Curriculum & Instruction
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- Gaston County Schools
- Grading Guidelines and Practices
Grade Composition
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Purpose: Grades shall reflect student performance in various subject areas aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. The make-up of the student grade shall be based on various classroom and remote learning assignments with differing percentages.
Elementary
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• Reading and writing grades – The weights of each shall be reading 70 percent and writing/word study 30 percent.
• If a child is working below grade level, it shall be noted in the comments section of the report card.
• Academic grades shall not be reduced for misconduct or for punishment.
• Grades shall be based on percentages, not points.
• The final Language Arts grade shall be based upon a minimum of ten (10) reading assignments and four (4) writing assignments.
• The final math grade shall be based upon a minimum of ten (10) assignments.
• The science grade shall be based upon a minimum of four (4) assignments.
• The social studies grade shall be based upon a minimum of four (4) assignments.
• District and state formative assessment should not be used as grades (iReady diagnostic, NC Check-ins)
• The teacher shall adhere to the IEP, the 504 and any Tier Plan.
Middle
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• Assignments shall carry different weights based on the importance of the activity, time spent on the activity and the degree of involvement.• The nine weeks grade shall be determined by the following:
- 40 percent - tests (major projects, papers and performances)
- 30 percent independent work - (quizzes, classwork, common assessments, etc.)
- 20 percent guided work - (group activities, teacher led activities, etc) and
- 10 percent homework
• A minimum of three (3) tests (major - projects, papers and performances) shall be given during each grading period for all middle school courses. In addition to test grades, a minimum of five (5) guided assignments and four (4) independent assignments shall be given in each grading period for all middle school courses.
• District and state formative assessment should not be used as grades (iReady diagnostic, NC Check-ins)
• Academic grades shall not be reduced for misconduct or for punishment.
• Teachers shall supply a copy of their grading procedures to the principal, students, and parents.
• Teachers shall work with Professional Learning Communities to determine interventions and monitor progress to ensure mastery of content knowledge.
• PowerSchool will show the official student average; Canvas will display grades given for assignments and quizzes in Canvas. Canvas should not display an average.• School level professional learning communities shall help determine an appropriate number of additional assignments to be given for each discipline.
• The teacher shall adhere to the IEP, the 504 and any Tier Plan.
High
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• Assignments shall carry different weights based on the importance of the activity, time spent on the activity, and the degree of involvement.
• The nine weeks grade shall be determined by counting: tests (major projects, major papers, etc.): 60 percent, quizzes: 20 percent and, daily/class grades and/or homework: 20 percent.
• All students shall take a final exam in all courses. The exam grade shall count 20% of the final course grade. The final exam is a cumulative exam created by the State, District, or teacher and shall include all standards in the course curriculum.
• Each nine weeks grade shall be made up of a minimum of three (3) major test grades (may include major projects, essays, research papers, performances) which shall count 60 percent of the grade.
• Each nine weeks grade shall be made up of a minimum of six (6) quizzes (only covers part of a unit of study or a specific step in a project or performance) which shall count 20 percent of the grade.
• Each nine weeks grade shall be made up of a minimum of nine (9) daily/class and/or homework grades (may include warm-ups or bell work) which shall count 20 percent of the grade. Exceptions to this shall be made for all non-core classes except foreign language.
• AP/Honors courses shall not be graded differently. Content and expectations shall be more rigorous.
• Fine Arts, PE and ROTC shall include grades for performance.
• Academic grades shall not be reduced for misconduct or for punishment.
• In accordance with BOE Policy #4310, students will be subject to consequences outlined in Rule 25 of the Student Code of Conduct for cheating, plagiarism, etc.
• Teachers shall enter grades in PowerTeacher weekly.
• School level Professional Learning Communities shall help determine an appropriate number of additional assignments to be given for each discipline.
• The teacher shall adhere to the IEP, the 504 and any Tier Plan.