With a "Standards-Based Mindset", a student's grade will be:

• Authentic
• Based solely on what he or she knows 

 With a “Traditional Grading Mindset”, teachers use the act of penalizing grades as a tool to change unwanted behavior. Common practice of a traditional grading policy included deduction of points for behavior such as:

• Late work
• Giving a "0" for cheating
• Not giving a student an opportunity to turn in missing work for full credit. 

 Research has shown that penalizing grades does not change behavior but more importantly, when employed, it dramatically distorts a student's grade to the point where it no longer represents what a student actually knows. That being said, students must still be held accountable for their behaviors, it just needs to be done in such a way that it is separate from grading.

1. All or any SLO from an assessment may be retaken.

2. It is the students responsibility to inquire about retakes, sign up for the retake.

3. In order to retake, students must show more learning has occurred by completing one or more of the following, as determined by the teacher:

• Complete previous assignments for the SLO
• Complete necessary retake practice
• Attend a Jaguar Success or tutoring session

Assessments can look like:

• Traditional pencil-and-paper tests 
• Projects - individual and collaborative
• Discussions - small and whole group
• Written - short answer, reports, or essays

Scores are reported using a Rubric score of 0 - 4:

4 (Highly Proficient): 

Students demonstrate an advanced understanding of and ability to apply the content knowledge (standards) and skills needed to be on track towards college and career readiness.

Grade A – Completion of proficient work on all course objectives and advanced work on some objectives.

3 (Proficient):

Students demonstrate a fundamental understanding of and ability to apply the content knowledge (standards) and skills needed to be on track towards college and career readiness.

Grade B – Completion of proficient work on all course objectives.

2 (Partially Proficient):

Students demonstrate a partial understanding of an ability to apply the content knowledge(standards) and skills needed to be on track towards college and career readiness.

Grade C – Completion of proficient work on the “power” objectives (not all).

1 (Minimally Proficient):

Students demonstrate a limited understanding of and ability to apply the content knowledge(standards) and skills needed to be on track towards college and career readiness.

Grade D – Completion of proficient work on 50% or less of course objectives. Missing important key concepts and “power” objectives. 

0/0 mi (No Demonstration of Knowledge):

The student shows no understanding of the standards, even with assistance

Grade F - no completion of work on standards

Teachers will communicate through

• The Gradebook/Parentvue
• Google Classroom
• Email and Phone (responding within 24-48 hours)

 

Traditional Grading, using a 100-point scale, reports letter grades in 10 point increments with one exception - a failing grade:  

- 0 = loss of 59 points

As explained by Thomas Guskey, a highly respected academic researcher, from a mathematical stand point using this traditional scale means that there are 60 levels of failure and only 40 levels of success. 

In Standards Based Grading, the role of the zero is equal to that of all other scores:

0 = 50%, an equal increment of 10 points

To read more about the research on why it's time to abandon grading scales that distort the accuracy, objectivity, and reliability of students' grades, you can read Guskey's article on The Case Against Percentage Grades.