Alternative+Grading+System

__Middle School Alternative Progress Reporting __

Differentiated Instruction is a way to meet individual students’ needs and to promote academic growth for each child. Teachers have taken on the initiative and the responsibility to differentiate instruction based on our diverse population of learners. Currently, our system of reporting academic growth to parents and students consists of numeric grades. However, this format can be misleading and insufficient when reporting the actual academic growth of some students. There are certain cases where student growth and comprehension cannot be adequately measured by a numeric grade. Instead, a standards-based system can more accurately report how well the student is progressing in academic areas. The number of students to be considered for alternate progress reporting in various academic subjects should be small; no more that 2-4 per grade level would need to be considered, and the Head of Middle School and divisional Breakthrough Specialist will make all final decisions. In order to be considered, several factors must be documented:
 * Rationale:**
 * Criteria:**
 * Work samples showing progress, but not meeting criteria for passing numeric grades.
 * A history of grades that do not reach the passing level based on the numeric grading system without significant modifications and differentiated instruction (outside of those indicated on an IEP).
 * For students with an Individualized Education Plan, evidence must be shown that items on the plan are consistently being followed.
 * The child should exhibit positive effort toward his or her own progress.
 * History of communication with parents regarding the extent of modifications and differentiation should be considered.

Team members should meet with parents after the student referral form has been filled out and approved by the Head of Middle School and the divisional Breakthrough Specialist. Team members need to explain to parents the rationale for referring the student. Parents must agree to the change in progress reporting. If parents are not in agreement with the alternative progress reporting, the team will explain that the student will then be assessed accurately based on the numeric reporting system. A reasonable amount of differentiated instruction will continue, but the student will be held to the grade level standards and expectations on assessments. Teachers should make no mention of this option to parents without the expressed approval of the Head of Middle School and the divisional Breakthrough Specialist. After a student has been approved for alternative grading within a specific subject and the school has received parental consent, for the time frame agreed upon by all participating parties, the child will not receive numerical grades or traditional letter grades with her or his progress will instead being documented in a standards based format.
 * Parent Communication:**
 * Teacher Responsibilities:**

Summative Assessments: - For all summative assessments (an assessment designed to gauge a student’s overall comprehension of a concept(s) / skill(s), usually in the form of tests or projects.) the teacher will create a list of individual skills and benchmarks that the assessment is designed to appraise and rate them on scale from not displaying comprehension to consistently displaying comprehension. See example below: __Assignment__: Students were asked to write a series of expository paragraphs in response to open-ended questions emphasizing literary elements. __Standards Based – Report__: - //Standard1.6 - Writes expository compositions (e.g., presents information that reflects knowledge about the topic of the report; organizes and presents information in a logical manner)// __C__ = Student is consistently demonstrating skill __D__ = Student is developing skill __E__ = Student is experiencing difficulty with skill
 * __N__ = Student is not currently displaying skill**

- //Language Arts 3.2 - Uses a variety of sentence structures to express expanded ideas // __C__ = Student is consistently demonstrating skill __E__ = Student is experiencing difficulty with skill __N__ = Student is not currently displaying skill
 * __D__ = Student is developing skill**

- //Language Arts 6.5 - Makes inferences and draws conclusions about story elements (e.g., main and subordinate characters, events, setting, theme, missing details)// __ C__ = Student is consistently demonstrating skill __E__ = Student is experiencing difficulty with skill __N__ = Student is not currently displaying skill
 * __D__ = Student is developing skill**


 * This information should be put on the assessment itself when returned to the student and will also be posted on Senior Systems in lieu of a grade.

Formative Assessments - For all formative assessments (an assessment designed to gauge student understanding while information is still being presented so appropriate adjustments can be made, usually in the form of homework, quizzes, & class work) a student will be given an overall performance rating on scale from not displaying comprehension to consistently displaying comprehension. __Assignment__: A homework assignment asking students to complete a series of math problems from the textbook. __Standards Based – Report__: __C__ = Student is consistently demonstrating skill __D__ = Student is developing skill __N__ = Student is not currently displaying skill
 * __E__ = Student is experiencing difficulty with skill**


 * This information should be put on the assessment itself when returned to the student and will also be posted on Senior Systems in lieu of a grade.