assignments and grade book manual - seaford.k12.ny.us

Cover to be added laterInfinite Campus and Custom Computer Specialists, Inc.
About Infinite Campus For more than a decade, Infinite Campus has successfully implemented its solutions for
customers of all sizes. Today, Infinite Campus applications manage more than 4 million
students in 43 states. Infinite Campus customers range from districts with fewer than 100
students to those with more than 100,000 as well as regional consortia, state departments
of education and the federal government.
About Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. has been partnering with school districts to provide
technology solutions for three decades. Specializing in IT outsourcing and large
technology projects, Custom delivers a wide array of services including project
management, wireless and LAN/WAN networking, managed services, desktop
installation, service and support, product procurement, and storage solutions to clients in
the public sector, healthcare, financial services, and corporate arenas. Custom has been
the recipient of a host of recent industry awards and recognition, and was included in the
Top 200 Private New York Metro Companies list (Crains NY Business), named #1
Technical Consultant (LIBN), listed among the Top 100 Government VARS for the past
3 years, and received a prominent ranking on the VAR Business 500.
Table of Contents i
COMPOSITE GRADING 3 Set up Composite Grading .......................................................................................3
GRADING SCALES & ASSIGNMENT MARKS 4 Set up Grading Scale ................................................................................................4 Set up Assignment Marks ........................................................................................6
ASSIGNMENTS 8 Set up the Student Groups........................................................................................8
Set up the Grading Calculation Options ..................................................................9 Set up the Categories .............................................................................................12
Assignments & Grade Book © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 1
ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADE BOOK
Description
The Assignments tool is used to create and score assignments associated with a sections
students and standards/grading tasks. Calculation options for in-progress grades can be
applied to assignments, categories, and standards/grading tasks for each section.
The Grade Book is used to enter and view scores for a sections assignments created in
the Assignments tool. A running calculation of student grades that will eventually be
posted to a sections standards/grading tasks will display according to calculation options
defined in the Assignments tool.
All information entered in Assignments and Grade Book can be viewed by School Staff
(depending on user rights) through the students Schedule or Grades tab.
Target Audience This manual is intended for Teachers.
Objective The purpose of this manual is to assist Teachers in setting up and maintaining their
Assignments and Grade Book.
Vocabulary
Composite Grading – The Composite Grading feature calculates the Final grade based
on Grading Tasks chosen and their % value (i.e., Q1 Grade – 23%, Q2 Grade – 23%, Q3
Grade – 23%, Q4 Grade – 23%, Final Exam – 8%). This can be set up by either the
District or the teacher. If the district enters it on the courses, they usually remove rights
from teachers to view/edit it, so all the classes are consistent.
Special Note:
When working with any of the tasks in this manual, the first step is to choose the
class/section needed on the top bar.
2 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Assignments & Grade Book
Vocabulary Continued
Grading Scale – The Grading Scale is used to convert a students in-progress Grade
Book calculation (%) to a score (Grd) for a grading task or standard (e.g., Q1 Quarter
Grade). For example, an in-progress calculation 87.63 might convert to 88 on a numeric
scale or B+ on an alpha scale. Many districts set up the Grading Scale on a school or
district level and do not allow teachers to create their own.
Assignment Marks – Assignment Marks are used to convert a score entry to a percent-
earned for a graded assignment.
Category – Categories are used to organize assignments within the Assignments and
Grade Book tools (e.g., Tests, Quizzes, Projects). Categories can be weighted differently
if needed (i.e., Tests = 50%, Quizzes = 30%, Projects = 20%).
Assignment – Assignments are used to create the fields in the Grade Book where the
teacher will enter individual grades (i.e., American Revolution test, Civil War test, Final
Project). If needed, individual assignments can be set up to count differently toward the
score.
Posting Grades – The process by which grades are entered in Campus to appear on
students report cards.
Activities – Activities are entered in the Daily Planner as „non-graded events. Activities
are frequently used by Elementary instructors (who may not be using the
Grade Book) to communicate homework assignments, instructional activities, trips and
events to the parents (through the Portal).
Grading Scales & Assignment Marks © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 3
COMPOSITE GRADING
Description The Composite Grading feature can be used to calculate the final grade based on the term
(and, if needed, exam) grading tasks (i.e., Q1 Grade – 23%, Q2 Grade – 23%, Q3 Grade –
23%, Q4 Grade – 23%, Final Exam – 8%). Many districts set up the Composite Grading
by course, lock it to ensure consistency, and do not allow teachers to create their own
composite grading. If this is the case, the teacher will not see the sub-module listed under
the Admin module and will not be able to set up a unique composite grading calculation.
Set up Composite Grading
2. Choose the Final Grade.
3. The Composite Grading Detail screen will display with all the Grading Tasks.
Type the weight (%) to be used in the calculation for each task. The total %
should equal 100% (or close to 100). If the weighing does not divide evenly into
100, input the closest number (i.e., 6 tasks, 16.66 for each = 99.96 – the system
will multiply each task evenly to calculate the final grade).
4. Click on the <Save> button.
4 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Grading Scales & Assignment Marks
GRADING SCALES & ASSIGNMENT MARKS
Description Teachers using calculation options in the Assignments and Grade Book tools must have a
Grading Scale established. Assignment Marks, though not required, may also be set up.
Teachers using the „No Calculation option in the Assignments and Grade Book tools can
skip these steps.
The Grading Scale is used to convert a students in-progress Grade Book calculation (%)
to a score (Grd) for a grading task/standard (e.g., Q1 Quarter Grade). The Grading
Scale can be set up as Alpha, Numeric, Rubric, or Pass/Fail. For example, an in-progress
calculation 87.63 might convert to 88 on a numeric scale or B+ on an alpha scale. Many
districts set up the Grading Scale on a school or district level and do not allow teachers to
create their own.
Assignment Marks are used to convert a score entry to a percent-earned for an
assignment (e.g., State Capitals HW). Assignment Marks can be set up in various ways,
based on a teachers individual preference. For example, scores for a 22-point homework
assignment might be entered with marks A, H, or N to attribute 100% (All), 50% (Half)
or 0% (None) of the assignments total points, respectively. Assignment Marks are set up
on an individual teacher-basis and tied to assignments as needed.
Set up Grading Scale
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Admin > Grading Scales. All Grading Scales set up by
the district (or the teacher) will display.
2. Click on the <New> button.
3. Type the Name of the Grading Scale. It is recommended to use names that define
the type of grades being calculated (i.e., Alpha, Numeric, MS Numeric, etc.)
4. Type the Name of the first score – it is usually named the same as the actual score
(i.e., „100 for score 100, „B for score B). The Grading Scale score names must
match the names in the schools score group. For example, a teacher cant create
an „A+ if the district hasnt set up an „A+ score to print on the report card.
5. Type the Score (grade received).
6. Type the Min Percent. This is the minimum percent calculated that will post the
score (grade) to the student. For example:
a. 100 – 99.5 (student has at least a 99.5 to receive the 100 score)
b. 99 – 98.5 (the student has between 98.5-99.4 to receive the 99 score)
c. A – 90 (student has at least a 90 to receive the A score)
d. B – 80 (student has between 80-89 to receive the B score)
These must be entered in order from highest score to lowest score.
7. Type the Sequence number. All grades should be sequenced so they display in
order, with the highest grade first.
8. Check the Passing checkbox for all scores that are considered passing scores.
This will highlight the non-passing grades in the Grade Book.
9. Click on the <Add Grading Scale Item> button to add another grading scale item.
10. When finished, click on the <Save> button.
Example of Numeric Grading Scale
Example of Alpha Grading Scale
If a grading scale item needs to be removed, click on the delete button () to the left
of the grading scale Name, and it will be deleted when the changes are saved.
6 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Grading Scales & Assignment Marks
Set up Assignment Marks
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Admin > Assignment Marks. All Assignment Marks
previously set up by the teacher will display in the editor.
3. Type the Name of the Assignment Mark. It is recommended to use names that
define the types of marks being assigned (i.e., Pass/Fail, Completion, Alpha, etc.).
4. Type the Score – this is a mark a teacher could enter when scoring an assignment
in the Grade Book or Assignments tool. Alpha characters are typically used;
however, symbols may be used (+, -, *). The following characters are already
associated with values in Campus and should be avoided: T, L, X, M, I, Ch, Dr.
5. Type the Percent Earned – this is the percentage of points a student will be
attributed for an assignments total points when an assignment is scored with the
associated mark.
6. Type the Sequence number – this will determine the order in which the score
appears in a dropdown list.
7. Check the Passing checkbox for all scores that are considered passing scores.
8. Click on the <Add New Mark> button to add another assignment mark item.
9. When finished, click on the <Save> button.
Example of a Pass/Fail Assignment Mark
Example of a Completion Assignment Mark
Example of an Alpha Assignment Mark
If a score needs to be removed, click on the delete button () to the left of the Score
field and it will be deleted when the changes are saved.
8 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Assignments
ASSIGNMENTS
Description The Assignments tool provides the teacher with a way to create, organize, score, and
copy assignments. Teachers may also set calculation options, including different
weighting options on assignment categories, if desired. For example, a teacher may want
to organize assignments into three different categories, each with different weight
calculations – Daily Assignments (40%), Notebook (10%), Tests and Quizzes (50%).
When assignments are added to these categories and grades are given, the overall
percentage is calculated based on these category weights.
In addition, teachers can set up Student Groups and create different assignments for each
group. This allows teachers to differentiate instruction and graded work for students in
the same class.
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Student Groups.
3. Type the Name of the group.
4. The Active checkbox is marked by default. This can be unchecked later if the
group is no longer needed for future assignments.
5. Click on a students name from the Roster column and drag it to the Student
Group Members column. Repeat for all students needed. Drag a name from
right-to-left to remove a student from the group.
Note: Students may be added to multiple groups. Any other group(s) to which a
student belongs will display below his/her name as a hyperlink.
Assignments © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 9
6. Click on the <Save> button.
7. The group and its active members total will appear in the editor. Students and
their active group memberships will also display.
8. Repeat for all groups needed.
9. If a group needs to be modified or removed, click on its name from the editor.
Then click and drag student names accordingly or click on the delete button ().
Set up the Grading Calculation Options
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Assignments.
2. Click on the <Edit Grade Calc Option> button. The sections terms and associated
standards/grading tasks will appear.
3. Click on the <No Calculation> radio button for any standards/grading tasks that
will not use the Grade Book to track in-progress grade calculations. Click on the
<Fill All> button under No Calculation if this applies to all standards/grading
tasks listed.
Example of ‘No Calculation’ Selected for all Terms/Standards
Special Note:
The No Calculation option under Instruction > Assignments > Edit Grade Calc
Options is most often used with standards that are assessed with rubrics. It
removes the yellow In Progress columns from the Grade Book. This option is
applied to individual terms/standards in a section.
The section preference “Remove percentage and calculations when using
Standards (Grade Book)” under Instruction > Admin > Preference treats the
Grade Book the same way as No Calculation. This option is applied to all
terms/standards in a section. Saving this preference will not automatically mark
the No Calculation radio button under Instruction > Assignments > Edit Grade
Calc Options.
Select No
4. Click on the <Calculate In Progress> radio button for any standards/grading tasks
that will use the Grade Book to track in-progress grade calculations. Then make
the appropriate selections for each term/grading task:
a. Grading Scale – select from the dropdown list. The list will include all
the District-created Grading Scales as well as any created by the teacher.
A Grading Scale must be chosen for the Grade Book to work properly. If
composite grading has been used, choose the Final Grade Grading Task
and apply the Grading Scale to that as well as the Term Grades. This will
allow the instructor to view the most current calculated „Final Grade for
the students across terms.
b. Weight categories – check this box if assignment categories are weighted
(e.g., Tests – 50%, Classwork – 25%, Homework – 25%). Weight values
are entered in the category editor.
c. Use score’s % value – check this box if assignment scores should be
converted to percentages when considered in calculations. Leave this box
unchecked if grades are based on total-points accumulation.
Example of how a students grade might be different when using
percentages rather than points.
Percentages divided by number of grades
Points:
Total points earned divided by total points possible
If the same options (a-c) are needed in all terms/grading tasks, enter them in the
top of the editor and then click on the <Fill All> button.
5. Repeat for all sections.
Example of Calculation Options for Terms/Grading Tasks
Set up the Categories
Categories are needed to create assignments. They are simply locations or folders by
which assignments are grouped. There is no limit to the number of categories a teacher
can have; however, if a category will not be used, it should be removed.
2. Click on the <Edit Categories> button. Then click on the <Create Category>
button. The Category Detail will display.
Mark selections
individually if
preferences vary
across terms/tasks.
3. Name – Enter the name of the category (i.e., Tests, Quizzes, Projects).
4. Weight – If using weighting, enter the weight for this group. Weights account for
how much value scores in the category receive in the overall tallying of grades. If
a category was weighted at 20%, the weight would be entered as 20. The total %
should equal 100%, but this is a true „weight and does not have to equal 100.
5. Sequence – Enter a sequence number, if needed. The sequence number
determines the order that the categories display in the Grade Book and the
Category drop list on the Assignments tool. Otherwise, the groups will display in
alphabetical order.
6. Hide from Portal/Grade Book Preview – Check this box if the category (and all
its assignments) should not be seen in the Grade Book preview (Campus
Application and Campus Portal). This selection will not be relevant for
parents/students until the Portal is turned on for the District.
7. Exclude this category from calculation – Check this box to exclude the
assignments in the group from contributing to the Task grade (used infrequently).
8. Drop lowest score – Check this box if you plan to drop the lowest score.
9. Sections – Click to place a checkmark in all the sections that will use this
category. Sections of the same course will display.
10. Grading Tasks – This will appear if the course is set up for conventional grading.
Click to place a checkmark in all the grading tasks that will use this category.
Term Grade is the most common one chosen. The list of grading tasks will
display once a section is selected (step 9).
The Drop lowest score checkbox should only be checked before entering
the last assignments grades. If it is edited after all the grades have been posted, it
will not drop the lowest grade.
In addition, a grade entered with a comment of „Cheated or „Missing will utilize
a zero in the Grade Book calculation. If the Drop lowest score checkbox is
checked, the „zero will be dropped by default and not count toward the grade. If
you anticipate using these comments, do not use this feature.
Finally, if the box is checked before entering any grades, the first grade entered
will not calculate since it is the „lowest score. As soon as a second grade is
entered, the system will start calculating (without the lowest score.)
11. Standard – This will appear if the course is setup with standards for grading.
Click to place a checkmark in all the standards that will use this category. The list
of standards will display once a section is selected (step 9).
12. Choose a save option:
a. Save Category – click on this button to save the category details and return
to the Assignment List.
b. Save & Add Assignment – click on this button to save the category details
and open a new Assignment Detail for this category (refer to the Set up
the Assignments part of this manual, p. 15).
13. Repeat all steps for all categories needed.
View and Edit the Categories
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Assignments > Edit Categories. Category names will
appear as links in the Category List.
2. Click on a link to open a Category Detail and enter changes, if needed. Changes
saved in the Category Detail will apply to all sections for which the category
is aligned.
3. Click on the <Delete Category> button to remove the category, if needed. The
category will be removed from all sections. A category may not be deleted if it
contains assignments in any section.
Set up the Assignments
Once categories are created, assignments can be created under each category. Teachers
may score assignments from the Assignments tool or Grade Book. Although all fields
are not mandatory, many fields add value when the Campus Portal is open.
2. Click on the <Create Assignment> button. The Assignment Detail will display.
3. Name – Enter the name of the assignment (i.e., Test 1, Civil War quiz, Final
Project). This field has a maximum of 50 characters.
4. Abbreviation – Enter the abbreviation for the assignment. This will display in the
Grade Book as the column heading. This field has a maximum of 5 characters.
5. Test Strand – Some states use this to associate a state test with the assignment.
Click on the link
6. Description/Objectives/References – These fields are text boxes with formatting
tools to add colors, underlining, etc. Details from these fields display on the
Portal and reports.
7. Section – Check the section(s) for which this assignment applies. The section
selected in the toolbar will be checked by default. Sections of the same course
will display. If the assignment applies to another course taught by the same
teacher, it may be copied later (refer to the Copying Assignments part of this
manual, p. 18).
8. Active – Check this box if the assignment should be considered in the Grade
Book.
9. Assigned – This field defaults to current date. Enter the date the assignment was
given to the student. This date will display on the Portal and reports.
10. Due – This field defaults to current date. Enter the due date of the assignment.
This date will display on the teachers Daily Planner, the Portal, and reports. The
due date will determine an assignments term alignment.
11. Sequence – Enter a sequence number, if needed. The sequence number
determines the order that the assignments display in the Grade Book. Otherwise,
the assignments will display alphabetically within Due Date order.
12. Student Group – Choose the student group, if needed (e.g., this assignment is only
given to the Advanced Students).
13. Standards or Grading Tasks – Select the standards or grading tasks for which this
assignment applies. Click on the Category radio button (i.e., folder) where the
assignment belongs.
14. Points – This scoring type appears once a Standard or Grading Task has been
selected. Choose this option if the assignment will be scored numerically.
15. Marks – This scoring type appears once a Standard or Grading Task has been
selected. Choose this option if the assignment will be scored with teacher-defined
marks and scoring thresholds (refer to the Set up Assignment Marks part of this
manual, p. 6).
16. Rubrics – This scoring type appears once a Standard has been selected. Choose
this option if the assignment will be scored using a district-defined rubric
associated with the standard (e.g., 4 – Exceeds Expectations, 3 – Meets
Expectations, etc.).
17. Total Pts – This field defaults to „100. If different, enter the correct number of
points for the assignment. This field must be considered when using Scoring
Type – Points or Marks. This field is not available when using Scoring Type –
Rubric.
18. Multiplier – This field determines the weighting of the points on this assignment
within the group. This field defaults to „1. Enter a different number if this
assignment will weigh more or less than other assignments within the group. This
field is not available when using Scoring Type – Rubric.
19. Choose a save option:
a. Save – Click on this button to save the assignment details and return to the
Assignments List.
b. Save & Score – Click on this button to save the assignment details and
open the Assignment Scoring Editor (refer to the Scoring Assignments
part of this manual, p. 20).
View and Edit the Assignments
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Assignments. The sections assignments will appear as
links in the Assignments List.
2. Click on an assignment name to open the Assignment Detail and enter changes,
if needed. Changes saved in the Assignment Detail will apply to all sections
for which the assignment is aligned.
3. Click on the <Delete Assignment> button to remove the assignment. The
assignment and scores will be removed from all sections to which it was aligned.
To remove an assignment from a single section, do not delete the assignment.
Instead, clear the checkbox next to the section in the Section Field and click on
the <Save> button.
Use the dropdown
lists to filter
Copying Assignments
The Assignment Copier can be used to copy a single assignment or a group of
assignments from section-to-section within a calendar or across calendars.
If the assignment due dates from the source section are not valid in the destination
section(s), they will not carry over. Assignments without due dates are placed in the first
term in which the section meets. Campus recalculates the term when a due date is
entered.
2. Click on the <Copy Assignments> button. The Assignment Copier will appear.
3. Click on the section that contains the assignment being copied in the Select
Source Section group box. All assignments from the selected section will appear
below the group box.
4. Click on the section that needs the assignment from the Select Destination
Section group box. Note: The source section is grayed out and cannot be
selected. Assignments previously aligned to the destination section will appear
below the group box.
5. Click to place a checkmark for all the assignments you wish to copy from the
source section. Click to clear the checkmark for assignments you do not wish
copy.
6. Click on the <Next> button. The Copy Assignment Name editor will appear.
By default, the category alignment from the source section will be used in the
destination section. If the category did not exist in the source destination, it will
be created (e.g., appear in green with asterisks in the category dropdown).
Choose a different grading task/category alignment from the dropdown menu, if
desired.
7. Click on the <Copy Assignments> button. The assignment(s) will be added to the
destination section and the View Assignments screen will appear. Select the
destination section in the Campus toolbar to view the copied assignment.
Select the
section you
Scoring Assignments
Assignments can be scored using rubrics (in the case of standards-based grading), points,
comments, and built-in flags. The Assignments tool allows teachers to view assignment
scores one assignment at a time. Teachers may enter grades for individual students (i.e.,
single score entry) or in batch (i.e., mass filling scores). In addition, it has several
features to display the contents differently, or change the calculation (for example,
inputting comments on grades that can be viewed in the Campus Portal, or entering
comments that can affect the students grade.)
Single Score Entry:
1. Navigate to Instruction> Assignments.
2. Click on the Assignment Name to be scored. The Assignment Detail will appear.
3. Click on the <Save & Score> button. The Assignment Scoring Editor will
appear.
4. Locate a name from the Students column. If Student Groups were used, members
of the group will appear at the top of the Students column; non-members will be
grouped at the bottom of the column and flagged as Exempt (X).
5. Choose a score from the dropdown list (when grading standards) or enter the
points earned in the scores field next to the student name.
6. Enter additional assignment details, as needed.
a. Comments – enter a „teacher comment for the assignment.
b. Dr (Dropped) – click on the checkbox if this assignment is being dropped
for a student. This grade will be excluded from calculation.
c. T (Turned In) – click on the checkbox if this assignment was submitted by
the student. This checkbox does not affect the grade – it is used for
informational purposes only.
d. M (Missing) – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment missing for a
student. This checkbox will use a 0 (zero) in the calculation.
Assignments marked with this comment will display on the Missing
Assignments report.
e. L (Late) – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment late for a student.
This checkbox does not affect the grade.
f. I (Incomplete) – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment incomplete.
This checkbox does not affect the grade – whatever score is entered will
be used in the calculation.
g. Ch (Cheated) – click on the checkbox to mark that the student cheated on
the assignment. This checkbox will use a 0 (zero) in the calculation.
h. X (Exempt) – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment exempt for a
student. This grade will be excluded from the calculation.
7. Click on the <Save Scores> button. The View Assignments screen will appear.
Mass Filling Scores:
1. Navigate to Instruction> Assignments.
2. Click on the Assignment Name to be scored. The Assignment Detail will appear.
3. Click on the <Save & Score> button. The Assignment Scoring Editor will
appear.
4. Choose a score from the dropdown list (when grading standards) or enter the
points earned at the top of the editor above all student names.
5. Enter additional assignment details using the checkboxes at the top of the editor
above all student names (refer to the Single Score Entry part of this manual for
checkbox descriptions, p. 20).
6. Click on the appropriate update button:
a. Fill All – click on this button to overwrite any previously entered scores
(excluding students marked Exempt (X)) using the points and/or flags
selected.
b. Fill Empty – click on this button to add scores to blank fields using the
points and/or flags selected.
7. Click on the <Save Scores> button. The View Assignments screen will appear.
Validating Assignments
Assignments Validation verifies the status of assignments that have multiple section
placements and/or multiple alignments. The most common reason to validate a section is
the addition or removal of the teacher(s) scheduled to a section. If a sections scheduled
teacher has changed, the assignments must be validated.
For example, if a teacher placed an assignment in two sections and was removed from
one section, the Assignment Validation process splits the assignment and a unique
assignment remains in each section. If alignments under an assignment are no longer
valid, they are split into separate assignments. If separate assignments within a section
contain alignments which can be consolidated within one assignment, they will be
combined into one assignment. Assignments Validation also validates categories and
activities.
2. Click on the <Validate> button. An information dialog appears.
3. Click on the <OK> button.
Tree View
The Tree View is simply an alternate mode for viewing and accessing categories,
assignments, and assignment scores for a given term and grading task.
2. Click on the <View Tree> button. The Tree View will appear.
3. Click on a category link to open the Category Detail (refer to the View and Edit
the Categories part of this manual, p.14).
4. Click on an assignment link to open the Assignment Detail (refer to the View
and Edit the Assignments part of this manual, p.17).
5. Click on the Score link for an assignment to open the Assignment Scoring
Editor (refer to the Scoring Assignments part of this manual, p.2018).
Term (e.g., Q1)
grading task.
Click on a Category (e.g., HW, Tests) to
open the Category Detail.
Scoring Editor.
Assignment
Detail.
Grade Book © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 23
GRADE BOOK
Description The Grade Book is used to enter the scores for assignments created with the Assignments
tool. This tool allows teachers to view assignment scores for multiple assignments.
Teachers may enter grades for individual students (i.e., manually) or in batch (i.e., using
tools). In addition, it has several features to display the contents differently, or change
the calculation (for example, inputting comments on grades that can be viewed in the
Campus Portal, or entering comments that can affect the students grade.)
When making changes to the Grade Book, it is recommended to Save often.
Layout
1. Navigate to: Instruction > Grade Book.
The layout of the Grade Book is arranged in four sections.
The right side of the Grade Book displays a gray spreadsheet-like grid, into which actual
assignment scores are entered/viewed.
The first row displays the Categories created in the Assignments tool. Under the
Categories are all the Assignments created for the Category. The Assignments display
the „Abbreviation name as well as the number of points possible [in brackets]. The
Assignment being entered displays in yellow. Under each Assignment are fields for each
Groups
Assignment
information
grades/scores.
24 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Grade Book
student where grade scores are entered. The grade that is being entered displays in
yellow. Along with the scores of individual assignments, each Category also has a
column for a percent calculation of all of the Categorys assignments, updated each time
a new assignment score is entered. The Categories display in sequential order as
determined by entries in the Assignments tool. The Assignments display in due date
order or sequential order as determined by entries in the Assignments tool.
The extreme left column of the Grade Book displays the names, in alphabetical order, of
the students in the section. The student whose grades are being entered displays in
yellow.
Directly above the student names is a dropdown list where you select the grading task to
work on. This is where scores can be viewed, entered and edited. Above the dropdown
is a yellow toggle button for hiding or showing the Grade Totals section.
In the center of the Grade Book, the In Progress section with yellow columns displays a
running points total, percent calculation, and grade. When all assignment grades have
been entered (and the Grading Window is opened), the grade totals under the yellow
headings can be posted to the Grading Task, which will be displayed under the Posted
section with the green columns.
Grading Task
Customizing the Grade Book Layout
There are several ways in which to customize the items that get displayed in the Grade
Book. As mentioned before, the yellow toggle button above the student names functions
to hide or show the Grade Totals section. Additionally, the individual assignments can be
collapsed into their parent Categories by clicking on the Category heading. By hiding the
Grades Totals or individual assignments, the teacher can display only the
Category/Assignment he/she is working with when entering scores.
Grade Totals and Individual Assignments Displayed
Hide the Grade Totals:
1. Click on the yellow <Hide Grade Totals> toggle button. The grade calculation
fields will be hidden, displaying the assignments closer to the students names.
The button will change to <Show Grade Totals> so it can be clicked on to toggle
back.
2. To re-display the Grade Totals, click on the yellow <Show Grade Totals> button.
Grade Totals Hidden
Hide the Assignments for a Category:
1. Click on the Category name to be hidden. The assignments will collapse and the
button will change to a <+>.
2. To re-display the Category Assignments, click on the Category name to be re-
displayed. The assignments will re-display and the button will change to a <->.
Grade Totals and Individual Assignments Hidden
Show Specific Student Groups:
8. Click on the <Student Groups> button (refer to the Set up the Student Groups
section of this manual, p.8).
9. Choose the group you want to display (All Students will display all the students).
Only the students in the group chosen will display on the screen.
Show Cut Score Color Coding:
1. Click on the <Options> toggle button.
2. Click on the Show Cut Score Color Coding checkbox. Any student with a
calculated failing grade (as designated by the Grading Scale) will display in red
and passing grades in green.
Student has a
failing grade.
Entering Grades
Manually
When clicking on a field to enter grades, the students name and the Assignment
description display in the upper left corner of the screen, just above the <Hide Grade
Totals> button. In addition, the Assignment, Student, and Assignment Grade box will all
be highlighted in yellow as a notification to the teacher.
1. In the upper left hand corner of the Grade Book screen, click on the Select a Task
dropdown box. Choose the task (i.e., Q1 – Quarter Grade, Q2 – Quarter Grade).
If the course has „Default Grade Book Task set to the most used task (usually the
Term Grade), the correct Term/Task will display automatically.
2. Click on the first students score field (box) for the assignment needed.
3. Enter the points achieved and press the <Enter> key. The system will
automatically move down to the next student for the same assignment.
4. If Student Groups were used, the assignment for the group will only be applied to
students in that group. All other students will have the field grayed out.
Only James Abbate
and Samara Castoro
the AP Project. All
out.
Using Tools
There are 3 tools in the system for entering/updating grades. They are accessed by right-
clicking in the gray box displaying the Assignment abbreviation.
1. Clear all scores for… – this will allow the teacher to clear all the scores for the
assignment chosen.
2. Fill Empty Scores – this will allow the teacher to enter a specific score for
multiple students for the assignment chosen. This is typically used when a large
number of the students all receive the same score (this should not be used when
entering grades for a „Student Group since it is not used for all students).
1. Enter the scores for the students receiving „different scores (i.e., the quiz
has 10 points, most students scored a „9, enter the students who did not
receive a „9).
2. Right-click on the assignment. Choose „Fill Empty Scores.
3. Choose the correct method. There are 3 options for this tool:
a. 0 (zero) – will post a „0 in all empty fields
b. With this value… – will post the value entered in all empty fields
c. Total Points Possible – will post the total points for the assignment in
all empty fields
3. Overwrite All Scores – this will allow the teacher to overwrite all scores with a
specific score for the assignment chosen. There are 3 options for this tool:
1. 0 (zero) – will post a „0 in all fields
2. With this value… – will post the value entered in all fields
3. Total Points Possible – will post the total points for the assignment in all
fields
Special Note:
The Fill Empty Scores can also be used to fill all empty scores with an „M to
mark the students grades as missing (refer to page 29) for more information on
missing grades.
the options.
Editing Grades with Comments
Grades can be edited to add Campus comments (i.e., Missing, Dropped, Cheated), or
teacher entered comments (i.e., Failed to expand on essay questions, Did not show work).
These comments can be viewed on the Portal and through the Student Information >
General > Schedule or Grades tabs by staff with user rights. The boxes will display
with either triangles or in gray to notify the teacher that a comment has been added.
Hovering over the grade field (box) will display the comment.
1. Right-click on the grade. If entering a comment on an assignment without a grade
(i.e., missing, exempt), right-click on the field (box) where the grade should be
entered. The screen to choose comments displays. It will display the students
first name and the description for the Assignment. There are several choices.
a. Edit comment – click on this option to enter a „teacher comment for the
assignment. A box will display with the Assignment abbreviation and a
field to enter a comment. When finished, click on the <OK> button. A
red triangle will display as a notification.
b. Late – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment late for a student.
This checkbox does not affect the grade. An „L can be entered in place of
the students grade in the box. The score will display in red and a blue
triangle will display as a notification.
c. Exempt – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment exempt for a
student. This grade will be excluded from the calculation. The box will
display in gray as a notification.
d. Missing – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment missing for a
student. This checkbox will use a 0 (zero) in the calculation.
Assignments marked with this comment will display on the Missing
Assignments report. An „M can be entered in place of the students grade
in the box. A blue triangle will display as a notification.
e. Incomplete – click on the checkbox to mark the assignment incomplete.
This checkbox does not affect the grade – whatever score is entered will
be used in the calculation. A blue triangle will display as a notification.
f. Cheated – click on the checkbox to mark that the student cheated on the
assignment. This checkbox will use a 0 (zero) in the calculation. A „C
can be entered in place of the students grade in the box. A blue triangle
will display as a notification.
g. Dropped – click on the checkbox to mark that this assignment is being
dropped for a student. This grade will be excluded from the calculation. A
blue triangle will display as a notification.
Add a Comment on a Student
Comments can be added to the student (in addition to, or in place of adding a comment to
a grade). These comments are only visible on the Portal or on Grade Book reports. This
comment will display for the student until removed.
1. Right-click on the students name.
2. Click on the <Edit Comment> button.
3. The Comments: screen will display. Enter the comments and click on the <OK>
button.
Comment
Exempt
Cheated
Late
Missing
Dropped
Incomplete
4. A red triangle will display by the students name as a notification that there is a
comment.
Posting Grades
When all of the assignment scores for a term have been entered into Campus, the grades
that have been calculated (in the yellow „In Progress area) need to be posted to the
Grading Task so they will appear on the students report cards. Right-clicking on any
part of the yellow or green areas produces a popup menu in which the Post Grades item
can be chosen. The teacher can only „Post Grades when the grading window has been
opened by a Building Administrator. Otherwise, the option will be grayed out and cannot
be chosen.
Posting the grades causes the calculated total grades from the yellow In Progress area to
be copied to the green Posted area.
Posting Grades to Other Task
Grades can be posted to „other tasks as well. This is generally used when a school
reports „Progress (or „Interim) Report grades in the middle of the Term based on the
students grades in the Grade Book at that time. The following must be in effect to use
this function:
1. The Grading Task must be in the course with the same Score Group as the Term
(i.e., If the „Quarter Grade Grading Task is on the course with the „Alpha Score
Group, „Progress Report Grading Task must also be attached to the course with
the „Alpha Score Group)
2. The Progress (or Interim) Report Grading Task window must be active.
The final result will display in the Progress (or Interim) Grading Task.
Editing Posted Grades
Occasionally, a teacher will need to override the posted grades for the term. This step
should be done after „Posting the Grades. If the grade is overridden and the teacher re-
posts, the system will calculate the Term Grade again and it will revert to the original
grade.
1. Double-click on the grade listed in the % field in the green area. The field will
display to allow for changes.
2. Type in the new grade and press the <Enter> key. The grade will change in the %
and Grd fields.
After grades are posted in the Grade Book, the teacher can add comments that will print
on the report card by navigating to Instruction > Grading by Task. For full instructions
on this module, refer to the Teacher Manual.
Special Note:
Grades can also be changed by clicking in the Grd box and choosing the grade
from the dropdown list. However, if Composite Grading is used, the system will
use the number in the % field to calculate the Final Grade, and that will not change
by using this method.
Therefore, it is recommended to change the number in the % field instead.
Double-click on the
in the % field.
Posting Final Grades for a Course
If a courses Final Grade is calculated based on the Composite Grading assigned by the
District or the teacher (refer to page 3), the grade can be posted in the Grade Book. By
selecting the Final Grade in the Select a task dropdown list on the Grade Book, the
teacher can view the Grade Book page for the Final Grade. These grades can be posted
when the Grading Window is open using the same method as posting the Quarter Grade
(refer to page 31).
If a courses Final Grade is not calculated based on Composite Grading, the grade is
posted to the report card by navigating to Instruction > Grading by Task. For full
instructions on this module, refer to the Teacher Manual.
FAQs © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 35
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Description This section will cover the most common mistakes experienced when setting up the
Lesson Planner and the Grade Book.
Q: I see the weights I assigned to my categories when I click the <Edit Categories>
button in the Assignments tool; however, the Grade Book is not using these
weights when calculating the In Progress grade.
A: The Weight categories field was not checked on the Term Grade Task. Navigate
to the Assignments tool and click on the <Edit Grade Calc Options> button.
Locate the grading task (i.e., Term Q2 Quarter Grade) and check the Weight
categories box. Click on the <Save> button. Now the Grade Book will use the
weights you assigned to each category.
36 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved FAQs
Q: In the Grade Book, Im inputting my first grades for a group and each box has a
blue triangle and nothing is calculating.
A: You chose to drop the lowest score. If only one score is entered, it is the lowest
score. As you add more scores, the system will start calculating the % and
continually drop the lowest score in the group.
Q: In the Grade Book, the percentages are not calculating at all.
Or the percentages are calculating, but not the grade (in the yellow area).
As more scores are entered, the system
will start calculating, and the
„dropped score might change.
No grade is displaying.
blue triangle.
No calculation.
FAQs © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved 37
A: The Grading Scale was not chosen on the Term Grading Task. Navigate to the
Assignments tool, click on the <Edit Grade Calc Options> button and select a
Grading Scale for the appropriate Grading Task (i.e., Term Q1 Quarter Grade)
Click on the <Save> button. Now you will see the grade calculating in the Grade
Book.
38 © 2006 Custom Computer Specialists, Inc. All Rights Reserved Reports
REPORTS
There are several reports available to teachers for the Grade Book. All the reports will be
produced based on the course/section chosen (refer to page 1). They are listed below with
a brief description of their features:
Assignment Analysis Graph: This report prints a bar chart reflecting the students
grades for a specific assignment (from the Grade Book).
Assignment Standard: This report lists the Standards associated with Standards-based
assignments.
Grade Book Export: This report allows the teacher to export the Grade Book out of
Infinite Campus. File format options include – Comma Separated (recommended) [this
format will allow the teacher to save the file into Excel], Tab Delimited, XML and
HTML.
It is recommended to open the file in Comma Separated format, then click on <File>,
<Save As…>. Name the file and change the „Save as type: (on the bottom) to Excel.
This will allow the teacher to open the file using Excel and make any
changes/calculations they need. The Grade Book can only be exported out of Infinite
Campus; no information can be imported into Campus from an outside source.
Missing Assignments: This report displays missing assignments. It will print
assignments that are either past their Due Date (without a grade entered) or marked in the
Grade Book as missing. It prints one (or more) pages per student and is suitable for
mailing home to the parent/guardian.
Section Summary: This report displays the selected assignments with the students on an
X/Y grid. This report shows all the scores for each student on only a few pages. It can
also be printed with the student numbers instead of names so the scores can be posted on
the bulletin board, thus ensuring privacy.
Student Summary: This report displays per student, all the grades posted to the Grade
Book by group and assignment. It can be printed as a summary or with detail. If printing
the detail (one page per student), it is suitable for mailing home to the parent/guardian as
a progress report.

assignments and grade book manual - seaford.k12.ny.us

Documents