Changes to Elementary Report Card and Grading Scale Updates

Elementary Report Card Teaching & Learning Services January 23, 2025

https://www.123ila.com/app/room/6108595 ILA-1 .

Introductions Rich Mellish Executive Director of Teaching & Learning Michelle Pickard Director of Teaching & Learning, Elementary

Changes to Elementary Report Card The Elementary Report Card has been revised for the 2024-25 school year. These revisions were made to... oBetter reflect the most important learning in our curriculum. oBetter provide communication between teachers and caregivers about their students' academic progress. oSupplement other forms of communication between teachers and parent/guardian/caretakers. oWork in conjunction with district assessment reports emailed to parent/guardian/caretakers in the fall, winter and end-of-year.

Grading Scale Changes for 2024-25 4 Demonstrates grade level skills and knowledge with high accuracy, is adept at critical thinking, and readily transfers learning to new contexts. 3 Demonstrates grade level skills and knowledge, generally engages in critical thinking, and begins to transfer learning to new contexts. 2 Demonstrates basic skills and knowledge of core ideas, with some gaps and/or a consistent need for support 1 Primarily focused on developing skills prerequisite to grade level Consistently receives significant support to access grade level content

Grading Scale for Academic Performance The Academic Grading Scale represents a progression toward mastery of grade level standards. Mastery indicates the students has demonstrated high levels of accuracy with skills, concepts, problem solving, and reasoning. See the full Grading Scale Descriptors below for more information on each performance level. 4 = Mastery of standards-based learning goals 3 = Proficiency with core concepts and standards 2 = Basic understanding of core concepts and standards 1 = Below grade level NA: Not assessed this semester NG: No grade Y: Yes, supplemental progress report provided

Is the 4 still above standard? Is the 4 now meeting standard? Students who demonstrate mastery of learning expectations in our curriculum are showing advanced levels of achievement. They are typically able to apply grade level learning to above grade level tasks. This is evident in our i-Ready assessments, SBA assessments, and in performance in middle school. This is aligned to the definition of a 4 in the new state standards-based scale.

Grading Scale for Behaviors that Promote Learning The Grading Scale for Behaviors that Promote Learning is based on the SEL state standards. Behavior grades are an indicator of how students are developing skills in self- regulation and behaviors that result productive learning and positive social engagement. See the full Grading Scale Descriptors below for more information on each performance level. C = Consistently demonstrating age-level behaviors M = Meeting behavior expectations described in age level SEL Standards E = Emerging grade level skills G = Growth Area, receiving support to learn age-level behaviors

Content Areas Students receive grades in the following areas: Social-Emotional Behavior grades Literacy: Reading, Writing & Language grades Math grades Science & Social Studies grades Music grades Health and Fitness (Physical Education/PE) grades

Content Shifts: Content Area Grading Categories Grading categories for Literacy, Math, Social Studies and Science are re- aligned to standards and curriculum-based formative and summative assessments. Why? Increase calibration the curriculum aligns assessments to standards, the curriculum assessments generate academic records to use for grading Accessible to parents use accessible language and leverage tools in curriculum such as parent letters, work samples, to explain performance expectations and student progress

Comments On the report card, teachers will, in at least one area of the report card, comment on student strengths, and if receiving below a 3, next steps to work on to achieve proficiency or mastery.

FAQ: How will ML students be graded? Students receiving ML service should be graded by the classroom teacher the same as any other student. The teacher will also indicate that the student will receive a supplemental progress report. Why the change Parent feedback indicated that the use of ELP was creating left families without a clear understanding of their student s academic proficiencies.

FAQ: How will students with an IEP be graded? Students with an IEP will be graded in the same way as all other students unless the IEP team has written a different grading plan in the student s IEP. The teacher will also indicate that the student will receive a supplemental progress report.

FAQ: Should i-Ready and grades align? Not necessarily. A standardized test provides feedback on a point in time, fixed format assessment. Grades are a holistic review of a student s performance relative to the learning goals taught. Often grades and i-Ready levels will align. Students who achieve mastery often can demonstrate advanced skills on a test. It is also possible that a student does better on tests than daily performance or vice versa. i-Ready can be used as part of the evidence a teacher uses to determine a grade that is founded on observation and curriculum-based assessments.

FAQ: On weekly take-home work The idea of weekly is to establish a predictable routine for students and caregivers. What is sent home should be naturally completed work (Eureka assessments after the unit is complete, Benchmark workbooks after they are complete ) Not every subject is required every week. Goal is to share items that help parents understand what grade- level work looks like, and how their student is doing on grade-level work. Fewer meaningful work samples may be better than high volumes of work samples.

Semester 1 Grades Semester 1 report cards will be available for parents/guardians in Family Access on January 31st, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.

Questions? Thank you for joining us today.