What is Standards-Based Grading?

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TESG uses standards-based grading to measure and report student mastery of the content standards. For each assignment in a unit, teachers determine which standards or substandards are addressed by that activity. As students complete the tasks in that assignment, teachers score their progress on mastering the standards along a 1-4 rubric. These scores are entered into PowerSchool for parents and students to see.

The tasks are also compiled into an evidence portfolio so that all stakeholders can compare the student’s work to their scores.

The class summative grade is then based on the scores for each standard on the evidence collected to that point.

The goal in standards-based grading is to provide all stakeholders a detailed picture of the student’s learning so that everyone can better track student growth, set learning goals, and deeply understand how the student is progressing through the standards.

Find out more about standards-based grading:

Edulastic’s Definition of Standards-Based Grading

Educational Leadership’s “Seven Reasons for Standards Based Grading”

The Grading Scale

The following grading scale is used to demonstrate student mastery of the standards:

4.0 “I can do this consistently without help and take it further”: The student demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the material by completing advanced applications of the material.

3.0 “I can do this consistently without help”: The student has mastered the complex, targeted knowledge and skills for the class

2.0 “I can do this with some help”: The student understands the foundational material that supports the targeted learning, but is still working to master the complex material for the class and apply it without scaffolding

1.0 “I can do this with lots of help”:The student is able to demonstrate some understanding of the foundational material for the class with help from the teacher, but still struggles when working independently.

0.0 “I can not do this yet”: Even with assistance from the teacher, the student shows no understanding of the material.

The intermediate scores of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 may be used to show that a student has shown partial mastery of the next level of learning.

NC stands for “not complete.” This score is used the student has not completed tasks due to absences or other factors. An NC calculates as a zero in the student’s grade to show the effect of not completing the assessment, but this score will be replaced by the student’s numerical score once the student completes the necessary assessments.

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For students in grade/courses where letter grades are traditionally given, the following conversion scale can be used to convert the standards-based grading scale to the traditional letter scale:

A: 3.75 – 4.00 A-: 3.50 – 3.74 B+: 3.25 – 3.49 B: 3.00 – 3.24 B-: 2.75 – 2.99 C+: 2.50 – 2.74 C: 2.00 – 2.49 C-: 1.75 – 1.99 D+: 1.50 – 1.74 D: 1.25 – 1.49 D-: 1.00 – 1.24 F: 0.00 – 0.99

The Parent Portal

At TESG, one way we keep track of students’ progress through the standards is with PowerSchool’s Parent Portal. Teachers update PowerSchool regularly and parents can access their child’s assignments, scores, and attendance using an account they create. All families receive the access codes needed to create their account in hard copy. If you need a new print-out, please see the front desk. Parent Portal can be accessed here: https://theexperientialschoolgso.powerschool.com/public/home.html.

For instructions on how to set up your Parent Portal account, see the help guide here. Note, you can set up as many different parent accounts as needed, just use the same codes from the Parent Portal letter when creating each account. If you are a multi-household family and need extra copies of the letter, please see the front desk. Because these codes grant you access to confidential information, they can not be transmitted by email and you may be asked to show identification.

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