HomeFairfax General ForumArrest/Ticket SearchWiki newPictures/VideosChatArticlesLinksAbout
Fairfax County General :  Fairfax Underground fairfax underground logo
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
FCPS NEW GRADING POLICY
Posted by: STEVEN LOCKEHAD ()
Date: July 02, 2015 03:55PM

Dear Middle and High School Teachers,

This is a follow up email to the one I sent you earlier in the school year regarding grading practices. I apologize in advance for the length of this email, but there is important information to share and the topics are complex.

Earlier this spring, teachers and leaders throughout FCPS began a conversation about grading and reporting. Our goal in doing so was to examine our current policies relative to research-based practices and to ensure that we have appropriate, consistent, and equitable practices throughout our school system. The specific grade-related concepts/topics that were put forth to examine and discuss were:

Eliminating or limiting the use of “zeros” in the 100 point marking system.
Assessment retakes with associated guidelines.
Separation of work habits and achievement.
“Maximums” and “minimums” grades can carry.
Formulation of “final” course grades.
Minimum number of grades per grading period.
Reasonable turnaround time(s) for grades to be posted to the electronic gradebook.


Shortly after introducing this work, we began collecting input from teachers about these concepts and any recommendations for changes. An FCPS Grading Survey was administered and its 40% return rate provided a helpful picture of the current beliefs and practices in FCPS. Each middle and high school principal also selected two representatives to participate in a Teacher Focus Group. Special thanks go to the 100+ teachers who filled this role as they provided invaluable insight into the opportunities and challenges related to a comprehensive grading design.

A central standing committee comprised of teachers, specialists, and administrators has been meeting on a regular basis to review the Teacher Focus Group and Grading Survey data and consider potential changes moving forward. The data collected from the survey and the focus group were instrumental in determining what recommended updates and/or changes should and would take place in the 2015-16 school year.

Some changes are indeed necessary because they will move us closer to consistent practices, particularly as we open our gradebooks to parents as the Student Information System (SIS) rollout is finalized. These are the recommendations we will be making to the Superintendent. They will also be shared at an upcoming School Board Work Session in July.

For SY 2015-16 - Our Grading and Reporting Handbooks will be updated to reflect or clarify:



Teachers will be expected to grade assignments and post grades to the electronic gradebook within 7 school days after the due date with the understanding that major projects/papers may require additional time to ensure quality feedback. Teacher input from the survey, as well as suggestions from the focus group members was used to craft these updated policy statements.

Language that allows for quality point averages (converting of end of quarter/final exam letter grades to the 4.0 scale then averaging) to calculate “final” course grades. This would formally allow teachers to use 100 point scale averages, quality point averages, or trends to determine a final course grade. Teachers will be encouraged to use the method that most benefits the student. Many schools are already implementing this practice and therefore we will add this language to our handbooks to promote greater consistency.

· Our survey reported that 87% of teachers are meeting the current policy requiring one grade per week in gradebooks and many are going well beyond. While the committee recommends no change to the policy at this time, we would encourage teachers to consider two grades or more per week whenever possible.

It is our goal to have these updates and additions to the Grading and Reporting Handbooks completed early this summer, with the expectation that teachers will have access to, and opportunity for understanding this information well before the start of school.


For SY 2016-17 – Looking Ahead:

The input from teachers and others clearly indicated that we are not yet ready to implement division-wide policies related to zeros, retakes, and the separation of work habits and achievement. Though we recognize the current inconsistency in these policies can impact equity for our students, and know that this cannot continue indefinitely, we respect our teachers’ values, beliefs, and professional judgment.

By taking the time to more deeply involve all teachers in conversation and professional development, we are hopeful to build greater consistency in these areas. Therefore, next year will be a year for learning as we look to implement/adjust these policies in SY 2016-17

Though another goal was to set maximums and minimums by assignment/assessment type, we found that this was not easily accomplished due to the diversity of subject areas and types of assignments given. Therefore we will be working toward a policy where teachers will determine their grading design and set up their grade books to ensure that no one grade counts for more than a certain percentage (to be determined) of a students’ quarter grade.

During the upcoming 2015-16 school year, teachers will have opportunities to work with colleagues in their schools and across the division to engage in meaningful conversation about research, data, and practices. This timeline will also allow us to engage students and parents in the conversation. These policy changes/adjustments are significant and therefore our plan will take this time to involve and educate all stakeholders.

As we look across the division, we are aware that certain schools have already begun to implement some or all of these meaningful considerations related to grading. The plan outlined in this email does not impact a school’s ability to continue or expand school wide grading polices. Further, all Collaborative Teams (CTs) are encouraged to strive for consistent practices within their team and/or department to the fullest extent possible and in doing so will best position themselves for changes needed looking to SY 2016-2017.

As we prepare for changes over the next couple of years, it is important for us all to stay engaged in the work. We have created a Grading and Reporting Toolkit website to provide easy access to current and/or updated policies, research, reading materials, and information related to the work of the Teacher Focus Group. Of course, should there be any minor adjustments to the recommendations made here, we would inform you in a timely manner.

I thank you for your continued commitment to our students and FCPS and I wish you a wonderful summer.

Sincerely,

Steve


Steven A. Lockard, Ph.D.
Deputy Superintendent
Fairfax County Public Schools
8115 Gatehouse Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
571-423-1020

Options: ReplyQuote
Re: FCPS NEW GRADING POLICY
Posted by: more money wasted ()
Date: July 02, 2015 04:23PM

1st they admit they screwed up

2nd they admit to waste of money things like collaborative teams and a focus group. All of this crap-the source of Garza's $100 million dollar deficit.

Vote out the school board. Cancel Garza's contract. Fire Lockard.

Options: ReplyQuote


Your Name: 
Your Email (Optional): 
Subject: 
Attach a file
  • No file can be larger than 75 MB
  • All files together cannot be larger than 300 MB
  • 30 more file(s) can be attached to this message
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically.
 ********   **    **  ********   **      **  ********  
 **     **   **  **   **     **  **  **  **  **     ** 
 **     **    ****    **     **  **  **  **  **     ** 
 ********      **     **     **  **  **  **  **     ** 
 **            **     **     **  **  **  **  **     ** 
 **            **     **     **  **  **  **  **     ** 
 **            **     ********    ***  ***   ********  
This forum powered by Phorum.