeding ExpectaJons’
is meeJng the grade level
mark indicates that your child
standard. Students who are
has demonstrated a profound
meeJng the grade level
understanding or applicaJon
standards are prepared to be
that goes beyond what was
successful at the next grade
explicitly taught in class.
level.
The OMNIBUS Class Grade has not disappeared While the EE, ME, AE, & BE Grade Marks will be used to report out student achievement on more specific repor.ng topics and non-‐academic achievement, ‘Omnibus’ Class Grades will s9ll be given out of 100 in grades 3 -‐ 8. See Report Card Sample. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 4
The Village School Non-Academic Achievement Factors At The Village School, we believe that there are certain non-‐academic achievement factors which are essen1al to student success -‐ at Village, and in life. Beginning this school year, all Village School elementary and middle school students will be assessed on the following non-‐ academic achievement factors: CONDUCT, EFFORT, and PERSONAL HABITS.
Just what does Conduct, Effort, and Personal Habits mean? CONDUCT: • • • • • • •
Respects others’ opinions. Respects others’ feelings. Respects others’ ideas. Properly follows class expectaJons. Does not interrupt. Does not distract or disrupt the class. Has self control.
EFFORT: • Shows persistence and perseverance: tries hard • • • • • •
to reach standards and expectaJons. Uses feedback as a tool to improve. Shows interest in learning and improving. ParJcipates in class discussions. Stays on task following acJvity expectaJons. Turns in all homework and class assignments on Jme. Prepared for class.
PERSONAL HABITS: • Wears the complete uniform. • Follows Village School grooming and personal • •
appearance expectaJons (hair cuts, accessories). Demonstrates organizaJon and neatness (cubby, backpack, desk). Picks up aaer him/herself.
NON-‐ACADEMIC CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS As these non-‐academic achievement factors are all behaviors, the criteria for success is determined by the frequency with which the various behaviors are demonstrated.
EE ME AE BE
Exceeding Expecta.ons Student consistently demonstrates all behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor Mee.ng Expecta.ons Student usually demonstrates all behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement Approaching Expecta.ons Student only some9mes demonstrates at least one of the behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor Beginning Expecta.ons Student rarely demonstrates at least one of the behaviors associated with the non-‐academic achievement factor
The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 5
This key describes the grade marks used to represent student
How to read The Village School Standards-Based Report Card Johnny
Apples
eed
achievement.
This ‘omnibus’ class grade is the More specific
same ‘overall’ class grade that you
feedback to
have seen on previous report cards.
students and parents on sub-‐strand achievement.
Each class may have mul.ple strands.
Achievement marks Comme
will also be given to
nt sec. on for t eachers studen t’s stre to rem ngths a ark on nd area s of opp ortunit y
Non-‐Academic repor.ng marks for Conduct, Effort, and Personal Habits
the more specific repor.ng topics under each class.
If a standard is not taught and assessed it will not appear OR will have an asterisk.
Grade calcula.on: Sub-‐strand marks are calculated the same way grades have always been calculated. That is, from tests, quizzes, and daily work, etc. which are all weighted differently. As has always been done, teachers may use rubrics or a 100-‐point scale to grade assignments. The class grade is the average of all of the strand grades. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 6
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: How is standards-based grading (SBG) different from traditional grading? A: In the traditional 100-point grading system, a student’s grades are typically based on all of the work assigned in class, including classwork, homework, projects, quizzes, and tests. These scores are often arranged in the grade book based on the type of assignment rather than on the essential standards for the class. The grade may also include points for non-academic factors, such as participation, effort, or attitude. With standards-based grading, all of the work a student does is used to assess the student’s understanding of the academic standards. A student’s scores from his/her work are tracked by the standards, which give the teacher, student, and parent a very detailed picture of whether or not a student can demonstrate understanding. A student’s non-academic achievement is assessed, graded, and reported out in a separate yet parallel structure. This separation of academic and non-academic achievement in a student’s grade allows for more accurate reporting of student academic achievement, and more effective feedback to inspire future growth and motivation. With standards-based grading, a student’s grade mark more accurately represents a student’s proficiency of the standards than a traditional grade does. Standards are broad statements that identify the knowledge and skills that students should acquire. The specific standards that are taught and evaluated each marking period are reported out on the student’s individual report card. A significant difference in SBG is that students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate understanding of a standard throughout the school year. What you will see in Skyward from our teachers’ grade books are all the assessed standards and a grade mark of how students are achieving on each one. This will give us the ability to quickly identify students who need intervention or enrichment.
Q: Why does homework count so little in the final grade and will that discourage students from completing homework? A: SBG shifts the priority focus to clear and consistent evidence of learning rather than the multiple practice times it may take a student to get to that learning. We believe students will recognize that without practice, they will not be successful on the assessments. Homework assignments, participation, attendance and attitude have a weight of zero in the grading of academic achievement. However, those formative assessments provide guidance for day-to-day differentiated instruction. In addition, student non-academic achievement is evaluated and reported out to parents on each report card.
Q: How will my child be assessed? A: Your students’ learning will be assessed in much the same way that it is currently assessed. That is to say, using a variety of formative and summative assessments. These tools will include formal assessments such as traditional paper-and-pencil tests, projects, written papers, lab reports, or verbal assessments; but they may also include informal assessments such as classroom discussions or teacher observations. Essentially, everything that a student does in a standards-based class provides the teacher with evidence of student learning.
Q: Are there other schools successfully using this model? A: Yes. School districts in Texas, as well as across the country and around the world, have made the progression to a standards-based grading system. This is an international movement based on years of research. The Village School -‐ Parent’s Guide to Assessment, Grading & Report Cards 7
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: So why is the school moving to standards-based grading? A: The goal of The Village School is to enhance our academic plan by reporting grades that are accurate, consistent, meaningful, supportive of learning, and aligned to the curriculum standards articulated by our Curriculum Committees. This evolution to standards-based grading is our earnest effort to reach that goal by August of 2013. Here is how standards-based grading addresses each of those four criteria: Accurate: By basing a student’s grade solely on academic factors, the teacher creates a clear picture of what the student has learned without the influence of other factors. These other factors, such as effort and attitude, are still essential, but are not part of the student’s academic grade and are communicated separately. Consistent: For each unit presented, the teacher will provide assessments that describe exactly what the student will need to understand and learn. Using these assessments establishes clear expectations for proficiency up front and clear expectations consistently throughout the quarter and/or semester. Meaningful: A meaningful grade is one that clearly communicates what learning has taken place. In a school with standards-based grading, scores are recorded by the essential standards rather than by type, such as tests or homework, making it easier to identify areas of strength and to address areas of concern for each student. Supportive of Learning: Standards-based grading supports learning by focusing on the material that has or has not been learned rather than on accumulating points to reach a certain total. The practice of reassessment also supports student learning by allowing new levels of learning to replace old when a student shows improvement on an assessment.
Q: Is there research to indicate that standards-based grading significantly increases student achievement? A: Research on standards-based grading overwhelmingly shows that students learn the subjects and perform better when instruction and assessment are aligned and each implemented with great fidelity. The works of people such as Douglas Reeves, Robert Marzano, Jay McTighe, Grant Wiggins, Thomas Guskey, Rick Wormeli, Susan Brookhart, Carol Ann Tomlinson, and Tammy Heflebower support this research. Students perform best when they are informed about the learning targets and the expectations of the standards. When feedback and corrective procedures are used, most students can attain the same level of achievement as the top 20% of students. Wiggins agrees that it is only through this cycle of feedback that excellence results: “Students must have routine access to the criteria and standards for the task in which they need to demonstrate proficiency; they must have feedback in their attempts to achieve those tasks; and they must have opportunities to use the feedback to correct work and resubmit it for evaluation against the standard. Excellence is attained by such cycles of model-practice-perform-feedbackperform.”
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Q: I understand there is some research, and that some public schools are doing this, but parents already know what letter grades mean, so why change a system that has been around for years? A: A standards-based report card gives more information than traditional letter grades, and reports how well the student is progressing towards achieving the standards expected for his/her grade level. It measures student performance in a more equitable way. Students are measured against a standard rather than against their peers. A standards-based grading system is a national movement based on years of research. We recognize that letter grades are a time-‐honored tradition and are what most parents experienced as students; however traditional letter grades do not always accurately reflect a learner’s knowledge of the standards. It is important to understand that letter grades come from the belief that grades should serve to differentiate students on the basis of demonstrated talent; it is our belief that our teachers develop individual talents, not rank them. Therefore, the practice of rank-ordering learners through grades is not helpful with respect to the idea of promoting learning and demonstrating proficiency of the standards. We will continue to provide an “omnibus” grade that gives an overall “mark” for a given content area. For example, in addition to reporting student achievement toward specific learning objectives, students will also receive an overall “grade” in Math, English, History, etc.
Q: How does a teacher know if a student is ready for the next grade level? A: Meeting the standard is considered the Village standard. Teachers and parents can be confident that students who are meeting the Village standards are prepared to be successful at the next grade level. Students who are still approaching the standard are not as prepared to be successful at the next grade level. Exceeding the standard signifies achievement that demonstrates a profound understanding of the standard that goes beyond what was explicitly taught in class. It should be noted that exceeding does not mean that a student has achieved standards beyond those specified for his or her particular grade.
Q: How will teachers know when a student has met a standard? A: The standards require students to understand more than just facts, they must understand concepts and demonstrate that understanding using the skills they have acquired while learning the content. Prior to teaching any standards, teachers should work with their grade level teams to identify the criteria for success for each standard. This criteria will be determined based on the General Proficiency Rubric, yet may be tweaked for individual standards and/or for individual assessments. Teachers determine when a student achieves proficiency by that student’s performance on daily assignments and assessments given throughout each trimester (Primary) and quarter (Elementary and Middle School). Teachers will have greater flexibility to use a variety of means to determine when and if a student can demonstrate proficiency, which can allow for greater differentiation of instruction and provide more frequent opportunities during an instructional unit for some students to study concepts at a deeper level,
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Grading and Assessment Definitions: The Village School Standards and Benchmarks is the Village Curriculum Document. As outlined for each content area, Village Standards are broad learning targets that may span all grade levels and articulate learning objectives for each content area. Assessment refers to all of the materials and procedures used to: collect evidence of student achievement, evaluate student learning and provide feedback, record student learning, and report student achievement. Formative Assessment, or assessment for learning, happens while learning is still underway. These are the assessments that teachers and students conduct throughout teaching and learning to diagnose student needs, plan next steps in instruction, provide students with feedback they can use to improve the quality of their work, and help students to see where they are going or where they have been, and feel in control of their journey to success. The ultimate goal of formative assessment is to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes. (Stiggins) Summative Assessment is the attempt to summarize student learning at the end of a sequence of instruction. It is designed to provide a formal evaluation of student achievement. Common Assessments are assessments developed by a team of teachers to assess a few selected benchmarks. The assessments are evaluated by teachers other than that of the students who took the assessment. Results are used by teachers and leadership to analyze school-wide practices and curriculum. External Assessments are assessments that are developed and assessed by external test developers and are used by teachers and the leadership team to analyze school/wide practices and curriculum. Evaluation is the rendering of judgment of one, or a group of, assessment(s) used as evidence of student achievement based upon comparison of the evidence to our Village Standards and Benchmarks. Grading is the attachment of a grade symbol (usually a number or a descriptor) to one, or a group of, assessment(s) based upon comparison of the performance score to our Village Standards and Benchmarks. Reporting is the process through which student achievement is formally communicated to parents and other stakeholders. Ongoing Assessments are assessments that take place while the learning is still going on. These assessments should be formative in nature. Effort is d1010efined as the frequency with which a student demonstrates effort in his or her daily work as observed by the teacher: demonstrating persistence and perseverance in his or her work, positively responding to feedback, showing genuine interest and curiosity in learning and growing, participating in class discussion, engaging in learning tasks, turning in all completed class work and homework assignments on time, and being prepared for class. Conduct is defined as the frequency with which a student: respects other people’s opinions, feelings, ideas, and property (i.e. refrains from bullying, name calling, laughing at, making fun of, stealing, etc); follows classroom expectations (i.e. does not interrupt others while speaking, does not distract or disrupt class, exercises self control of impulsive behaviors); acts as a positive team member; and acts with kindness and honesty. Personal Habits is defined as the frequency with which students: wear the complete uniform and adhere to Village grooming and personal appearance expectations, demonstrates organization and neatness in personal belongings (i.e. cubby, desk, locker, backpack, etc.), picks up after oneself and is on time for all classes.
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Resources and References: Chappuis, Jan, Stiggins, R. Chappuis, S., Arter, J. (2012). Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right—Using It Well. Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service Black, P. & William, D. (1998). Inside the black box: Raising standards through classroom assessment. Phi Delta Kappa, 80(2), 139-19. Brookhart, S. M., & Nitko, A. J. (2008). Assessment and grading in classrooms. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Covington, M. V. (1992). Making the grade: A self-worth perspective on motivation and school reform. New York: Cambridge University Press. Guskey, T. R., & Bailey, J. M. (2001). Developing grading and reporting systems for student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA. Corwin. Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning. New Yourk: Routledge. Marzano, R. J. (2000). Transforming classroom grading. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Marzano, R. J. (2006). Classroom assessment and grading that work. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Marzano, R. J. (2010). Formative assessment and standards-based grading. Bloomington, IN: Marzano Research Laboratory. O’Conner, Ken. (2009). How to grade for learning: K-12 (3rd. ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Pollock, Jane E. (2007). Improving Student Learning: One Teacher At A Time. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Reeves, D. (2011). Elements of grading. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.
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