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Calculating a Grade: Total points versus weighted grades During the summer months of 2014, a Lake Braddock Secondary School teacher‐led group developed a schoolwide grading philosophy and policy: ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Grading Philosophy We are professionals who are striving to grade in the best interest of our students. The Lake Braddock grading policy will be consistent, fair, and rational within our school community. Lake Braddock Grading Policy Grades  Grades are based on student achievement, knowledge, and skill proficiency demonstrated in the classroom.  The grading policy for each class will be clearly communicated with parents and students. Weighted grades  Lake Braddock teachers will specify the percentage weight of grades in their syllabi in compliance to the FCPS Grading policy. Teachers will use a weighted grading system that will be reflected in the SIS grading program. o CLTs will have their own consistency in regards to weighting  Lake Braddock’s policy is in accordance to FCPS policy in regards to homework and homework will not count as more than 10% of the grade. Second chance assessments  Students may have the additional opportunity to show mastery of content through second chance assessments in each curricular area at the teachers’ professional discretion.  Second chance assessments must be completed within a timely manner as defined in the syllabus. Second chance assessments may be in an alternate format.  Students will need to demonstrate that they have done the necessary preparation to be offered the opportunity on a second chance assessment. Preparation and readiness will be defined by the individual teacher. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ This new policy dictates that all LBSS teachers will use a weighted system of grades. So, what are weighted grades and why are they so hard to understand? To answer these questions we will need to do a comparison to another grading system‐ in this case a total points system. At the end, our hope is that you will gain an understanding of how weighted grades reflect student achievement more so than other grading systems, and that the “math” involved in calculating a grade is easy to comprehend. To understand the weighted system it is helpful to use another common system as a comparison. Prior to the current school year, there were basically two grading systems employed by teachers when calculating a student grade: total point grades and weighted grades. In a total points system each assessment‐ whether homework, quiz, test or project‐ is given a point value. Students earn points on the assessment up to its total value. For example, a chapter test might have a value of 100 points and a student can earn from 0 to 100 points on the assessment. The actual values of any assessed activity vary from teacher to teacher as do the number of graded activities and assessments. In a total points system, a grade is determined by adding up all the points earned by the student, and then dividing that total by the number of points possible (for all the assessed activities). This results in a percentage of points earned which is then reported as a letter grade. Let’s take a look at what this might look like for a student: Assessment Points Earned Points Possible Homework 1 5 10 Homework 2 0 10 Quiz 1 40 50 Homework 3 9 15 Homework 4 4 10 In this example, the student earned 333 Quiz 2 42 50 points out of a possible 445, thus Test 1 75 100 earning a 74.8% (grade of C). Homework 5 10 10 Homework 6 8 15 Project 1 60 75 Test 2 80 100 Total 333 445 Quarter grade 333/445 74.8% The label given to an assessment does not matter in a total points system. Each assessment stands on its own and is a fluctuating percentage of the overall grade until the end of the grading period. More on this later in the explanation. Let’s use the same grades above and apply them to a weighted system. In a weighted system, each type of assessment is assigned a percentage of the quarter grade. For example, the grading policy dictates that homework can only account for 10% of the quarter grade. Remember, homework is practice and grades are to reflect student achievement, knowledge, and skill proficiency demonstrated in the classroom. The remaining assessment areas‐ whatever they might be called‐ make up 90% of the grade and are determined by each team. In our example, homework is 10%, quizzes are 30%, tests are 30%, and projects are 30%. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Note: In comparison, the percentage for each assessment type, toward the final grade, using the total points system was: Homework‐ 15.7% Quizzes‐ 22.5% Tests‐ 44.9%. Projects‐ 16.9% Additionally, if you add one more assignment‐ of any type‐ all of these percentages change, and the next grading period will most likely look completely different than the previous grading period. We found when looking at quarter grades that homework could account for 5% or 70% of a grade. The higher percentage given to homework shows a greater emphasis on practice rather than knowledge. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Back to our weighted system…each assessment is grouped with other like assessments. For example, all the homework assignments are grouped together and the student earns a “grade for homework” as a percentage of the total value for the group. For example, this student earned 36 of 70 points for homework or 48% (this is calculated the same way as in the total points system). However, homework can only account for 10% of the overall grade. So, the student earned 4.8% of the 10% possible for homework. This calculation is done for each group of assignments, and the overall grade is determined by adding up the percentage earned (or points) for all sections. In the example, the student’s overall grade is 76.7% or a C+. The grade is more representative of what the student knows and can do rather than practice. Assessment (% of grade) Points Earned Points Possible Homework 1 5 10 Homework 2 0 10 Homework 3 9 15 Homework 4 4 10 Homework 5 10 10 Homework 6 8 15 Homework (10%) 36 70 36/75= 48% This student earned 48% of the 10% allocated to homework or 4.8% Quiz 1 40 50 Quiz 2 42 50 Quizzes (30%) 82 100 82/100= 82% This student earned 82% of the 30% allocated to quizzes or 24.6% Test 1 75 100 Test 2 80 100 Tests (30%) 155 200 155/200= 77.7% This student earned 77.7% of the 30% allocated to tests or 23.3% Project 1 60 75 Projects (30%) 60 75 60/75= 80% This student earned 80% of the 20% allocated to projects or 24% The overall grade is based on the percentage earned in each area (4.8 + 24.6 + 23.3 + 24) or 76.7% (C+) By using a weighted system, the value of each assessment type never changes: homework will be 10% of the grade, quizzes will be 30%, tests will be 30%, and projects will also be 30%. The value of each assignment, within its group, will change when an assignment is added. For example, in the grades above there are two tests of equal value. Each test would be 15% of the overall grade. If a third test (also valued at 100 points) were added, then each of the tests would be 10% of the overall grade…but tests are never more than 30% of the overall grade. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Note: Until there is an assignment in each category the percentages will adjust proportionally to add up to 100%. This is important to remember for interim reports. For example, using our data above, if the project was due the last week of the quarter, the percentage of the grade for homework, quizzes and tests would adjust to 14.3, 42.85 and 42.85 percent respectively until the project grade is posted. ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐