It is the belief of Denton ISD that effective instruction depends upon high quality assessment. As a team of professional educators, we have examined grading practices in an effort to make sure our practices support our beliefs about learning, assessment, and grading. This process has included professional learning, research, book studies, national educational specialists, action research, and input from teachers, administrators, parents, and students.

At the heart of our beliefs are two underlying questions. Do our grades accurately reflect student learning? Do our grading practices positively contribute to student learning?

We are committed to practices that support the learning process, encourage student success, and accurately reflect student progress toward mastery of the state standards, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Our beliefs about learning and grading practices are grounded in the following statements.

• All students can learn.

• Students learn in different ways.

• Students learn in different time frames.

• Errors are inherent in the learning process.

• Assessment is a process for providing feedback that influences learning.

• Grades should accurately reflect mastery of the standards (TEKS or AP/IB course standards).

Because we believe assessment is a process for providing feedback that influences learning and that grades should reflect mastery of the standards, Denton ISD will support accuracy in grading through standards referencing assignments and assessments.

• Grades will be determined based on achievement of the course standards.

• In a standards-referenced system, a student's learning is reported (or referenced) relative to the standard for each area of knowledge and skill on the report card.

Because we believe errors are inherent in the learning process, mastery towards standards will be calculated using summative assessments.

All assignments and assessments will be referenced to the standards, not behavior.

Academic practice (in and out of class) is essential to student success. Homework is a necessary means for students to prepare, reinforce, and/or apply what they have learned in class.

Non-academic behaviors that are essential to student success include:

• Attendance

• Attitude

• Preparation

• Timeliness

• Neatness/Organization

As evidence of our commitment to these beliefs, the following grading and assessment practices will be implemented:

• All assignments and assessments will be referenced to the standards.

• Grades will be reflective of student learning.

• Students will be expected to complete all assignments on time and in their entirety.

• Students will be given the opportunity for reassessment of summative assessments, excluding semester exams, assuming they have met the expectations outlined below.

Grading and Recording Expectations:

1. Since all grades will reflect mastery of student learning, grades will not be inflated or deflated for student non-academic behaviors.

2. Teachers will communicate to students and parents regularly by publishing grades at regular intervals allowing for feedback and continued learning.

3. The quarterly grade should reflect an appropriate sampling of summative assessments to accurately reflect mastery of the targeted standards.

4. Progress reporting periods should include both minor and major summative grades.

5. Teachers will record the actual grade earned.

6. Final semester grade calculations: The average of the two grading periods will count 80% of the final semester grade, and the final exam will count 20% of the final semester grade.

Grading Categories:

• Course Major Summative, Minor Summative, Formative

• Regular 60%, 40%, 0%

• Honors/AP/IB 70%, 30%, 0%

Grade Book Codes:

• EXC = excused as nonessential because other evidence is sufficient to determine mastery; does not calculate into the grade

• MSG = work not turned in at all; calculates as a grade of zero in the ongoing grade period calculation until completed.

• Zeros = only used to indicate no mastery of the standards

• TEKS Code = references the course standard aligned to the assignment or assessment

• INC = insufficient evidence to give a grade; used at the end of the grading period only; must be removed within a specified time. Incompletes create UIL ineligibility.

• ABS = absent; student was absent and is responsible for completing work per attendance policy.

Grade posting will be followed by the course standard code. This clearly connects the work to the standard(s) assessed.

• Examples:

• ELA – Romeo and Juliet – Make and defend inferences TEKS: 9(C)

• Math – WS4-1 #2-20 evens (uses completing the square) TEKS: 5(E)

• Science - Organisms and the Environments TEKS: 7.12(D)

• Social Studies – Columbian Exchange AP: 1.2 I (C)

• World Languages – Paraphrase TEKS: 2(C)

Reassessment Procedures for Summative Assessments:

Any reassessment beyond the stated procedures would be determined by the teacher and/or campus administrator.

Teachers will determine and announce if a minor assessment is eligible for reassessment.

1. Reassessment provides students the opportunity to demonstrate they have increased their knowledge, skills, and/or concepts from the first assessment. Therefore, students who have already demonstrated mastery will not be reassessed. Mastery is defined as a student receiving a 90 or higher on an assessment.

2. With extended assessments such as essays, portfolios, or long-term projects, where students receive feedback and the opportunity to show new learning during the process, there is no opportunity for reassessment.

3. Reassessment occurs under the following conditions:

   • The student has scored less than 90 on the assessment.

   • High School students must complete formative assessments/assignments related to the summative (as determined by the teacher) prior to the first assessment opportunity. Middle School students must complete all formative assessments/assignments related to the summative prior to the reassessment opportunity.

   • The student engages in additional learning opportunities/assignments as determined by the teacher.

   • The student may reassess within four (4) school days of the student receiving the grade on the original assessment unless extenuating circumstances exist*.

   • The student may reassess no later than four (4) school days into the next grading period if the summative was given on the last week of the grading period.

4. Students who qualify by meeting the aforementioned criteria may reassess one time per assessment.

5. On a summative reassessment, the teacher shall record the higher of the two grades up to a 90.

   • Extenuating circumstances will be determined by the teacher and/or campus administration.