Academic Policies:
Grades K-4
These policies show how we assess elementary school academic progress, including the role of classwork, participation, homework, and assessment and assignment performance.
Determining Grades
A scholar’s grade will be determined by their performance in four categories: classwork and participation, homework, major assessments, and minor assessments. These categories are weighted to achieve a balanced evaluation of content mastery, academic engagement, and strong work habits. See below for more details on weighting.
Quarter 1
Quarters 2–4
Classwork & Homework
Learning is not restricted to just the classroom! In elementary school, establishing good routines at home for reading and completing homework assignments is key and will set children up for success as lifelong learners. Reading to your child daily in their early elementary grades will help foster your scholar’s love of reading, develop listening comprehension skills, critical-thinking abilities, and vocabulary, and ensure that they read independently in the later elementary grades. Independent reading at home will improve your scholar’s concentration and stamina. Similarly, spending a few minutes completing written assignments (typically, a mix of math facts and vocabulary practice) reinforces classroom learning and builds important study skills.
During school breaks, scholars can lose the gains they make during the school year. To combat this, scholars have learning assignments over holidays and summer break so that they are prepared to move to the next lesson when school resumes. These learning assignments are expected to be completed by their due dates and are graded.
The frequency of classwork and homework assignments that make up a scholar’s grade in elementary school is included in the following table:
* The quality grade for Reading Log conversations will be determined using the Reading Quality Rubrics.
Classwork and Homework assignments can be scored for either quality or completion. Assignments that are scored for completion will also be graded for quality, and only the quality grade will count toward scholars grades. The final homework grade at the end of each quarter is an average of each week’s homework grade. The rubrics that are used to score ES Classwork and Homework assignments can be found below
Note: A distinct ES Math Homework Quality Rubric is used to grade homework assignments in Math.
Note: Distinct Gr K-1 and Gr 2-4 Independent Reading Quality Rubrics are used to grade Reading Log Conversation Homework assignments in ELA.
All Subjects: Classwork and Homework Completion Rubric
*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.
Classwork Quality Rubric
*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
Gr 2-4 Independent Reading Quality Rubric*
*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
ES Math Homework Quality Rubric*
*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
Scholars earn a weekly participation grade in ELA, Math, and Science. Participation grades are calculated based on how consistently scholars display effort and sophisticated thinking as below:
K-12 Participation Rubric
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.
EX (Excused): Scholar is excused from an assignment. This will not impact their grade.
L (Late): The assignment meets the Completion Standard but was handed in late.
Revision Policy
There is no revision policy in ES. This does not mean scholars should not revise or redo their work. However, they cannot resubmit work for a higher grade. Instead, scholars should focus on improving the quality of their work in the next assignment.
Makeup Assignments
These are assignments scholars missed due to an excused absence or known reason.
Scholars have up to 24 hours from 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.
Scholar is responsible for notifying the teacher 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 up to 24 hours after the assignment was due. Late assignments submitted within 24 hours will receive the valid grade “L”, counting for 60% credit.
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.
Assessment Categories
*The Q1 and Q2 Exams are distinct assessments that are administered twice during the first semester.
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 informal assessments and are often indicators as to whether scholars are making progress over time.
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 elementary school, Summer Homework is assigned in Grade K-4 Math and English courses.
Scoring
Grades K-4 Literacy and Math courses will have a Summer Homework category in Quarter 1 gradebooks. The Summer Homework gradebook category counts for 3% 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 K-4 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 who 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 scholars will receive an Expected Missing (EM) in their gradebooks.
New-to-SA Scholars
Expectations for Summer Homework for new scholars depend on when they are accepted to SA.
ES Scholars who join before or on the date of the last July waitlist pull are expected to complete only their Literacy Reading Log.
These scholars will receive a grade for their Reading Log and an Expected Missing (EM) in their gradebook for all other Summer Homework assignments.
ES Scholars who join after the last July waitlist pull are not expected to complete any Summer Homework assignments.
These scholars will receive an Expected Missing (EM) in their gradebooks for all Summer Homework assignments.
Report Cards and Grade Breakdown
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:
English Language Arts (ELA)
Math
Science
Scholars’ grades are based on the following performance levels.
Graduation Requirements
To advance to middle school, your fourth-grade scholar must demonstrate mastery of elementary content and skills, fifth-grade-ready work habits, and a grade-appropriate level of digital literacy.