Why does the gradebook look different?
Research into assessment practice
shows that students perform better when they are given clear goals, multiple opportunities to
reach those goals, and specific feedback and practice as they develop the necessary skills and concepts.
Communication:
Parents and students have access to very specific information about areas of strength and
areas that need improvement. Instead of calling and asking why your child has a
"C," the discussion can focus on how the home and school can support the child's
progress on a particular idea or concept.
Making instructional decisions:
Teachers have more detailed information to use when designing
learning activities in the class room. For example, an 83% might mean you did
okay but still have room for growth, but the number does not tell you which
area(s) require improvement.
Grades become more meaningful:
Grades are based on what the child shows they understand.
This understanding can be shown in multiple ways and in multiple formats. The
key idea is that students are given the opportunity to make the learning target
their own. They know what it is and can show they know it based on their
learning style or preference. This system removes grade inflation (where a
student gets a higher grade because s/he has learned how to "play school" - does
homework everyday, keeps an organized notebook, completes class work, does extra
credit) and grade deflation (where one forgotten homework receives a zero or one
bad test grade on one of those days when nothing goes right, both of which can
really affect a grade).
shows that students perform better when they are given clear goals, multiple opportunities to
reach those goals, and specific feedback and practice as they develop the necessary skills and concepts.
Communication:
Parents and students have access to very specific information about areas of strength and
areas that need improvement. Instead of calling and asking why your child has a
"C," the discussion can focus on how the home and school can support the child's
progress on a particular idea or concept.
Making instructional decisions:
Teachers have more detailed information to use when designing
learning activities in the class room. For example, an 83% might mean you did
okay but still have room for growth, but the number does not tell you which
area(s) require improvement.
Grades become more meaningful:
Grades are based on what the child shows they understand.
This understanding can be shown in multiple ways and in multiple formats. The
key idea is that students are given the opportunity to make the learning target
their own. They know what it is and can show they know it based on their
learning style or preference. This system removes grade inflation (where a
student gets a higher grade because s/he has learned how to "play school" - does
homework everyday, keeps an organized notebook, completes class work, does extra
credit) and grade deflation (where one forgotten homework receives a zero or one
bad test grade on one of those days when nothing goes right, both of which can
really affect a grade).
HAC/Eschool shows a bunch of numbers and letters, but no grade?
When I look in the Home Access Center (Eschool), I see a bunch of letters and numbers
before the actual goal. What do they mean?
The letters are an abbreviation for the title of the book/unit.
The numbers are the levels of assessment questions.
See the table below.
I: Reproduction and/or recall of facts,
definitions, skills, tools and standard algorithms
directly tied to the contexts and content of
the unit (based on state mathematics standards and
current level of formalization that
occurs within the unit)
II: Transfer understanding to unfamiliar problems within
contexts based on the content of the unit.
III: Transfer and extend their understanding by solving unfamiliar
open-ended
problems that require them
to analyze and synthesize multiple facets of the
unit's concepts and skills
i.e., putting it all together with other knowledge
before the actual goal. What do they mean?
The letters are an abbreviation for the title of the book/unit.
The numbers are the levels of assessment questions.
See the table below.
I: Reproduction and/or recall of facts,
definitions, skills, tools and standard algorithms
directly tied to the contexts and content of
the unit (based on state mathematics standards and
current level of formalization that
occurs within the unit)
II: Transfer understanding to unfamiliar problems within
contexts based on the content of the unit.
III: Transfer and extend their understanding by solving unfamiliar
open-ended
problems that require them
to analyze and synthesize multiple facets of the
unit's concepts and skills
i.e., putting it all together with other knowledge
My student's scores are always 3s, 5s, or 8s. What does this mean?
- 8 - indicates that they are meeting expectations for that goal
- 5 - indicates that they are working below standard, but are almost there
- 3 - indicates no understanding on a particular goal
- 0 - represents no effort given
that your student needs to spend more time on,
working to improve.
There will never be a percentage calculated because every
goal is weighted as zero. There is no clearly defined relationship
between goals and percentages. Instead, focus on
making sure that your student can meet all the level 1
goals, then level 2, and level 3 goals.
How does all of this coorespond to the letter grade that comes home on the report card?
A Students have met standard in multiple attempts at ALL level 1, 2 and 3 goals.
B Students have met standard in multiple attempts at all level 1 and 2 goals but may not meeting all level 3 goals.
C Students are meeting standard at all level 1 goals but may not be meeting all level 2 or 3 goals.
D Students are meeting standard on key level 1 goals, but not all level 1, 2 or 3 goals.
F Students are below standard in multiple attemps of the key level 1 goals and also level 1, 2 and 3 goals.