SBG_Brochure_Oct2016_ENGLISH

STANDARDS- As the Clear Creek IndependentBASED School District continues to improveGRADING teaching and learning for all students, we know that parents and familiesA Clearer Picture are our most valuable partner.of Your Child’sAcademic Progress This is especially true as the district continues to hold each student accountable to more rigorous standards in each subject area and grade level. Achieving these high standards requires continuous progress monitor- ing and providing targeted support as needed. Like teachers, parents need accurate and meaningful information, particularly about their child’s strengths and areas where growth is needed. As a result, the district has implemented Standards-Based Grading in grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. This system allows your child to know exactly what is expected in each content area and provides parents with a more detailed outline of learning expectations and student progress. We believe this is the key to student success. through standards- based grading, parents will be equipped to help students at home as they progress toward key grade level targets.

Standards-Based Learning Progression1 2 3 (Target) 4Developing Approaching Grade Meets Grade Level Exceeds Grade LevelProficiency: Level Standards: Standards: Standards:Student demonstrates Student demonstrates Student demonstrates Student demonstratesprogress toward initial proficiency on foundational proficiency on all grade understanding and perfor-foundational skills skills of the topic. level skills of the topic. mance beyond proficiencyof the topic. and has exceeded the standard. Understanding My Child’s Report Card In the past, students in primary grades until the end of the school year. most topics are addressed completelyreceived progress ratings of IA, SD, and Levels 1 through 4 cannot be equated within a grading period. It is importantNS – Independently Applies, Steadily to be aware of the Target (T) for eachDeveloping, Needs Support. While these to the A-F grading scale. For example, grading period in order to understandprovided general information to parents a 3, or “meets grade level standard,” whether Student Progress (SP) matchesabout student progress, they lacked isn’t the same as a B. It is normal for current expectations.specificity. students to advance from a 1 to a 3 as they develop greater proficiency of the Level 4 should not be equated with In the Standards-Based Grading standard. A student who achieves a an “A.” When a child achieves level 3,system, both students and parents are level 3 on all topics on the report card they have met the expected grade levelaware of clear learning outcomes and by the end of the year has mastered all standards. In Level 4 a student demon-the pace for expected mastery of each grade level expectations. strates understanding and performancegrade level target. beyond expected proficiency and has You will likely see exceeded the standards. Level 4s are Grades on traditional report cards more 1s early in the year challenging and achieved less frequently.often reflected a combination of and 3s later reflectingacademic progress, work habits, and the necessary progression, To help you better understand,participation. Standards-Based Grading and mastery level we have included a sample reportsolely reflects progress on priority of the skills. card with some explanations oftopic targets. exactly what you will be seeing. We This is especially evident in language arts have also added a Frequently Asked The grade level target for each and math. In science and social studies, Questions section to our websitelearning standard is a 3. When a 3 is for reference, as well as a place forearned, the student has met the grade you to submit your own questions.level expectations for that topic. While www.ccisd.net/sbgsome topics have expectations formastery early in the year, many of thetopics do not have mastery expectationsPAGE 02

benefits of Standards-Based gradingFor Students Before: “My teacher ‘gave me’ a C.” • Learning targets are clearly defined and aligned After: “I need to work on mastering units of with state standards measurement to describe length.” • Students are offered multiple opportunities and ways through which to demonstrate proficiency Before: The parent sees a grade of 80% on an • Students monitor their own progress toward the assignment and wonders ‘what was the 20% achievement of specified learning targets he/she missed?’ • Specific feedback on progress helps build self- After: The parents are able to identify skills met esteem, pride, and motivation for students toward standard and which are still developing.For Parents • Report card grades are less mysterious and have more meaning • Parents are aware of exactly what their child knows, is able to do, and next steps for progress • Parents know in what areas their child needs more support • Parents are empowered to increase their child’s confidence and help their student set goalsFor Teachers Before: By reporting one grade per subject, the • Teachers know exactly where students stand in teacher often felt it was an incomplete picture of their progress toward learning targets and what the learning that had taken place. supports need to be provided • Teachers of the same courses have aligned After: The teacher is more equipped to identify expectations and standards and communicate where each student is on the • Assessment results help teachers determine learning progression. when students need extra help and when they need more challenging workHow Does Standards-Based Grading Want to know more? Differ From Traditional Grading? www.ccisd.net/sbl With the traditional grading system, Standards-Based Gradingmany elements are combined to measures a student’s Don’t hesitate to reach out to yourdetermine your child’s grade – test mastery of grade-level child’s teacher or reference thescores, quizzes, completed homework, standards by prioritizing district website. On the website,classroom participation, coming to the most recent, you can access links to parentschool on time, extra credit – then, consistent level ofthe average of the semester’s work performance. guides by grade level, which showequates into a percentage that a more in-depth look as to howcorrelates with a specific letter grade. subjects are evaluated. We look forward to working Standards-Based Grading separates together to provide you and yourthose elements. And while we believe child with the best possibleall should be addressed, now parentswill be able to see specifically if their knowledge and tools to be successfulchild needs help with an academic in Clear Creek ISD and beyond.concept or if he or she can’t rememberto turn in homework. PAGE 03

Sample Standards-Based Grading Report CardStudet's Name : Clear Creek ISD Principal:Student ID: Teacher:Grade : First Grade 2016 - 2017 School NameAcademic Key: 1st 9 weeks 2nd 9 weeks 3rd 9 weeks 4th 9 weeks4 Exceeds Grade Level Standard 2 Approaching Grade Level Standard T= Target SP=Student Progress3 Meets Grade Level Standard 1 Developing Proficiency T SP T SP T SP T SPReading 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0Comprehend textsApply phonics in order to decode words 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0Display phonological awareness 2.0 1.5 3.0 3.0 3.0Read texts fluently using a variety of word solving strategies 1.0 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0Instructional Reading Level EEG I J/KWriting 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0Write to communicate ideas 1.5 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0Utilize grade-level writing conventionsMath 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 3.0Generate, represent, solve, and explain addition and subtraction word problems to 20 1.0 2.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0Compose and decompose numbers up to and including 10 3.0 3.0 3.0Use units to measure and describe length 3.0Identify, describe, and classify 2-D and 3-D figuresCompose, decompose, and represent numbers using place value to 120Compare and order numbers using place value and number lines to 120ScienceObserve, describe, and communicate properties and patterns of matter 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 2.0 2.0 3.0Identify, describe, and demonstrate force, motion, and energy 3.0 3.0 3.0Describe, compare, and demonstrate cycles, patterns, and systems in Earth and spaceInvestigate and compare needs, life cycles, and characteristics of organisms in theirenvironmentSocial Studies 3.0 3.0Understand relationship of physical and human characteristics of places 3.0Make choices to prioritize needs versus wants 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0Understand the purpose of rules and authority figures in various settingsUnderstand that people have various beliefs and customs Learning progression academic key Priority standards that have been identified for content areas/subjects The Target (T), or goal, for that grading period Student Progress (SP), or where the student measures against the Target (T) for that grading period Instructional reading level scale (*, A, B ... L ... Z) *Shaded, or grayed-out areas, indicate that the standard has either not yet been introduced or is not yet ready for formal assessmentPAGE 04