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Fair and Equitable Grading Committee Recommendations

What are your thoughts on the following recommendations?

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Other behaviors that research suggests could be separated from grading include oral presentations, class participation, work habits and neatness, effort, class attendance, punctuality of assignments or class behavior/attitude.

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What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation one?

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Below are sample grading scales for review. Next to each scale are calculations of how 3 students (high achieving, mid-achieving & low achieving) would fare academically if 6 of their assignments were graded using that scale. Do you have suggestions of a grading scale for the committee to consider?

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What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation two?

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What other areas of grading inconsistency do you feel are most pressing in our schools? This could include, but is not limited to, the use of retakes/redos on assignments, the weighting of grades, the assignment of extra credit and the acceptance of late work.

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What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation three?

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Name not shown outside Virginia Beach
April 13, 2016, 2:19 PM
  • Other behaviors that research suggests could be separated from grading include oral presentations, class participation, work habits and neatness, effort, class attendance, punctuality of assignments or class behavior/attitude.

    As a music specialist, I often encounter behaviors that are not connected to the content area but deter students from doing their best in the content area of music. Such behaviors that should be graded separately are: listens attentively, respectful to students and teachers, displays good citizenship and participates in the lesson either by offering thoughts to the lesson, making connections or by asking questions. When students listen, they don't miss out on information. When students listen, they are apt to be more successful in completing the assignment and be proficient in grading.

  • What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation one?

    In the music area, we are better able to support our content grade when students receive below average (DP, N) grade and we look back to understand why. It is usually due to consistent and constant lack of attention in class or disruption. It is not that they do not understand, but their disruptions interrupt learning. The same is true when they are disruptive to others. A SEPARATE GRADE NEEDS TO BE ON THE REPORT CARD AND PROGRESS REPORT REGARDING BEHAVIOR.

  • Below are sample grading scales for review. Next to each scale are calculations of how 3 students (high achieving, mid-achieving & low achieving) would fare academically if 6 of their assignments were graded using that scale. Do you have suggestions of a grading scale for the committee to consider?
    No response.
  • What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation two?

    If using this recommendation/example 2, the ceiling is raised and allows the averages to be greater than they would be otherwise. There is more leverage which is necessary when it comes to computing to the 10th power for honor graduates. What do you do if the student has done the work, but none of the answers are correct? Does that mean it is a zero or some credit given for effort to complete the work to some degree of correctness?

  • What other areas of grading inconsistency do you feel are most pressing in our schools? This could include, but is not limited to, the use of retakes/redos on assignments, the weighting of grades, the assignment of extra credit and the acceptance of late work.

    Yes, I agree....re-grading, weighting and extra credit is something to consider when finalizing a grade. How does this change the rubric if given the opportunity for these areas to be included?

  • What other thoughts/concerns do you have regarding recommendation three?
    No response.
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Recommendation One: Assess academic progress separate from behavior/work habits

The current School Board policy (6-72) on assessing scholastic achievement says: The School Board believes that the most important assessment of student learning is conducted by teachers as they observe and evaluate students in the context of ongoing classroom activities. The teacher, as an agent of the school board, has the responsibility of evaluating student progress and proving grades to represent scholastic achievement. Grading is not to be used for discipline purposes.

Viewing the act of grading solely as a communication of a student’s mastery of content and also recognizing the importance of sound study habits to student success, the Fair and Equitable Grading Committee recommends both categories of performance should be clearly communicated to students and parents. However, the committee suggests reporting progress for academics and behaviors apart from one another.

This means the final grade on any assessment should reflect a student’s academic understanding of the stated learning objectives, and his/her individual work habits should be assessed - and reported - separately. The committee further recommends the use of a proficiency rubric to assess and report work habits. Examples of work habits may include but are not limited to: homework completion, timeliness, and organization.  

As an example of what this reporting could look like, see the sample report card below:

sample report card

What behaviors do you feel should be considered and graded separately by teachers? These behaviors could include, but are not limited to, homework completion, timeliness and organization. 

Recommendation Two: Revise the current grading scale

According to School Board Regulation 6-72.1, the current grading scale is:

  • A = (93 – 100)
  • A- = (90 – 92)
  • B+ = (87 – 89)
  • B = (83 – 86)
  • B- = (80 – 82)
  • C+ = (77 – 79)
  • C = (73 – 76)
  • C- = (70 – 72)
  • D+ = (67 – 69)
  • D = (64 – 66)
  • E = Below 64

The committee felt changes needed to be made to the school division’s current grading scale. Specifically, the committee agreed today’s 100-point grading scale is too heavily weighted toward student failure. For example, in the current grading scale students have 36 opportunities for a passing grade and 64 opportunities for a failing grade.

grading scale diagram

The committee recommends the division explore grading scale options that do not eliminate zeros but mitigate their impact on the student's final grade.

Example One:

sample grading scale 1

Example Two:

sample grading scale 2

Current Scale:

Recommendation Three: Make the Fair and Equitable Grading Committee a standing committee to review and monitor division grading practices and make recommendations as needed.

Recognizing the complexity of the conversation around inconsistencies with grading, the committee recommends this work continue on a regular basis. The committee acknowledges this set of recommendations does not address all concerns about grading, and notes that ongoing dialogue on these issues will only enhance VBCPS grading practices.

 

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