Assessments and Grading

District Testing Purpose of Use

District Testing Calendar by School

To opt out of statewide assessments, parents/guardians must complete this form and return it to their child's school. 

Parent/Guardian Refusal for Student Participation in Statewide Assessments

Grading Academic Grades will consist of two categories:

• Practice (Formative Assessment)– This is commonly known as ”homework” and is weighted at no more than 20% of the total academic grade. Formative assessment is a venue for teachers to give feedback to students in regard to their learning. Examples of practice includes class work, assignments, study guides, class activities, etc.
• Assessments (Summative Assessment)– This is commonly known as tests, quizzes, labs, projects, etc. Assessments are weighted at 80% or more of the total academic grade.

Parents are informed formally (each trimester) of their child’s achievement and progress. 

• The professional judgment of teachers should be respected.
• Teachers will not offer extra credit in order to improve academic grades.
• Teachers will provide clear explanation of all formative practice and summative assessments.
• Academic dishonesty will be addressed with behavioral consequences, not academic penalties.
• Individual assessment and practice scores below 50% will be adjusted to 50% (a failing grade) in the grade book with the earned score noted as a comment in the teacher’s grade book.
• Summative Re-takes: All students are allowed re-takes on summative assessments. (Students receiving a grade of a “D” or an “F” on any assessment will be highly encouraged to re-test in order to show additional learning and understanding of the stated outcomes.) Students will be provided the opportunity to re-take only if they have completed all of their practice work/new learning (as defined by the classroom teacher) prior to the date of the re-take. Re-takes will resemble the original assessment in content, rigor and format. Students are expected to initiate any re-take they choose to complete. Reassessment beyond tests in the cases of quizzes and projects, etc. are left to the discretion of the teacher.
  • How many re-takes are allowed? At this time it has been determined that each student is allowed one re-take if requested. Any offering of additional re-takes will be at the discretion of the teacher.
  • What score is allowed on the first re-take? Students are allowed to earn a score up to 100% on the first re-take for their grade to accurately reflect what the student knows and can do.
• Missing work will be reflected in the grade book as an “L” for “Late” and will be calculated as 50% (failing) on the grading scale. When “L’s” are entered in to the grade book, the system will calculate the “L” as 50% (F) until a student completes the missing task. This is so parents/students recognize how missing work is impacting a student’s learning/grade until completed. *We believe that all students have an obligation to complete their homework and assessments. It is an expectation for all students to complete assigned work rather than not participate fully in their learning and receive a failing score for work not turned in/completed.
  • Does this mean that students will never receive “no credit” for not completing their work? No. Students will receive no credit if they haven’t taken advantage of the additional learning opportunities and support offered to them to complete their homework/ assignment obligations and demonstrate learning has taken place. Staff members should communicate with students/families in regard to their expectations related to how missing work is remedied and communicated within their grade book. If a student does not complete an assessment they will receive an “I” Incomplete or an “F” for failing on their report card grade. At the end of the grading term and/or academic year any student with an Incomplete or Failing grade will be referred to targeted services programming and/or summer school.
• Grading has been very individualized in the past and for the intent of consistency across the district and support of student learning, the grading scale below is being utilized at all SoWashCo middle schools. The letter grade intervals have been equalized and past practice of having an ‘F’ interval ranging from 0-59 points has not been a fair/accurate representation to the other letter grades of A through D that were developed on a 10 point range. Equal intervals for all grades A through F has been determined and is represented on a scale ranging from 50% to 100%. Reporting 50% on an assignment that was not completed is not giving the student “half credit,” it is giving the student no credit/failing mark per the scale below.

Grading Scale