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Orland School District 135 is beginning a new initiative leading the way to updated report cards and consistency for student grading and classroom practices impacting grading. Our parents’ voices will be a critical part of this process. In order to include families throughout every step of this process, District 135 is forming a committee that will include parents, administrators, and teachers. The key components to this committee include the following:
- Six meetings throughout 2017/18.
- Each committee meeting will have an agenda aligned to purposes of grading, practices for assessment and grading, and discussing plans for reporting grades.
- Discussions may be guided by ISBE guidelines, research-based practices, trends in education, local norms, policies, and guests.
- 2017-2018 Meetings: Sept 21, Oct. 26, Jan. 25, Feb. 22, March 22, April 19
- Topics: Will include but may not be limited to purposes of grading, homework, late work, Fs, 0s, formative assessment, learning targets, reporting to parents and report cards
- Each meeting will be limited to 2 hrs and will be held from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
- Meetings will take place at The Learning Center at Orland Schools District 135's District Office.
- For the 2017-2018 school year, Orland School District 135 will be extending the invitation to more families and students.
Please contact Dave Snyder, Director of Curriculum, with any questions.
dsnyder@orland135.org or 708-364-3319
What is Standards-Based Grading?
Standards-Based Grading (SBG) is a set of teaching and reporting practices that communicate how a student is performing against a predetermined set of expectations. SBG reports achievement on each standard separately instead of combining them like in traditional systems.
SBG also separates out behaviors such as effort, attendance, participation, timeliness, cooperation, and attitude, in an attempt to give the clearest picture of student learning possible.
Grading and Reporting - Shared Belief System
Orland School District 135 has a belief system about the purpose of grades, students, and learning that compels us to move beyond the traditional, single letter grade system. A shared set of beliefs about the purposes of grades guide this work:
Why do we use report cards and assign grades to student work?
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Communicate information about strengths/weaknesses so students/teachers/parents understand student progress.
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To assess the mastery of skills and standards within a subject matter.
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To provide feedback and to show growth, mastery, or lack thereof.
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To identify skills mastered and skills that continue to need work
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To monitor student progress
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Feedback on student achievement
For Whom is the information intended?
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Students
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Teachers
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Parents
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Administrators
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High Schools
What are the desired results from report cards and assigning grades to student work?
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To know areas of need and guide instruction, student learning
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To access student's mastery of skills
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Informs teachers for planning and instruction. More accurate picture of student learning/understanding.
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To keep parents informed as to what is happening in the classroom and to provide feedback to students
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An accurate and consistent evaluation of student learning
Does our current report card effectively and accurately report academic and nonacademic variables?
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Not an accurate picture of the student
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Academic, somewhat; Non-academic, not really (very mixed)
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No
What information should be communicated on report cards?
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Visible learning
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Academics - more specific about growth and strengths
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Whether or not the standards are being met
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What can parents do to support growth
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Academic information, non-academic observations (behaviors, social and emotional status, participation, etc.)
