Skip to main content

Prince George Proposed Grading Practices

Prince George County Public Schools recently developed a proposed grading policy through a committee that included parents, teachers, administrators, and district leaders. The goal of the policy is to ensure grades clearly communicate what students know and can do while promoting consistency and fairness across schools.

We are seeking feedback from teachers and families to better understand areas of clarity, potential concerns, and implementation considerations before the policy is presented to the School Board.
 
Please review the proposed policy below, and share your feedback via the online response form linked below. This survey is open through Monday, March 30. 
 
Prince George Proposed Grading Practices
Draft Policy
 
I.    Assessment Definition:

Assessment is the systematic process of gathering a variety of information over time, demonstrating what students know and are able to do, as well as what they need to know. The role of assessment is to provide meaningful feedback for improving both student learning and instructional practice.
 
II.    Core Beliefs:
  1. The primary purpose of assessment is to improve learning.
  2. A variety of assessments, both formative and summative, are indicators of student learning.
  3. Assessment evaluates the process as well as the products of learning.
  4. To assess performance and progress, it is critical to develop standards-based criteria measured by benchmarks.
  5. Assessment and feedback are timely and differentiated by subject area.
  6. Assessment provides an opportunity for the teacher to reflect on his/her instructional effectiveness.
  7. Self-assessment provides an opportunity for students to reflect on and evaluate their performance.
  8. Students are given multiple opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
III.    Definitions:
  1. Performance - is evaluated from the assessment information collected.
  2. Evaluation - is the process by which a teacher makes sense of all the information collected, determining whether standards of achievement have been attained.  Just as important is the evaluation of the effectiveness of the instructional program delivered.
  3. Reporting - is the process by which we communicate learning and achievement on a systematic basis to students and parents. Grade reports include interim progress reports and report cards.
  4. Benchmark - Benchmarks monitor student progress and guide instruction during the year.  Benchmarks are administered periodically (e.g., quarterly) throughout the school year. It can be a culmination of several units being assessed.  Benchmarks help teachers adjust instruction and identify learning gaps.  
  5. Standardized assessment - Standardized assessments are tests given to all students with questions addressing the same standards and assessed with the same scoring rules, to measure how well they understand specific subjects like reading, math, or science. These tests help teachers, schools, and families see how students are progressing, identify areas where they may need more help, and compare learning across classrooms, schools, or even the whole state.
  6. Standards-based assessments - Standards-based assessments are tests or assignments that measure how well a student understands specific skills or concepts outlined in the curriculum.
  7. Standards-based criteria - Standards-based criteria are clear learning goals that explain what students should know and be able to do at each grade level. Teachers use these goals to guide instruction and assess how well students are learning specific skills, helping families understand progress more clearly.
IV.    Methods of Assessment:
 
  1. Formative - Formative assessment is a way for teachers to check how well students are learning during a lesson or unit. It helps teachers see what students understand, what they are confused about, and what they still need to learn. It’s used to give feedback and help both teachers and students improve learning before the summative assessment (see B.1). Formative assessment guides reteaching.
    1. Examples - checks for understanding, exit tickets, quizzes, class discussions, graphic organizers, teacher observations.
  2. Summative - Summative assessment is a way for teachers to measure what students have learned at the end of a lesson, unit, or course. It shows how well students understand the material after they’ve had time to learn and practice. Summative assessment guides remediation.
    1. Examples - end-of-unit test, module/skill assessment, final project, portfolio, performance or presentation, standardized tests.
V.    Reporting Student Performance:
  1. Grading Reports
    Every student’s grades shall be reported to the student’s parent or guardian through interim progress reports and quarterly report cards. In addition, instructional staff shall assess student achievement and communicate this information to students and parents in a timely and relevant manner. Parents also have access to an electronic gradebook through an online portal system. Grades and other performance feedback should be updated in the electronic gradebook at least once per week, as well as at each progress reporting period.
  2. Common Grading Practices
    It is the expectation of Prince George County Public Schools that K-12 instructional staff will adhere to common grading practices, as may be modified from time to time, in order to promote consistency and predictability in grading. Such common practices shall apply not only to the grading of students’ daily and other assignments, but also to the manner in which a student’s final grade is calculated. Common grading practices shall include, but not be limited to, how formative and summative assessments are weighted for purposes of calculating a student’s final grade. Principals are responsible for ensuring common grading expectations are implemented.
Proposed Regulations for Common Grading Practices
 
Kindergarten will be graded using standards based grading and using the following indicators: Sufficient Progress, Progressing/Developing, and Not yet Mastered.
 
To review proposed regulations for elementary (Grades 1-5) and secondary (Grades 6-12), please click the triangles below to reveal more information.