accurate, meaningful, and timely feedback to both students and parents throughout the learning process. Reporting of student achievement should reflect student progress toward mastery of key academic concepts and identify multiple pathways to deeper learning. GRADES ARE NOT ABOUT WHAT STUDENTS EARN; GRADES ARE ABOUT WHAT STUDENTS LEARN. Why have we moved towards a standards-based reporting system? A report card is an ongoing conversation between the teacher, the student, and the parent or guardian about what is expected of students and how to help them to be successful in a rigorous academic program. For this purpose to be accomplished, however, the reporting system must accurately mirror the instructional model that exists in the classroom. In the past, grades reflected not only what had been achieved academically, but also how students behaved or how they compared with classmates. Reporting systems did not reflect the academic standards and performance assessments that exist in Our instructional model has shifted today’s classrooms. away from a focus on basic skills and moved toward a deeper analysis of content that requires our students to think, plan, integrate, and construct. In this environment, the traditional grading system is inadequate. Traditional Report Card Standards-based Report Card Subjects are listed by name with one Major subjects are defined by curriculum grade given per subject or content standards and indicators with a grade given for each learning goal Letter grades (A-F) reflect and individual Numerical levels indicate mastery of the expectations and student grade level standards. Achievement and teacher’s achievement with effort as a factor effort are reported separately Curriculum and instruction are teacher Curriculum and instruction are aligned centered, textbook driven, and not with state and diocesan standards necessarily aligned to the state standards Grading is based on teacher determined Student work is compared to state and criteria diocesan criteria and student performance is measured against predetermined performance levels Uses an uncertain mix of achievement, Measures only achievement; behaviors attitude, effort, and behavior; uses reported separately; no penalties or penalties and extra credit bonuses given Includes every score regardless of when Emphasizes the most recent evidence of it was collected; scores are averaged learning Includes group work scores Includes individual evidence only Explaining Standards… Standards are specified learning goals applied to all students. They provide consistent and clearly defined targets for students, teachers and families to meet. By defining academic responsibilities, standards students’ by implication define the teaching responsibilities of the school. At the heart of the standards movement is the belief that effort leads to ability. In other words, the harder students work, the closer they will come to achieving the standard. The standards movement strengthens the classroom ethic. Additionally, standards
accurate, meaningful, and timely feedback to both students and parents throughout the learning process. Reporting of student achievement should reflect student progress toward mastery of key academic concepts and identify multiple pathways to deeper learning. GRADES ARE NOT ABOUT WHAT STUDENTS EARN; GRADES ARE ABOUT WHAT STUDENTS LEARN. Why have we moved towards a standards-based reporting system? A report card is an ongoing conversation between the teacher, the student, and the parent or guardian about what is expected of students and how to help them to be successful in a rigorous academic program. For this purpose to be accomplished, however, the reporting system must accurately mirror the instructional model that exists in the classroom. In the past, grades reflected not only what had been achieved academically, but also how students behaved or how they compared with classmates. Reporting systems did not reflect the academic standards and performance assessments that exist in today’s classrooms. Our instructional model has shifted away from a focus on basic skills and moved toward a deeper analysis of content that requires our students to think, plan, integrate, and construct. In this environment, the traditional grading system is inadequate. Traditional Report Card Standards-based Report Card Subjects are listed by name with one grade given per subject Major subjects are defined by curriculum or content standards and indicators with a grade given for each learning goal Letter grades (A-F) reflect and individual teacher’s expectations and student achievement with effort as a factor Numerical levels indicate mastery of the grade level standards. Achievement and effort are reported separately Curriculum and instruction are teacher centered, textbook driven, and not necessarily aligned to the state standards Curriculum and instruction are aligned with state and diocesan standards Grading is based on teacher determined criteria Student work is compared to state and diocesan criteria and student performance is measured against predetermined performance levels Uses an uncertain mix of achievement, attitude, effort, and behavior; uses penalties and extra credit Measures only achievement; behaviors reported separately; no penalties or bonuses given Includes every score regardless of when it was collected; scores are averaged Emphasizes the most recent evidence of learning Includes group work scores Includes individual evidence only Explaining Standards… Standards are specified learning goals applied to all students. They provide consistent and clearly defined targets for students, teachers and families to meet. By defining students’ academic responsibilities, standards by implication define the teaching responsibilities of the school. At the heart of the standards movement is the belief that effort leads to ability. In other words, the harder students work, the closer they will come to achieving the standard. The standards movement strengthens the classroom ethic. Additionally, standards
Family%20Handbook%202017-18.docx