Academic Policies:
Grades 5-8

*Completion Standard: Scholars are expected to complete their work on time and at high quality. Work is only considered complete if it meets the following Completion Standard: 

• No blanks

• Following the basic directions for the assignment

• Response demonstrates the conventions of professional writing. It may include minor proofreading errors, which do not detract from the cogency of the response.

• Showing work, when required

• Submitting the assignment correctly and on time

**For performance-based work, the skills/techniques being studied are represented in the work

*Completion Standard: Scholars are expected to complete their work on time and at high quality. Work is only considered complete if it meets the following Completion Standard: 

• No blanks

• Following the basic directions for the assignment

• Response demonstrates the conventions of professional writing. It may include minor proofreading errors, which do not detract from the cogency of the response.

• Showing work, when required

• Submitting the assignment correctly and on time

**For performance-based work, the skills/techniques being studied are represented in the work

***Incorrect answers can be either due to poor ideation/reasoning, effort or computation error.

Independent Reading

In Grade 5, scholars will also be graded on their Independent Reading at home. Independently reading at home establishes a daily habit of reading, which over time cultivates a love of reading. Students will receive a weekly independent reading grade in their ELA class, according to the following rubric.

Classwork

Classwork counts for 60% of a scholar’s grade. Each week, scholars will receive grades for 3 Classwork assignments:

• Two of the weekly Classwork assignments will be scored for completion according to the Classwork and Homework Completion Rubric (see below).

• One of the weekly Classwork assignments will be scored for quality according to the Scholar Talent Classwork Quality Rubric (see below).

Classwork grades in Scholar Talent courses are determined by the following:

1. Concept Mastery: Written work that demonstrates knowledge of vocabulary and learning concept

2. Skills Drills: Physical demonstration of skill mastery such as a project, in class competition, or performance

3. Knowledge Checks: Combination of concept mastery and skill mastery; this can consist of quizzes, handouts, and an end-of-term test

4. Performances: Performance of concepts and skills learned through plays, musicals, dance pieces, music literature, etc.

*Completion Standard: Scholars are expected to complete their work on time and at high quality. Work is only considered complete if it meets the following Completion Standard: 

• No blanks

• Following the basic directions for the assignment

• Response demonstrates the conventions of professional writing. It may include minor proofreading errors, which do not detract from the cogency of the response.

• Showing work, when required

• Submitting the assignment correctly and on time

**For performance-based work, the skills/techniques being studied are represented in the work.

Participation Grade

Scholars will earn one participation grade each week, which counts for 40% of their grade. This grade is indicative of their ability to independently direct their learning. This also includes being prepared for participation within a given content area and includes proper class attire. Participation grades are calculated based on how consistently scholars display effort, sophisticated thinking, and self-regulation according to the rubric below.

Assessment Policies

All internal and external assessments are mandatory, including New York State exams and Regents. Because the exams are part of our curriculum, they are often factored into decisions about whether scholars are ready to move to the next grade.

Grade 7 and 8 scholars take Regents examinations — including English, Algebra I, Global History and Geography II, and Living Environment — which help prepare them for more rigorous coursework in high school, including AP-level courses and the opportunity to earn a number of college credits before graduating from high school. 

• Grade 7 scholars must pass the Global History and Geography II course in order to advance to Grade 8. If scholars do not pass this course’s Regents exam in Grade 7, they can retake the exam during Grade 8. Scholars must pass the Global History and Geography II Regents exam to be promoted to Grade 9.

• Grade 8 scholars must pass the English Regents, Algebra I Regents, and the Living Environment Regents, in addition to all academic courses, in order to advance to a Success Academy High School of the Liberal Arts. 

For School Year 23-24, to meet expectations and be promoted to the next grade, students must earn:

• A scaled score of 80 or higher on the Algebra I, English Regents, Global History and Geography II Regents and

• A scaled score of 65 or higher on the Living Environment. 

Assessment Categories

Middle school assessment grades are determined by scholar performance on major assessments, large minor assessments, and small minor assessments (quizzes). 

There are a few mandatory assessments that do not impact scholar performance but are used to evaluate scholars’ progress before or during instruction. These are often referred to as baseline or diagnostic assessments. These exams are often indicators as to whether scholars are making progress over time. 

For more information on each assessment, see the Middle School Assessment Glossary.

*The Q1 and Q2 Exams are distinct assessments that are administered twice during the first semester.

**In MS Math, Mid-Unit Quizzes are categorized as Classwork and do not count as Minor-Large Assessments in scholar gradebooks.

***In MS Science, Pretests are categorized as Participation and do not impact scholar grades.

****The Gr 5 NYS SCI Dress Rehearsal will have a weight of zero and will not count toward scholar gradebooks.

Assignment Policies

Classwork and Homework (not including Summer Homework, see policies here) assignment grades follow the policies below:

Valid Grades

Valid Grades are used in scholar gradebooks to represent if an assignment was complete, incomplete and/or why an assignment was not submitted. The following valid grades may appear in scholar gradebooks:

• C (Complete): Indicates that an assignment graded for completion meets all criteria on the Completion Standard. This will count as a 100% in cases where the score counts toward grades.

• INC (Incomplete): The assignment was submitted on time and at least 50% of it is complete; however, it does not meet all criteria on the Completion Standard. This will count as a 50% in their grade, unless it is revised—at which point, it will be evaluated in accordance with revised work policies.

• M (Missing): The assignment was either not submitted or less than 50% of it was completed at the time of submission. This will count as a 0 in their grade, unless it is completed and submitted late—at which point, it will be evaluated in accordance with late work policies.

• EM (Expected Missing): An assignment is expected to be missing from a scholar gradebook. This will not impact their grade.

• L (Late): The assignment meets the Completion Standard but was handed in late.

Revised Assignments

These are assignments scholars have turned in on time, revised, and resubmitted for a higher grade.

• Only assignments that are scored for quality and submitted on time are eligible for revision.

  • Assignments that earned an INC or M at the time of initial grading are not eligible for revision; However, they may be submitted as late work (see Late Assignments policy).

• Revised assignments will be rescored according to the Quality Rubric.

• Scholars have until 8 am the Monday after they receive their grade to revise their work. 

• Scholars are responsible for notifying their teacher via email before Monday at 8 AM to notify them that the assignment has been revised. This is both to make this process manageable for the teacher and to teach the scholars professional work habits for HS and college. 

  • If the scholar does not email their teacher, the work is ineligible for revision.

Makeup Assignments

These are assignments scholars missed due to an excused absence or reason.

• Scholars have until 8 am on the Monday following their return to school to submit makeup assignments.

  • If the work is not submitted in the specified timeframe, scholars will earn an “M” and will receive a 0 for the assignment.

• Scholars are eligible to earn up to 100% on the assignment, based on the quality of their work.

• Scholars are responsible for notifying their teacher via email that the assignment has been submitted.

Late Assignments

These are assignments scholars did not turn in on time that are not excused.

• Scholars may submit late assignments by 8 am on the following Monday. Late assignments will receive the valid grade “L”, counting for 60% credit. 

• Scholars are responsible for notifying their teacher that the assignment has been submitted late.

Excused Assignments

Excused assignments are assignments that have been excused in the case of extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency. 

• Scholars may petition to excuse an assignment by directing this petition to their content teacher. Requests are ultimately approved by school leadership.

• Excused assignments are noted by “EX” in the gradebook and do not impact scholar grades.

Extra Credit

In most units, scholars have the option to complete an extra credit assignment. High-quality extra credit assignments can improve a scholar’s quarterly course grade. Scholars may only receive credit for one extra credit assignment per unit.

Extensions

In unique instances, a scholar may be granted an extension. Extensions rarely exceed the span of a week. The scholar should direct the request to their content teacher. Extension requests must be made no later than two days in advance.

Summer Homework

Continuing a scholar’s education through the summer is essential to combat “summer slide” and prepare scholars for the upcoming school year. In middle school, Summer Homework is assigned in Grade 5-8 Math and English courses. 

Scoring

Grades 5-8 English and Math courses will have a Summer Homework category in Quarter 1 gradebooks. The Summer Homework gradebook category counts for 5% of Quarter 1 grades for these courses. Summer Homework assignments will be graded in accordance with the homework rubrics that are used during the school year, with the exception of Rising Gr 5-7 Independent Reading, where a completion rubric will be used to grade Reading Logs. Additional policies include:

• Late Submissions: There will be one opportunity after the initial submission deadline for scholars to submit late and revised work. Scholars that missed the original submission deadline are encouraged to submit their summer assignments to earn a maximum late grade of 70%.

• Revisions: Scholars can revise previously submitted work to improve their grades by up to half of the original points lost, even if that results in a number not on the rubric.

• Excused Assignments: Excusals for missing Summer Homework assignments are the rare exception. If scholars miss the initial submission deadline, they must submit it in accordance with the late submission policies.

Withdrawn & Re-enrolled Scholars 

If scholars withdraw from SA at the end of the school year and re-enroll over the summer, they will not be able to complete the Summer Homework assignments because they will lose access to their SA credentials and be unable to access Google Classrooms. 

• These students will receive an Expected Missing (EM) in their gradebooks. 

New-to-SA Scholars

New-to-SA Scholars in middle school will not be assigned Summer Homework assignments as they are required to participate in the Summer Intensive program. These students should receive an Excused (EX) in their gradebooks.  

Report Cards

Report cards can help parents identify their scholar’s areas of growth. You should talk with your scholar about how they can improve, and work with your scholar’s advisor and teachers to develop a plan for academic mastery. Parents will receive their scholar’s report card via email twice a year, at the middle of the year and at the end of the year. Their report cards will outline their grades throughout the four quarters of the school year in the following content areas. Grades from these four quarters make up a scholar’s final course grade.

• ELA

• History

• Math

• Science

• Electives

Grade Point Average (GPA) Conversions

Your scholar’s Grade Point Average (GPA) becomes increasingly important as they advance toward high school. The GPA is the average of grades for all courses within a semester, and the cumulative average over years. In high school, your scholar’s GPA will be a critical factor in college admissions and financial aid, and will affect the range of opportunities available to your scholar. (Watch this video to learn more.) 

We encourage scholars to track their academic progress in real time, and parents should as well. Families are able to view their scholar’s GPA through a dedicated parent account in PupilPath. Learn more about how to use PupilPath here.  

The chart below shows how gradebook percentages correspond with specific letter grades and GPA:

Course Requirements

Scholars must complete four years of coursework in English, mathematics, sciences, history, and electives (two courses per year). Scholars identified as candidates to skip a grade may be excused from the four-year course requirement at their principal’s discretion.

In all courses, scholars must receive a cumulative grade of 70% or higher to pass. If a scholar earns a cumulative grade of less than 70%, they have failed the course. 

In Regents courses, scholars must pass both the course and the Regents exam in order to advance to high school. If a scholar does not pass the Regents Exam on their first administration, they will have the opportunity to retake it. In grade 7, if a scholar does not pass their Regents exam, they can still advance to grade 8 if they passed the course. However, they must pass the exam in Grade 8 to advance to high school. See specific Regents passing requirements in the MS Assessment Policies.