Standards Based Report CardParents' Evening

Seekonk Public SchoolsOctober, 2010

SPS Elementary Report Card Committee

• Began meeting during the 2008-2009 school year.

• After researching the issue, a presentation was made to the School Committee in June, 2009 on implementing a standards-based report card

- Gr. K-2 during the 2009-2010 school year - Gr. 3-5 during the 2010-2011 school year

2009-2010 Committee Members

Sharon Ahern, Gr. 1 Teacher Karen Capello, Gr. 2 TeacherFran Creamer, School Committee Jane Daly, Dir. of Curr. & Inst.Denise DeCaporale, Gr. 4 Teacher Sheila Field, ParentNancy Gagliardi, Principal Kevin Madden, PrincipalLinda McCaffrey, Gr. 1 Teacher Jennifer McCaughey, ParentMary Meli, Kindergarten Teacher Jessica Mortali, Gr. 1 TeacherMari-Ann Oliveira, Parent Denise O'Rourke, Gr. 3

TeacherLynn Owens, Gr. 1 Teacher Candace Sarasin, Reading Spec.Shanna Vachon, Gr. 5 Teacher

Why Grade?

What do grades mean to you?

What does a 95, 85, or 75 mean?

What grade indicates a student has met proficiency?

Advanced Warning

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Final Grade 4 Grades Compared to MCAS Performance - ELA

A A- B-

Proficient Needs Improvement

Num

ber o

f Stu

dent

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D

Final ELA AverageC+ C C-B+ B

Advanced Warning

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Num

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Proficient Needs Improvement

Final Grade 4 Grades Compared to MCAS Performance - Math

B-A A- C+B+ B C C- D

Final Math Average

Why do we give grades?

“Traditional grading promotes a culture of gathering points, not indicating learning.”

Ken O’Connor“The primary goal of grading and reporting is

communication. ..When used well, they provide vital information to students, parents, and teachers that can be used to enhance both teaching and learning.”

Thomas Guskey

Will all students read at grade level by the end of the school year?

If not, who will not?How do we know this today?What can we do differently now

to help them meet this goal?

Thinking Beyond an A…Demonstrate fluency in adding and subtracting whole numbers and in multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 1- and 2-digit numbers and

multiples of ten.

Students might be asked to evaluate a sample problem or the strategy used to solve the

problem in order to get a 3 (not just get 90% of the problems correct).

As a result of these variances and current research, we have made the decision to move

to Standards-Based Grading.

Indica

tors

Indica

tors

==

Learn

ing

Learn

ing

Targets

Targets

Purposes of Standards Based Reporting

• Provides feedback on student progress towards what students should know or be able to do by the end of the year

• Helps parents understand what is expected of students at each grade level

• Provides students, teachers, and parents a context for discussing learning progress in the classroom

(Seekonk Public Schools Elementary Report Card Committee, 2009)

Adapted from How to Grade for Learning,3rd Edition (O'Connor, 2009)

Which Student Would You Choose To Pack Your Parachute?Which Student Would You Choose To Pack Your Parachute?

Adapted from How to Grade for Learning, 3rd Edition (O'Connor, 2009)

Discussion Questions For The Parachute Packing Case

1.Which student will you choose to pack your parachute? Why?

2.If these were scores in a typical teacher's grade book, which students would pass? Which students would fail?

Which Student Would You Choose To Pack Your Parachute?Which Student Would You Choose To Pack Your Parachute?

Adapted from How to Grade for Learning, 3rd Edition (O'Connor, 2009)

Academic StandardsAcademic StandardsKindergarten – Grade 13: Meeting or exceeding the grade level standard 2: Approaching the grade level standard 1: Beginning to develop the grade level standard, but not yet able to produce grade level work N/A: Standard not assessed this trimester

Grades 2 - 54: Exceeding the grade level standard3: Meeting the grade level standard 2: Approaching the grade level standard 1: Beginning to develop the grade level standard, but not yet able to produce grade level work

N/A: Standard not assessed this trimester

Standard Scoring Rubric Standard Scoring Rubric

3: Meeting the grade

level standard(The “3” is meeting the

target and should be

celebrated)

4: Exceeding the grade level standard(Consistently producing

beyond grade-level

expectations. Very few

students perform at this level)

1: Beginning to develop

the standard, but not yet able

to produce required grade

level work

(Help and support is needed

from teachers and parents)

2: Approaching the grade level standard(A “2” indicates ongoing

growth)

Sample of Report Card- Gr. 5 Math

Math I II IIIDemonstrates an understanding of place

value from thousandths through billions,

exponents, and expanded notation.2 2 3

Demonstrates relationships between fractions,

decimals, and percents, and indicates their

location on the number line.3 2 n/a

Computes using fractions and mixed numbers

with like and unlike denominators.2 2 3

Analyzes and represents data using range,

median, mode, mean, and graphs.n/a 4 n/a

Subjects on Report Card

Gr. K: Reading and Language Arts, and MathGr. 1: Reading, Language and Composition,

Math, Physical Education, Art, MusicGr. 2: Reading, Language and Composition,

Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Art, Music

Gr. 3-5: Reading, Language and Composition, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education, Art, Music, Health

Student Responsibilities

N Needs Improvement: The student needs to make improvement in this work or study habit.

The report card will continue to grade students on progress towards meeting Student Responsibilities,

i.e. work habits, study skills, behavior.

P Performs Consistently: The student consistently demonstrates that work or study habit.

Sample of Student Responsibilities

I II III

Observes class rules. P P P

Respects others. P P P

Listens and is attentive. P N P

Completes assigned homework. N P P

Demonstrates organizational skills. N P P

4 Questions that Guide Our Work

• What is it we want our students to know or be able to do?

• How will we know if they know it?• How will we respond when they don’t know

it?• How do we enrich and extend the learning

for those who already know it?

How will this affect your child?

From: Instead of wondering how they are doing in math....

To: I need to work on my addition and subtraction facts.

Students are able to take ownership of their own learning.

Features of the New Reporting System

• K-5 report cards will be issued three times a year. • Interim progress reports will also be distributed in

Gr. 1 – Gr. 5.• Parent teacher conferences in November, 2010.• Includes comment section.• Uses numbers instead of letter grades to reflect

students’ progress toward meeting academic standards.

• Progress indicated relating to the knowledge and skills a student should attain by the end of the year.

Parent Communication• Link on the district website where information on

standards based reporting will be posted. (Check for updates!)

• Parent workshops to explain new progress reports and report card format. (October, 2009 and 2010)

• Increased opportunities for more frequent information on student growth:

– Parent-Teacher conferences in November– Three report cards– Interim progress reports

• Parent survey on new report cards to get parent feedback. (Spring, 2010)

Dates to Remember!

11/3 & 11/4 Gr. PreK-5 Parent Conferences

• 12/20/10 – 1st Trimester Report Card Issued 1/26/11 Gr. 1-5 Progress Reports Issued

• 3/30/11 – 2nd Trimester Report Card Issued 5/05/11 Gr. 1 -5 Progress Reports Issued

• Last Day of School – 3rd Trimester Rep. Card

Questions???

Jane L. Daly, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, 508-399-5106 DalyJ@seekonk.k12.ma.us

Nancy Gagliardi, Aitken Elementary School Principal, 508-336-5230 GagliardiN@seekonk.k12.ma.us

Kevin Madden, Martin Elementary School Principal, 508-336-7558 MaddenK@seekonk.k12.ma.us

Sources

DuFour, R., DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (2008). Revisiting professional learning communities at work: New insights for improving schools. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree.

Guskey, T. R. & Bailey, J.M. (2001). Developing grading and reporting systems for student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

O’Connor, K. (2009). How to Grade for Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Countless local district’s websites and Standards-Based Report Cards

Thank You!