New grading system in our school district.

[stomachmonkey]

Causing a lot of turmoil, to the point that my daughters best friend 3 houses down is moving, his parents put the house up for sale this week.

What most people opposed to it don't realize or acknowledge is the HS has already been testing this for at least the last year or two in select classes.

The major opposition seems to be parents feel it is the schools responsibility to teach students the value of meeting deadlines. Maybe, but it's also the parents responsibility to do so. Personally I agree deadlines are important but I think I'd rather my kid learned what they were supposed to rather than squeaking by with a low passing grade on a test.

In a nutshell what they are looking to do is grade on mastery of the material. What the kid has actually learned instead of teaching to the test.

I think all of us as parents have looked at an assignment grade or test score and thought WTF? My kid does usually does better than this. Have had it all year with my daughter, she's in 8th grade but taking 10th grade AP math. Her grades are all over the place. While she for the most part gets the material every now and then there is a portion that stumps her. The new grading won't penalize her in her trouble spots but will give her the opportunity to focus on and master them. I think that's a good thing.

Any way, thoughts?

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Denton ISD is changing its grading system for secondary students to provide them more than just a number when reporting their academic progress.

Under the new system, the first of its kind in the area, the teaching and instructional staff has designed a format better suited to accurately report student learning, according to school officials.

The main objective in updating the grading policy is to keep parents informed about the students’ understanding and mastery of the academic content covered. Their grades will accurately reflect what the students have learned, educators said.

“The changes we are implementing next fall are tied to our beliefs about learning, assessment and grading. If we believe that grades should accurately reflect what a student has learned, then our grading and assessment practices should align with that belief. That is why we have separated out giving a grade for behaviors that are not part of the standards,” said Vicky Christenson, director of secondary instructions, curriculum and staff development.

The district’s Academic Leadership Team (ALT) researched the system for the past two years. The ALT gathered input from international educational experts, local administrators, as well as district teachers and parents. Several teachers are currently piloting the grading system in their current classes with positive results.

Their conclusion was a grading system developed by the ALT that ensures parents and students can understand if students are learning and mastering the content, while not penalizing students for behavioral issues.

“We still value behaviors such as meeting deadlines. We will still expect those behaviors; we will model those behaviors for our students, correct, and when appropriate, provide consequences for students who do not meet deadlines. But, we will not be penalizing a student’s grade which should only report their learning,” Mrs. Christenson said.

Similar measures have been adopted by institutions of higher education, which falls in line with Denton ISD’s mission to better prepare our students for success upon graduation, officials said

The school district released a list of frequently asked questions for parents concerned about the changes:

What is the purpose of the new grading system?

The main purpose of the new grading system is that students will be responsible for their own learning, and will continue to relearn content until they have mastered it.

How will the new grading system work?

The new system will require a 9-week grading period to allow teachers more time for feedback and accurate assessments. This will:

• Hold the students accountable for learning the curriculum tied to standards;
• Provide “value learning” over earning numerical points and not allow students to “take a grade” when learning has not occurred;
• Recognize that feedback is a valuable tool to increase learning;
• Understand that errors are part of the learning process;
• Allow students to take personal ownership of their own learning.

How was the grading system initiated?

For the past two years, Denton ISD’s Academic Leadership Team has researched grading practices that fall in line with the district’s goals. The team gathered input from international educational experts, local administrators, as well as district teachers and parents.

The end result was a grading system developed by the ALT that ensures parents and students can understand if students are learning and master the content, while not penalizing the students for behavioral issues.

How will this grading system help students?

The new system will give students more access to teachers and allow the teachers to provide them with more feedback, helping them acquire a better understanding of what content they have mastered and what content they need to put more work toward mastering. During this process, teachers and staff will work with students to develop behaviors that the community values and will help them be successful in life.

Why is there no longer a grade reduction for late work?

The system’s goal is to measure what a student knows and understands. While meeting deadlines and turning in assignments on time is a desirable behavior, it does not determine whether or not a student knows the content.

Why are students allowed to retake tests/exams and get full value on these reassessments?

A student’s grade should reflect his/her mastery of the content. Allowing students to retake an exam or test, lets students reflect on what they have learned and demonstrate their increase in knowledge of the content covered.

All end-of-semester exams are final and will not fall under the same standards as course work issued during the 9-week grading periods. Semester exams are, by design, reassessments and the grades earned reflect a cumulative mastery of the content standards.

Will students be able to retake any exam or test whenever they want?

No, any tests or exams that students try to retake must be completed during the 9-week grading period. Additionally, retests will only be allowed once the student has worked with the teacher to prove that new learning has taken place and that they have a better understanding of that content.

How does my student earn the opportunity to retake an exam or test?

Students can qualify for the opportunity to retake a test or exam by demonstrating that new learning has occurred and that they have a better understanding of that content. Examples of this process include but are not limited to:

• Attending tutorial sessions
• Completing new work or previously assigned work
• Discussing with the teacher the necessary improvements to achieve content mastery

Why are zeroes no longer being used to indicate missing/incomplete work?

Zeros indicate that no content mastery has been achieved. Using zero gives an inaccurate reflection of a student’s knowledge or improvement toward mastery of content.

[Paul_Heery]

They are changing things up around here as well. They just did away with exams in the high school.

DANBURY -- The Board of Education voted Wednesday night to end the current schedule of mid-year and final exams at Danbury High School, changing the hours spent taking them back to instructional time.

The tally was 9-1, with one member absent. Michael Ferguson cast the dissenting vote.

The board had informally approved the high school's proposal to make the change during a workshop May 7. The decision means that the high school will change a week of half days in January and May that now are set aside for exams to full days.

The staff will work on alternative methods of assessing students' cumulative knowledge in subject areas, which in some cases could still include exams if they do not disrupt the daily schedule.

Local educators argued that testing takes too much time away from classroom instruction and that students take many more tests than they used to, both to satisfy state requirements and to better pinpoint where they need more instruction.

In addition, because students don't get back their finals at the end of the year and don't get a chance to correct their mistakes, finals are not effective learning tools.

Danbury High School Principal Gary Bocaccio set up five committees to investigate the proposed change, looking at topics such as the possible effect on college admissions and how performance on midterms and finals affects overall grades.

For 63 percent of students, exams lowered the overall grade by a half a letter; for 24 percent, it raised the grade by half a letter. In 12 percent of cases, the letter grade was unchanged.

Associate Principal Meghan Martins noted that all students have end-of-unit tests six times a year, benchmark tests three times a year and common assessments eight times a year -- not to mention quizzes, tests, projects and research papers.

In addition, many take college entrance exams and advanced placement exams.

[oldE]

My wife is SO glad she has retired from 33 years of teaching.

The effect on her end of 'students learning in their own time': if a student wants to pass in assignments due earlier in the term, they must be graded and included even if passed in on the last day. Not a huge problem if it is one assignment with one student, but quickly becomes a nightmare if you have more than one.

I think the only way this will work is if you have a series of modules throughout the year, no more than two weeks in duration and every bit of work must be done at the end of the module. In that way teachers are not having to process more than two weeks material at a go.

Best
Les

[zipinitaly]

You think this is crazy....look up Common Core, everything is changing!

[cockerpunk]

its tough for college age and maturity level students to get things done when there isn't a deadline, i doubt high schoolers could do it.

[t-tom]

My wife is an Administrator at one of the 6 biggest high schools here in Kansas City and they are doing the same thing. As she puts it "its just a way to get more government money" they are lowering the bar so more students look good on paper. The more students that look good the more money you get. Public schools have not been about education for a long time. Too much money and too many people involved.

[VincentVega]

As she puts it "its just a way to get more government money" they are lowering the bar so more students look good on paper. The more students that look good the more money you get. Public schools have not been about education for a long time. Too much money and too many people involved.

Thanks for the insight ttom. As solely a tax payer that's how it seems, interesting to hear that from an insider.

Lower the standards and give everyone an ipad. It's for the kids!

[sammyg2]

If you can't do, teach.

Too many people in academia think they can make things better with their radical progressive aproaches, all they do is end up screwing things up. Most of them wouldn't last a month in the real world.
If they stuck to conventional methods and just focused on doing it well for a change, they wouldn't have to re-invent the wheel every few years.

[t-tom]

At my wife's high school the kids all get a new Mac laptop every year.

[stomachmonkey]

A note from the administration.

Secondary Grading Changes / Overview

[Rusty914s]

Public education was gutted by government, now a babysitting institution for mediocre people to attend.

Some bright kids do fine but really there to create more dumb walmart buyers and easy to manipulate for political purposes.

Let's not forget more people for the military and prison systems, all at the expense of the tax payer.

For our benefit.

[Tobra]

Wow Rusty, you are as cynical as I am.

Originally Posted by t-tom

At my wife's high school the kids all get a new Mac laptop every year.

Man, I need to go to school there for at least one day.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by Rusty914s

Let's not forget more people for the military and prison systems, all at the expense of the tax payer...

Please explain.

[Icemaster]

After the common core BS of this year, we'll put up with one more year of public education. My oldest is lucky enough to have been in a magnet school school from k thru 6, and attends the highest ranked public school in the state.

Not anymore. He'll be going to my alma mater.

[Rot 911]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

Please explain.

Oh come on Paul, all us ex and current military are just functioning slightly above the moron level.

That comment about the military is as idiotic as the "If you can't do, teach."

[oldE]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

If you can't do, teach.

Too many people in academia think they can make things better with their radical progressive aproaches, all they do is end up screwing things up. Most of them wouldn't last a month in the real world.
If they stuck to conventional methods and just focused on doing it well for a change, they wouldn't have to re-invent the wheel every few years.

Sammy,

I would add the phrase, "If you can't teach, become an administrator"

The teachers themselves are not the ones who are constantly screwing with the cirriculum. Over the past two decades, there has been an increasing trend to:
Test to see where weaknesses lie.
Buy a new programme to deal with the "deficiencies"
Test again.

The trouble with that is you raise the cost of education with all the materials which are being replaced an a 3 - 5 year cycle and creating the need for dozens of Cirriculum Supervisors who are 'needed' to oversee the implementation of the new programmes.
In the meantime, there is no one who knows that child and their needs better than a good classroom teacher. But according to current supervisory wisdom (and I'll use THAT term loosely) the teacher must not modify the programme without supervisory guidance.

You are correct and ttom's first post nailed it.
The education system is in desperate need of a return to the basics.
The purpose of publicly funded education is to benefit the society not to provide smoke and mirrors.

Best
Les

[Rusty914s]

I'm sorry but how many kids are weighting a choice between various universities and the military?

I bet not many. Of course some do but not the majority.

For the most part, you have kids that go into the military because that is one of their few options, roof over their head, medical, chance to see something else outside of their surroundings?

At end of day, the military is another gigantic welfare system at the expense of the tax payer. That however does not mean that everyone in the military is a moron, that would be moronic for me to type.

Prison system being a profit center? Should I explain that one too?

[Seahawk]

My guess is that you couldn't qualify for any of the military Academy's or an ROTC scholarship, like my kids, and so many other peoples children here, did.

If you did then you'd know how hard it is, the peer group you would be associated, proudly, with.

Young enlisted folks: Getting into the military is getting tougher - May. 15, 2013

Your welfare aside is indeed moronic. But that doesn't mean that everyone who posts here is moronic, just you.

Best, 914: Tell me about the welfare part.

Originally Posted by Rusty914s

I'm sorry but how many kids are weighting a choice between various universities and the military?

I bet not many. Of course some do but not the majority.

For the most part, you have kids that go into the military because that is one of their few options, roof over their head, medical, chance to see something else outside of their surroundings?

At end of day, the military is another gigantic welfare system at the expense of the tax payer. That however does not mean that everyone in the military is a moron, that would be moronic for me to type.

Prison system being a profit center? Should I explain that one too?

[scottmandue]

Perhaps some kids are going into the military because they don't want to take on $100K in student loans for a bachelor's degree... sounds pretty smart to me.

[stomachmonkey]

Back on topic.

A lot of standard rhetoric so far but not much substance directly addressing Denton Counties changes.

Personally I like the idea.

The achievers, kids who hand in their work on time will continue to do so.

Kids who hand in substandard work on time now have the opportunity to do a better job with their assignments. This will be my son. He's got a couple of issues, smart kid, diligently does his homework without being asked or pestered. But sometimes he struggles and just "gets it done" because there is a deadline. He wants to do the best he can but he is impaired by a time constraint and not doing his best upsets and depresses him.

Kids who blow off their assignments now can't. Not handing in assignments is not a learning issue, it's a behavioral problem that crappy grades won't address. Put another way, a kid who blows off the work knowing he will get a zero does not give a crap. The fear of a **** grade won't motivate him.

Yes to some degree the schools should teach accountability but it's more my job as a parent than the schools. We regularly speak to our kids teachers and check their grades / progress 2-3 times a semester so we know if there is a problem before report cards come in and put the kids on alert that if they don't pull up a slipping grade there will be consequences. We also know when they have assignments due and make sure they get done.

As far as retaking tests that just makes sense. A test is to see what they have learned. What good is knowing what you don't know if the opportunity to go back and learn it is lost. You can retake the SAT's. If you graduate law school and blow the bar does that mean you blew becoming an attorney? No second chance? Same with any profession that requires certification. If you don't pass you go back and study the stuff you are weak on and keep taking the tests until you know what you need to know.