The Standards-Based Grading System

How Grades are Calculated

  • Reflects modifications which were put into effect on Monday, December 16, 2013

    In SBE, grades measure a student’s progress against known and established milestones — not against how well their classmates are doing. And grades mean the same thing from class to class and school to school. That has not changed.

    But, the transition to standards-based education and grading in 2011 came with a promise — that the district would listen to input from staff and parents and use it to fine-tune the system.

    Two years after the initial implementation of SBE, the district has reworked the process for calculating grades based on parent, staff, student and administrator input.

Steps

  • The steps in reaching a final grade start with how assignments and assessments are graded.

    Assignments are graded according to how well a student demonstrates understanding or mastery of the related standards.

    That understanding or mastery is scored on the following 4-point scale:

    Excelling = 4
    Meeting = 3
    Approaching = 2
    Beginning = 1

    Scores of 3 and 4 meet standard. Scores of 1 and 2 do not meet standard.

    Each standard may be assessed more than once, if needed, to give the student the opportunity for more instruction and practice before a final score on a standard is determined.

    Elementary Grade Calculation

    For each marking period, elementary classes report scores for the Priority Standards using a scale of 1, 2, 3, or 4. A growth tend model calculates a recommendation and the teacher then determines the final priority standard score.

    Score Academic Performance
    4 Student consistently demonstrates an in-depth understanding of concepts, skills, and processes.
    3 Student frequently demonstrates an in-depth understanding of concepts, skills, and processes.
    2 Student occasionally demonstrates an in-depth understanding of concepts, skills, and processes.
    1 Student rarely demonstrates an in-depth understanding of concepts, skills, and processes.

    Middle School Non-Credit Bearing Grading Scale

    Priority Standard scores are calculated using averaging at the assignment/assessment level to calculate a recommendation to the teacher who will then determine the priority standard grade.

    Summative Grade Priority Standard Grades
    EX (Excelling) The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 3.50 and 4.00
    ME (Meeting The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 3.00 and 3.49
    AP(Approaching) The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 2.30 and 2.99
    BE (Beginnning) The average of all the priority standards assessed is 2.29 and below
    • EX – Excelling means the student has thoroughly demonstrated knowledge on most standards assessed.
    • ME – Meeting means the student has demonstrated competence on most standards assessed.
    • AP – Approaching means the student has partially demonstrated competence on most standards assessed.
    • BE – Below means the student has not yet demonstrated competence on a significant number of standards assessed.

High School Credit Bearing Grading Scale

  • Priority Standard scores are calculated using averaging at the assignment/assessment level to calculate a recommendation to the teacher who will then determine the priority standard grade.

    Summative Grade Priority Standard Grades
    A The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 3.50 and 4.00
    B The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 3.00 and 3.49
    C The average of all the priority standards assessed is between 2.30 and 2.99
    F The average of all the priority standards assessed is 2.29 and below

    An “A” means that student has demonstrated thorough knowledge on most standards that have been assessed and are required to earn credit in the course.

    An “B” means that student has demonstrated competency on most standards that have been assessed and are required to earn credit in the course.

    An “C” means that student has demonstrated minimal competency on the standards that have been assessed and are required for the course. The student can continue to the next course but may need additional support.

    An “F” means that student has met fewer than the minimal number of the standards required to earn credit in the course. The student will not receive credit for the course. The student is at significant risk of not successfully completing the next course in sequence ot may not be promoted to the next course.

    Pass/Fail Classes – A student must meet a minimal number of the standards in order to earn “Pass” in the course.