WE BELIEVE:

• Academic performance/skills are separate from academic behaviors
• Grades reflect mastery of content
• Learning activities contribute to student growth, guide teacher instruction, and are an essential part of student success

FORMATIVE VS. SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS

• Formative assessments inform teaching and are not calculated into a formal grade
• Examples of formative assessments include pretests, exit slips, graded homework and in-class work
• Formative assessments may be recorded in the grade book as a communication tool, but not counted as a grade
• Summative assessments are used as formal grades
• Examples of summative assessments include projects, labs, papers, essays, performaces, presentations, and tests

REDEFINING HOMEWORK

• Homework will still be assigned
• Homework will be considered a type of learning activity
• Learning activities are not graded unless they are part of an extended summative assignment or a project
• Learning activities must be meaningful
• For many students, reading is the primary recommended learning activity outside of the school day

RECORDING PROGRESS IN THE GRADE BOOK

1. Incomplete summative assessments will appear in the grade book as "NC," for "Not Complete"
2. Any assessment marked as "NC" will be resolved between student and teacher
3. Failure to resolve an "NC" will result in a zero for the assessment grade

"FAILURE DOESN’T MEAN THE GAME IS OVER, IT MEANS TRY AGAIN WITH EXPERIENCE." LEN SCHLESINGER

REASSESSMENT

• Students will get at least one opportunity to retake each summative assessment
• Prior to any re-take, students must successfully complete targeted relearning activities prescribed by the teacher
• The relearning process varies by subject as well as student needs
• Students may only have to retake the parts of the assessment where they were not successful
• The highest score achieved in this process will stand as the final score

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• All incomplete quarter grades need to be resolved within 3 weeks of the conclusion of the quarter
• Extra credit is not allowed in District 115 schools