High School Grading May 13 th , 2013 Presented by: Marysol Berrios - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

High School Grading May 13 th , 2013 Presented by: Marysol Berrios Assistant Superintendent

Purpose • To present plans for revised high school grading system • Compare options for different systems • To solicit feedback from the community for consideration prior to implementation

Current Grading System UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED • A 90+ 4.0 5.0 • B+ 85-89 3.5 4.5 • B 80-84 3.0 4.0 • C+ 75-79 2.5 3.5 • C 70-74 2.0 3.0 • D+ 65-69 1.5 1.5 • D 60-64 1.0 1.0 • F 59.99 0.0 0.0

Why change? • ADVANTAGES OF CURRENT SYSTEM: o Identifies performance for students at the upper end of a grade range through the use of a „+‟ o No negative connotation with a minus grade • DISADVANTAGES OF CURRENT SYSTEM: o Creates problems with averaging marking period and exam grades to determine a final grade o More difficult to receive a final grade of “A” o Inflates midpoint grades of B, C, D by half a letter grade o Does not reflect full range of student performance o Limits comparability of transcripts when other schools utilize different grading systems

OPTION A: STRAIGHT LETTER GRADES • ADVANTAGES: o Provides more ACCURACY in student grade averages o Easily understood by students and parents o Particularly important in areas such as PE, Choir, Writing, etc. o Less conflict over marking period and/or final grades • DISADVANTAGES: o Student at high end of range receives same grade as student at low end of range o Less PRECISE

OPTION B PLUS AND MINUS GRADES o ADVANTAGES • Smaller grade ranges provide a more PRECISE picture of student performance • Upper end students with the highest averages are rewarded with A+ • Marking period grades are easily understood o DISADVANTAGES • Final year average is less ACCURATE and not easily understood • Smaller grade ranges are more often contested • A single event (i.e. homework/quiz) may have an impact on a student‟s marking period average

OPTION C NUMBER GRADES o ADVANTAGES • The most PRECISE picture of student performance • The grade is an exact reflection of student achievement • The final year average is easily determined and understood o DISADVANTAGES • May be more difficult to determine number grades in areas such as PE, Choir, Writing, etc • A single event (i.e. homework/quiz) may have an impact on a student‟s marking period average

WHAT ARE OTHER DISTRICTS USING? Top performing high schools in NJ Millburn Letters w/ + & -; no A+, uses D- o West Windsor-Plainsboro Letters only o Livingston Letters w/ + & -; no A+, uses D- o Chatham Letters w/ + & -; uses A+ & D- o New Providence Letters w/ - ‟s only o Glen Rock Letters w/ + & -; uses A+ & D- o Kinnelon Letters w/ + & -; uses A+ & D- o Rumson Fair Haven Letters w/ + & -; uses A+, no D- o Ramapo Indian Hills Letters w/ + & -; no A+; uses D- o Bergen County Academies Letters w/ + & -; no A+ or D- o Pascack Valley Letters w/ + & -; uses A+ & D- o Ridgewood Letters w/ + & -; no A+, uses D- o Tenafly Letters w/ + & -; uses A+ & D- o Northern Valley Letters w/ + & -; uses A+, no D- o

EXAMPLE • Suzi Q is a top student who has the following grades: 96, 90, 87, 94 each MP & exam grade 80 OPTION MP1 MP2 MP3 MP4 EXAM FINAL A. Letter A A B A B A Grades B. +/- A A- B+ A B- A- C. Number 96 90 87 94 80 89.4 Grades WAYNE A A B+ A B B+

EXAMPLE • Sandy Beach has the following grades: 72, 68, 68, 72 each MP and exam grade 69 OPTION MP1 MP2 MP3 MP4 EXAM FINAL A. Letter C D D C D D Grades B. +/- C- D+ D+ C- D+ D+ C. Number 72 68 69 72 69 70 Grades WAYNE C D+ D+ C D+ C

COMMENTS

NEXT STEPS • Gather input • Reconvene the committee o Administrators o Teachers • Present recommendation to the Board of Education in June • Implementation 2013-14

• THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO SHARE YOUR INPUT • This presentation will be made available on our website tomorrow.