Grading Policy & Scale

• • Teachers shall ensure that grades reflect Mastery of Content

  • Students shall be made aware of the teacher’s grading policy on the syllabus, at the beginning of the semester or whenever they enter that teacher’s class for the first time.

  • Assignments should be graded within 5 days of being submitted to have current and timely data to help drive instruction.

  • UPDATE GRADES IN POWERSCHOOL WEEKLY.

  • Initiate contact with parents when students markedly perform below standard academically and/or when students demonstrate outstanding and/or markedly improved performance. Document all communication & contact with parents/guardians in a parent contact log.

  • Parents must be informed as quickly as possible when students are consistently failing the course (either by phone or by written notice). Document all communication & contact with parents/guardians in a parent contact log.

  • In keeping with legislation, the following grading scale is in effect:

90 – 100 A

89 – 80 B

79 – 70 C

69 – 60 D

0 – 59 F

Assessments

Teachers shall implement the following guidelines related to formal assessments:

• • assessments should be standards-based and measure students’ level of mastery on specific learning objectives,

  • additional practice will be provided for students who do not achieve initial mastery (80%),

  • following additional practice, new opportunities shall be provided to measure student mastery. A maximum score of 80% can be earned. (CMS)

After receiving additional practice (which includes, but is not limited to, tutoring and worksheets) a student must retest any given formal assessment once within 10 days after the original graded assessment is returned to the student/reviewed by the student. (RRHS)

• • Students are not to be graded on behavior or parent’s behaviors (i.e. signatures).

  • Students returning from an alternative school will have their grades averaged into their class average at Rocky River.

  • Students withdrawing from Rocky River are to be assigned specific letter grades. These grades are to be placed on the withdrawal form prepared by the guidance department.

Progress Reports

• • At the mid-point of each nine-week grading period, all students will receive a progress report. Teachers must create a log and HAVE STUDENTS SIGN & ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF PROGRESS REPORT.

  • If a student is absent on the day progress reports are issued, he/she will be responsible for obtaining a report from each teacher.

  • If a student is not failing a class (numerically or due to absences) at progress report time, but then begins to do poorly, parents must be informed as quickly as possible, either by phone or by written notice. PARENT COMMUNICATION & CONTACT SHOULD BE DOCUMENTED & LOGGED.

Late Work

Assignments

Late work and make-up work must be accepted by all teachers in accordance with the procedures established by the school. These procedures must align to the CMS Board Regulation IKB-R:

i. A student who misses homework or other assignments or due dates because of absences, whether excused or unexcused, must be allowed to make up the work. Arrangements for completing the work should be made within five (5) school days of the student’s return to school. Arrangements should include a schedule for completion of the work. For middle and high school students, the student must initiate the contact with the teacher.

ii. In all circumstances, homework and other assignments should be accepted, even when turned in after the designated due date. Credit for late work shall be awarded according to the following guidelines:

• Late assignments will be accepted for a grade until one week (5 school days) after the “Perform” date unless the “Perform” grade falls at the end of the quarter for which the principal may set the final date for all work to be submitted.

• Late penalties of no more than 5 points per day (unless absent) will be deducted for late work (using a 100 point scale).

• Assignments submitted after the “Perform” date will receive a 50% and feedback on progress will be provided to the student.

• The comments section in Powerschool should note actual reflection of student mastery when a minimum grade of 50% is given.

• Principals may provide final dates for the collection of assignments no more than 3 days prior to the end of the grading period. The principal may allow submission of assignments after this period for students who experience short or long term hardships.

Make-Up Work

• • Missed tests, quizzes, and homework assignments resulting from a period of absences including suspensions should be submitted to the teacher in a timely manner. At the minimum, the period of time to complete the work will be five (5) days from the student’s return. Extenuating circumstances may require flexibility. Consideration should also be given to the total number and length of other assignments due.

  • All teachers must inform all students of their policy and procedures regarding arrangements for make-up work on the syllabus at the beginning of the year.

Administratively approved absences should in no way penalize students with regard to the making up of homework and/or examinations (suspensions from school, field trips, pre-excused absences).

English Learners (ELs) Grading Policy

Grading English Learners (ELs)

Student work should be graded in accordance with what they “Can Do” based on English language proficiency levels. Classroom teachers should design and modify instruction, assignments and tests based on students’ English language proficiency levels in reading, writing, listening and speaking as determined by the WIDA W-APT or ACCESS test.

ELLs may receive language modifications and testing accommodations in the classroom, while being instructed with Core Curriculum State Standards on grade level. The WiDA English Language Development Standards should be used as a tool to access Core Curriculum State Standards. The WiDA Can Do Descriptors highlight examples of what students can do at each English proficiency level. It is a grade specific resource designed to guide teachers in planning for meaningful activities with ELLs.

Report card grades should reflect these instructional and language modifications without limiting the student from earning the highest grade in the content area. Students should not receive grades of “D,” “F,” or "I" on assignments solely based on their limited English proficiency. A student could receive a “D,” “F,” or "I" only if the student’s lack of performance on appropriately modified work warrants such a grade.

Translation

• • Teachers should be modifying assignments and tests as needed in order to help ELs be successful.

  • If the assignments/tests are not modified for these students, then the grade cannot be lower than a 70%.

  • If the student is present and making his/her best effort on the modified assignments, then the grade cannot be lower than a 70%.

  • If there is not adequate effort on the modified assignment/test, then the grade can (and should) be lower than a 70%.

Please consult Ellevation (Rapid Identity - Clever - Ellevation) to review classroom modifications and testing accommodations for your students. These must be followed for all EL students. Please do not assign a grade of D or F to your EL student if you have not made the appropriate modifications/accommodations.

Reach out to Dr. Forrester (jenniferh.forrester@cms.k12.nc.us) if you have specific questions/concerns.

Grading Policy for Students with 504 Plans or Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)

Students with a 504 plan or an Individualized Education Program (IEP) should receive accommodations on assignments and assessments to allow them to engage in on-grade level content. Teachers should assess student work based on these accommodated assignments and assessments and not compared to their peers or other norm referenced standards. While students with accommodations can receive below grade level marks, these marks should be based on the students’ performance with specified accommodations. Additionally, if a student with accommodations is failing, parents must be informed as quickly as possible, either by phone or by written notice, parent contact should be documented, and the 504 or IEP team should reconvene to review and amend the plan as needed.

Grade Book Setup

Teachers will not be responsible for setting up PT Gradebooks for the 2022-2023 School Year. All PT Gradebooks will be set up by the Master Scheduler.

50 % Rule (End-of-Term Grades)

The school wide expectation for end-of-term grades (Q1, Q2, S1, S2, Q3, Q4) is for teachers to enter a grade no lower than a 50. This will provide any student with the opportunity to improve his or her grade and pass for the Semester, if the student chooses to put in the work and effort. This also provides equity and consistency in our quarterly grading practices. Teachers are not required to change individual assignment grades in their gradebooks.

If you have additional questions, please email AP Chiquita Boyd at chiquita.boyd@cms.k12.nc.us or Ms. Orene Dixon (Registrar) at orene.dixon@cms.k12.nc.us.