School of the Future Competency-Based Grading Policy 2023-2024
What is Competency-Based grading?
SOF values developing our diverse students as motivated and curious learners. Our Competency-Based Grading System makes explicit the skills and content that are prioritized in each course and over time at School of the Future. It helps them understand both what they are doing well and their next steps so that they can recognize their strengths and continue to improve in intentional ways.
We value progress over time and demonstration of learning over merely compliant completion of isolated assignments. Our gradebooks in JumpRope are organized around content-specific ‘Learning Outcomes’ that name authentic components of success in the course. Students then earn scores from 1-4 on assessments. Rubrics for assessments are shared and unpacked with students ahead of time so that they understand the expectations on our 1-4 scale. These scores communicate how students are progressing towards competency in skills and content in the course from ‘not yet’ to ‘integrating’.
The grading system provides multiple and varied opportunities to demonstrate competency and growth, ideally decreasing unhealthy, mindless stress and increasing actionable feedback, goal setting, and reflection so that students’ focus is reserved for learning.
What does the shift toward Competency-Based grading mean for school-wide grading policies?
In collaboration with the NYCDOE’s Competency Collaborative, we have a uniform grading system across the school. Teachers may have additional policies that align with school-wide policies and DOE Academic Policy.
What is scored and recorded in the JumpRope gradebook?
Daily homework and classwork are not recorded in JumpRope. Only assessments of learning outcomes are scored and recorded in the JumpRope gradebook. We do this because we want students to view daily work as practice opportunities to get better in ‘Learning Outcomes’ as opposed to just checklists of work to get done. We also want students to focus on the most meaningful and actionable work at any given time.
Though we don’t want students to be distracted from a focus on learning by a focus on individual assignments, we do want students to reflect on how their practice habits over time impact their learning. So, instead of listing daily assignments in the JumpRope gradebook, ‘Work Habits/Independent Practice’ is a ‘Learning Outcome’ that is worth 10% of the grade in High School and 15% of the grade in Middle School. Teachers will enter a score in this outcome every week or every other week using this rubric. Some teachers will keep records of student completion of daily assignments on Google Classroom and will communicate with students and families about which practice assignments to prioritize when a student is struggling.
In addition to the ‘Work Habits/Independent Practice’ outcome, within each Unit of Study, teachers will assess at least three other ‘Learning Outcomes’ based on the skills and content of the course and discipline.
Students will have at least three ‘Checkpoint Assessments’ for each ‘Learning Outcome’ each Unit of Study. ‘Checkpoint Assignments’ are scored on a rubric shared with students ahead of time. Students earn a score from 1-4, which communicates their current level of competency in the outcome - Not Yet; Approaching Competency; Application of Competency; Integration.
How will students receive feedback on their progress?
Students receive feedback about how to improve their work daily. Feedback looks like whole class lessons teachers write based on what they are seeing in student work, one-on-one conferences with students, small group instruction with students working on similar next steps, peer feedback based on rubrics and progressions, and personal goal setting based on rubrics and progressions. Students are expected to be active learners during all of these feedback opportunities to make meaningful progress in their learning.
Students will have at least three ‘checkpoint’ assessments for each learning outcome each unit of study. Some ‘checkpoints’ are Formative - some of the expectations of a learning outcome are being assessed; and some ‘checkpoints’ are Summative - all of the expectations of a learning outcome are being assessed. Students will have at least two Summative checkpoint opportunities for each learning outcome each semester.
Keeping up with daily homework and classwork helps students make progress and helps teachers give feedback to help students improve.
What does “M” in JumpRope mean & what are ‘late work’ policies?
“M or Missing” will be averaged in the gradebook as a 0.5) when students have not submitted assessments because they were absent or did not complete them.
“M or Missing” is temporarily entered to alert students and families that there is a missing assessment. Students then have two weeks to complete that work at which time, if it is not completed, the 0.5 will lock in the gradebook, and students will focus on new work. Students may have extended deadlines based on IEP or 504 mandates.
If a student needs more time on an assessment, they need to communicate with their teacher at least 24 hours before the deadline and the teacher will decide arrangements on a case-by-case basis.
Students cannot make up daily work unless a teacher instructs a student to do so for their learning goals.
Can students retake assessments/ redo assignments?
Rather than making up or redoing missing work or work that did not demonstrate competency, students' efforts should be directed to the next checkpoint where they can marshall feedback and improve skills to demonstrate competency.
Some teachers may allow students to retake or redo assignments on a case-by-case basis based on their individual grading policies.
*** Individualized Education Plans and 504s: Students’ IEP goals and psychoeducational needs will be adhered to and appropriate accommodations will be in place in order to support students in successfully mastering skills. ***
*** A core element of Competency-Based Grading is rubrics that show expectations of competency vs. traditional points. Both parents and students will have to get used to the fact that students with a range of achievement can demonstrate the same competency and earn the same score. We value learning over competition. ***
How are grades calculated from ‘learning outcomes’?
Grades are entered in JumpRope on the .5-4 scale and the JumpRope system calculates course grades using a formula called ‘Decaying Average’.
Each outcome counts for a percentage of the overall score (i.e. Work Habits/Independent Practice counts for 10% of the grade in High School).
Then, each ‘learning outcome’ is scored using both assignment weights and the Decaying Average calculation. Some assignments are weighted higher than others because they have more complex expectations. And then when calculating the scores for each learning outcome using a Decaying Average, the more recent grades under the same outcome account for a slightly heavier portion of the score than earlier grades. The weight of each individual score is decayed based on how far back in order it is. The more scores in an outcome, the less each of those older scores weighs in the overall standard score.
What are the specifics and timelines for progress reports and Family conferences?
Official progress reports are given to families four times a year - November progress reports, February Semester grades, April progress reports, and June semester and final grades. Middle School final grades are annualized and are an average of first and second semester. High school final grades and credits are awarded each semester in February and June.
We have Family conferences in November and April to discuss student progress reports with students and families.
High School Student transcripts reflect grades out of 100 for the purpose of reporting to colleges. Middle School transcripts reflect scores on 1-4 scale Grades below 65 are failing. There are no grades given below 55.
Families receive “At Academic Risk” notifications with the November, February, and April progress reports if their child is failing (below 65) or in danger of Failing (65-72) so we can collaborate on support plans.
What do the .5-4 scores in JumpRope mean?
