Academic Expectations

Family and Student Handbook

Grading, Progression and Homework

The Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) has approved the following procedures for assessing the progress of students. The focus for elementary school is continuous progress toward mastery of the Kentucky Academic Standards (KAS). Teachers at Bowen work diligently to adjust their instruction to meet the needs of all students. 

Reporting Student Performance and Grade Reporting 

Bee holding a sheet of paper with A+ written on it

Communication with students and parents concerning student progress is critical. Report card grades are determined and recorded at the end of weeks 9, 18, 27, and 36 of the school year. The JCPS District-approved report card will be distributed to students following every nine-week grading period. When a teacher has concerns about a student’s progress, parents will be contacted to schedule a conference. Parent concerns about grades and/or student progress should be directed to the student’s teacher first. The parent may contact the assistant principal or counselor if the concern is not resolved. 

Elements of Academic Grades 

Teachers at Bowen use a balanced approach to grading as outlined in the JCPS Accessing Learning and Grading Framework. They use two grading categories — Student Progression Toward Standards and Success Skills, and Student Mastery of Standards and Success Skills—to determine grades for each subject.  Teachers will also offer students descriptive feedback regarding student engagement with standards and success skills, which is not included in determining a grade.  Academic grades are based on the KAS and reflect what a student knows and is able to do. 

Categories of Academic Grades
(must include both)

Evidence/Assignments for Each Category
(Examples include, but are not limited to, the following.)

Student Progress Toward Standards and Success Skills:

  • Shall count for between 10% and 30% of the total academic grade.

Homework, problem-solving, class assignments, quizzes, anecdotal records, rubrics, projects. student self-assessment, demonstrations of learning, defenses, and/or other evidence of student progress

Student Mastery of Standards and Success Skills:

  • Shall count for between 70% and 90% of the total academic grade.

Tests/Proficiency assessments, projects (e.g., project or problem-based), performance assessments, rubrics, demonstrations of learning, authentic assessments, presentations/defenses, or other evidence of student mastery

  • Teachers must use both categories listed above (Progression and Mastery) when setting up their gradebook, Infinite Campus, or other electronic gradebook.

  • No one assignment can count for more than one-third of an entire category (Progression and Mastery):*

Descriptive Feedback

Evidence/Assignments
(Examples include, but are not limited to, the following.)

Student Engagement With Standards and Success Skills:

  • Shall be communicated through descriptive feedback.

Participation, group work, class discussion, journals/ logs/notebooks, rubrics, projects, teacher observation, student reflection, demonstrations of learning. defenses, and/or other evidence of student interaction

Explanation of Academic Grades 

Primary teachers (Grades K through 3) record grades in Infinite Campus in one of two ways based on each subject. Teachers use either (1) standards-based grading marks, or (2) a performance code to indicate student progress. Intermediate teachers may record some grades as percentages. Regardless of which system a teacher uses to record grades in Infinite Campus, all final grades for Primary students are recorded as performance codes on the report card. All final grades for Intermediate students are recorded as letter grades on the report card. 

Standards-Based Grading Approach

It has been recommended by the JCBE that teachers consider grading with a criterion rubric that reflects the progression of a skill or competency, rather than completion of a task. The focus should be on providing meaningful work rooted in standards, and giving ongoing, descriptive feedback that allows students to continue to improve rather than focusing on assigning a grade. These guidelines are designed to support all teachers in taking steps toward a more mastery, standards-based approach. Standards-based grading marks and performance descriptions are encouraged instead of or before converting to a percentage-based grading scale. Bowen began this journey towards Standards-based grading during the 2020-21 school year in reading and math. The Bowen 4-Point Scoring Rubric was approved by the Bowen Elementary SBDM Council and is used throughout the building.

4-Point Scoring Rubric

Score

Performance Level

Description

4

Mastery

The student:

  • Can independently and consistently apply the skills/standard in a way that demonstrates understanding.

  • Can consistently apply skills to new situations.

3

Approaching Mastery

The student:

  • Can often apply the skills/standard in a way that demonstrates understanding.

  • May demonstrate minor misconceptions or partial mastery of the learning target/standard.

  • May need minimal prompting or support to apply skills in a way that demonstrates understanding.

2

Developing Understanding

The student:

  • Can sometimes apply the skills/standard in a way that demonstrates understanding.

  • May demonstrate moderate misconceptions or limited mastery of the learning target/standard.

  • May need frequent prompting or support to apply skills in a way that demonstrates understanding.

1

Initial Understanding

The student:

  • Is beginning to learn the skills associated with this standard.

  • May demonstrate major misconceptions of the learning target/standard.

  • May consistently perform below the level of the standard.

  • May need continuous prompting or support from the

    teacher.

  • May not have sufficient evidence to justify a higher mark.

Standards-Based Grading Report Card

While we hope our district will eventually adopt a Standards-Based Report Card, we will still use the traditional report card for the time being. For that reason, it’s important to understand how the Standards-Based Grading system works with a traditional report card. At the end of each grading period, teachers will analyze the evidence collected throughout the grading period to determine each student’s progress toward mastery. The marks recorded in the gradebook will not be averaged to calculate an overall grade as they would be in a traditional grading system. Instead, we are shifting to a more holistic view of student progress. That holistic view of student progress will then be translated to letter grades as outlined in the table below: 

Bowen Standards-Based Grading Report Card Correlation

Grade

Mastery Level

Description

A/O

Mastery

The student independently and consistently applies grade level standards in a way that demonstrates meaningful understanding and supports application to new situations.

B/S

Approaching Mastery

The student often applies grade level standards with minimal support in a way that demonstrates understanding. The student may demonstrate minor misconceptions or partial mastery of standards.

C/NI

Developing

The student sometimes applies grade level standards with frequent support in a way that demonstrates understanding. The student may demonstrate moderate misconceptions or limited mastery of standards.

D/NI

Beginning

The student is beginning to learn the skills associated with grade level standards but may need continuous support from the teacher. The student may demonstrate major misconceptions or may consistently perform below the level of the standard.

U

There is not sufficient evidence to justify a higher grade.

Academic Expectations—Homework 

Meaningful homework reinforces classroom instruction and the idea that learning takes work at home and school, increases understanding and retention, transfers and extends classroom instruction, and provides curriculum enrichment opportunities for deeper engagement with content.

At Bowen Elementary, homework is assigned as an optional opportunity for practice. Our SBDM Council has worked hard to ensure our Homework Policy is equitable for all students.