|
Calendar
Special |
A Parents’ Guide to the New Van Buren Public Schools Grading Policy
The Van Buren Public Schools District Grading and Homework Policy
Why do we need a new grading policy? What is different about this policy? Why are we letting students retake tests? What if my child is not a good “test taker”? Why is this better for my child? Will my child still have homework? Aren’t work habits still important? Why aren’t the elementary school students getting letter grades? Where can I get some additional information about this policy?
Why do we need a new grading policy? Until now, the grading policy simply stated that we would have one. Over the years, individual teachers developed their own grading practices and rationales with little consistency within a school let alone across the district. It has been difficult for students, parents, and administrators to review a student’s grades and know what any individual grade meant. One teacher would give lots of extra credit and another teacher would give none. Students could earn an A+ in one class but the other teacher who taught that class “didn’t believe in A+’s.” We needed a system that would guarantee that “an A is an A is an A.” For the past several years, the teachers and administrators have been discussing grading practices, but it has been difficult coming to consensus; how we grade student work is indicative of how we view the educational process. Our new grading policy has shifted the focus to the students and verifying that they have learned or mastered the essential content from each course or grade. The grades parents see on a report card should communicate to them to what extent their child has mastered the content. What is different about this policy? First and foremost, it is all about students demonstrating what they have learned. We have defined what portion of a grade can be determined by tasks that are designed to measure learning (tests, projects, presentations) as opposed to tasks that are designed to provide practice (class work, homework, quizzes). The grade on your child’s report card is based at least 80% on what they have shown that they learned after the instruction (summative) has taken place and no more than 20% on how they do while the instruction (formative) is taking place. Other changes include: · the opportunity to retake or redo the tests, projects, and presentations · giving zeroes for missed work · requiring teachers to communicate potential failure to parents Why are we letting students retake tests? Again, if we want to be sure that students have learned something, we need to keep checking until we have proof that they know it. The learning is the bottom line. As adults, we have to pass a test to obtain a driver’s license. If we don’t pass the test the first time, we have the opportunity to study and retake the test. The state is interested in us demonstrating that we know the rules of the road. The same is true here. We know that students need to have mastery of the content at one level before they can be successful at the next level. If a student gets a D in Algebra I, the chances of them doing well in Algebra II are greatly diminished. However, if we provide them the opportunity for additional instruction and practice and then the chance to try the test again, chances are that their performance will improve. The retake option is not a free pass for students not to study. In order for a student to have a retake, they have to do something to show the teacher that they are committed to improving their performance. This might include additional time with the teacher, extra practice assignments, or making corrections on previously completed work. What if my child is not a good “test taker”? Tests are not the only way we have to determine what a child has learned. Sometimes, this assessment could be a project, a paper, or a demonstration. We will continue to work with our teachers to develop a variety of assessments. There will still be tests but giving students to opportunity to try again, possibly in a different format, will allow even our nervous test takers the chance to show what they have learned. It is not acceptable for a student to “opt-out” of a test, so they will not be able to take a zero for any summative assessments. If students do not do the project or take the test that demonstrates what they have learned, that spot will remain empty until the test is taken. This may result in an “I” (Insufficient Evidence) until this is done. We are basing grades on what the student has learned and the “I” will indicate that we are lacking the evidence needed to make that determination. As for daily work and homework, students will receive a zero for failing to complete those assignments once the summative assessment has been given. Due dates for work might be earlier than the end of a unit and your child’s teacher will share that information with you. Since these practice activities only contribute up to 20% of a grade, a child will not fail a course for failing to complete their homework, but it will have an impact on their grade. The purpose of these assignments is to provide practice to support mastering the content. Why is this better for my child? One of the things we are trying to teach students is that good work habits will help them to be successful. Many of our students think that the grades on their report cards are arbitrary and they don’t understand how to improve them. They don’t understand how the work they do in class and the homework assignments they have impact their performance on tests. By helping them to differentiate between the practice activities and the assessment activities, they will begin to see how their daily effort can lead to gains in learning. We also know that by giving them a chance to try again and do better; it will encourage students who have previously given up after one bad grade. It is discouraging for a parent or a teacher to hear a student say that a D is still passing and they are willing to settle for that grade. We want to raise the expectations for our students to focus on mastery and provide them with a system that affords them the opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them without being penalized. Will my child still have homework? Teachers will continue to assign work to be done outside of class as well as completing work that did not get finished during the day. This work is intended to provide practice or to prepare the students for the next day’s learning. For the most part, however, this will be work that the students should be able to do independently. That doesn’t mean that your child won’t need your help. There will always be times that students have a question or need some clarification. Parents can support their student by providing a regular time and place for them to do this work and being available to help when needed. Aren’t work habits still important? Certainly, however, a math grade should not be based on anything other than what the student has learned about math. The elementary and middle school report cards have places for teachers to provide feedback on work habits. We will be working on something similar for the high school. Parent Connect will still be available to the parents of our middle and high school students. The elementary teachers will be using the gradebook feature this year and Parent Connect will become operational for elementary school parents for the 2011-2012 school year. Why aren’t the elementary school students getting letter grades? The focus in the elementary grades is to build that foundation of skills and concepts that support the advanced learning that occurs in middle and high school. Because we want to focus the students, parents, and teachers on the mastery of these skills and concepts, reporting the student’s proficiency level is a more appropriate approach than assigning letter grades. The administrators surveyed the other school districts in Wayne County and found that most districts don’t start using letter grades until the children reach middle school. The districts that still use letter grades in their elementary schools are moving away from that practice. In order to maintain consistency in our definition of proficiency, the elementary teachers and administrators are working together to establish criterion for mastery. Where can I get some additional information about this policy? Any further questions or comments can be directed to your child’s principal or Peggy Voigt, Director of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment at (734)697-9123 ext. 213 or pvoigt@vanburenschools.net.
|
