RCPS's Grading System Journey
RCPS Grading Scale/System - What has been done through June, 2022
Radford City Public School Board is committed to providing equal opportunity for every student to achieve intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth and to ensuring that each student be equipped to communicate effectively with other people, to be competent both in the workplace and in higher education and to feel confident of the ability to make creative and constructive decisions. (RCPS Educational Philosophy - School Board Policy AD)
In order for students to be successful in a variety of educational settings, RCPS must adopt and implement policies, philosophies and practices that help students acquire the confidence needed to graduate from high school and move forward in their quest for higher education or career opportunities. Grading policies, philosophies and practices impact a student’s ability to feel academically confident, or not, and can influence the path in which he, she or they take after graduating from high school. RCPS is dedicated to being a positive force in that path so that all students have a better chance of reaching their academic and/or career potential upon graduation.
To better understand the impact of grading practices on students, RCPS invited a doctoral candidate (educator), not employed by RCPS, to lead a group of middle and secondary school teachers who volunteered to review articles and/or videos supporting or opposing a variety of grading scales and why. The group met this past spring (2022) spending close to 10 hours in reviewing research and discussing the findings. While a grading scale was not recommended by the group, a list of grading system parameters were.
The parameters the teacher team submitted were as follows:
As it relates to our current 100-point grading scale, we have established the attached parameters of grading. As a committee we believe strongly that grades are one form of the communication that teachers, students, and guardians have. We strongly believe in the potential for our students to be successful in the school climate as they work towards adulthood and community citizenship. As educators we strongly believe in forming positive relationships with students through transparency and respect.
1) Assignments will be submitted by set deadlines. Teachers will be responsible for the communication of these deadlines. Deadlines will be established per quarter by content areas. If students are missing assignments, teachers will inform students within 3 days in a manner chosen and published by the teacher.
2) Teachers and students will be accountable in the grading process. Teachers will be accountable to communicate performance and growth towards content mastery. Students will be accountable for completing assignments with fidelity within guidelines associated with individual target-based learning goals.
3) Teachers will work to create a space for failure as an acceptable mentality. Unsuccessful first attempts in learning will be communicated to students with appropriate solutions after a student has attempted the assignment (this does not include assignments that have been refused by students). This includes, but is not limited to, retakes, a "redo," and alternate replacement assignments. The responsibility of completing these is on the student.
4) Radford City Public Schools offers grade replacements for scores below 50 when the following qualifying criteria have been met:
Student has communicated a plan by which to show growth and/or mastery.
Student has completed his/her plan within a predetermined timeline agreed upon by the teacher and student.
In the instance that effort towards the grade replacement plan has not been shown, zeros may be maintained at teacher's discretion.
Based on unique student circumstances, teachers maintain the right to waive a zero in support of a student's overall grade so as not to adversely affect student grades for circumstances outside of his/her control.
The RCPS leadership team, a member of the teacher team and another teacher who was not a part of the teacher team reviewed the parameters and completed a series of activities focusing on the parameters. The leadership team was tasked with reviewing the language and working to better to define the parameters, finding clarity in each parameter for all teachers, students and families, organizing the parameters to produce a workable plan, and discerning the parameters in an attempt to support all stakeholders.
At the end of the day, the RCPS leadership team, using the parameters as their base, had agreed upon the changes needed. The RCPS 2022-2023 Grading System on the tab above outlines the product of that work and what will be in place for the next school year.
The division wants all stakeholders to participate in this search and feels that together, we can help our children not only find academic success, but also develop in our students critical lifelong skills that future employers are looking for.