Grading Policy

Formative assessments are a diagnostic tool to measure a student’s progress toward mastery of specific skills derived from the core standards.  Formative assessments are also used to determine the appropriate level of response to student needs concerning academic intervention or enrichment. 

         Formative assessments take the form of pre-assessments before the introduction of a new lesson to guide teacher questions during the mini-lesson, in-class assignments, and quizzes, homework, and projects. Formative assessments prepare students for mastery of the culminating unit assessments and performance tasks. Success on formative assessments is linked to success on culminating assessments. Some examples of formative assessments are observations, questioning, discussion, entrance/exit tickets, warm-ups, drafts, learning/response logs, peer/self-assessments, practice presentations, kinesthetic assessments, individual whiteboards, constructive quizzes, think pair share, and homework.  Teachers record student responses to these assessments to use in their assessment of student learning. *Please note that some of these activities can qualify to be summative – however, if teachers are to do so, they must fully prepare their students for such assessments… and students must be made aware that those specific assignments are summative.

         Formative assessment is not the sole basis for a student’s grade, but rather is to inform instruction, determine interventions, and provide students with practice in specific skills. Feedback on performance is communicated through the marking period report cards through the numerical grades and comments. In addition, descriptive feedback through rubrics attached to each formative assessment will provide students with an understanding of what they are doing well and where they need to focus on improvement.

         Although formative assessments are not the sole basis for a student’s grade, consistently demonstrated progress in formative assessments and successful participation in academic intervention services outside of the mandated educational intervention and enrichment class programming for the student may be used by a teacher to enhance a student’s grade. However, non-participation in recommended intervention services may never be used to detract or deduct from a student’s grade.

Summative assessments are given at the end of units to gauge a student’s mastery of the standards identified within that unit. All summative assessments are aligned with the standards and must provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of those standards. Summative assessments are the basis of a student’s grade. Examples of summative assessments are Course Examinations, Unit Performance Tasks (Projects), and New York State Regents Examinations. Additionally, teachers may utilize essays, speeches, and or demonstrations. Because the goal is mastery, students must be allowed to improve their grade by retaking, rewriting, or making–up any failed or missed summative assessment. This is accomplished through re-teaching strategies incorporated by the classroom teacher that address the skills gaps shown in the data report from the summative assessment.

Every semester, all students are required to complete a portfolio interview.  Over the semester, students compile a portfolio for each class that includes homework, classwork, notes, and marking period performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate their understanding.  Utilizing these portfolios, students study for the hour-long interview.  Each student and family receives an appointment time with a faculty member.  Each faculty member is given materials from their colleagues to rate students' responses according to a rubric.  During this time, teachers sit with students where they engage in a discussion to address each course’s Essential Questions and also to reflect on the semester.

Students participate in a modified portfolio presentation in the last semester of their senior year. Seniors must present their senior exit portfolio in a room of first-year students. This assessment is worth 10% of their semester grade.

Rubrics provide a fair assessment process that accurately reflects content skills, process skills, work habits, and learning results. Rubrics increase the consistency and objectivity of evaluating assessments.  The details of any rubric used must be communicated to students before any assessment and must be transparent, fair and aligned to the Core Standards. The rubric or grading tool must provide students with clear expectations about what will be assessed and standards that should be met. The rubric or grading tool must provide students with information about where they are in relation to where they need to be for success, as well as give students guidance in evaluating and improving their work.

• A student’s grade must be based on the level of progress toward mastery of Learning Targets derived from the NYS Standards.
• Behavior is not factored into a student’s grade.
• Attendance is not the sole factor in determining a student’s grade.
• When grading summative assessments, the most significant factor to consider is the level of student work as it relates to the core standards. However, deductions for other factors, such as lateness of assignments or presentation, will affect a student’s grade.

• Teachers provide many opportunities for students to learn and practice the content before the summative assessment.
• Teachers and students use and record progress on formative assessments to be sure students are on track to master the standards before summative assessments.
• Teachers gather and analyze data from formative assessments to adjust teaching activities and ensure student learning.
• For students who do not master the standard on the first summative assessment, teachers are expected to re-teach, provide more practice, and give additional opportunities to master with a different summative assessment.
• Teachers must enter final grades no later than three days after the end of a marking period or term.
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