Grading
Grading Philosophy
Today's educational climate endorses the concept that all children are capable of learning and that no child should be left behind. Assessing student achievement is a necessary part of the educational process. In J.S. Morton District 201, grades are used to communicate the academic progress and achievement level of students. Semester grades provide an official record of each student's achievement. Grades are assigned in a manner that is fair, consistent, non-biased, and intended to motivate and inspire students to achieve academic excellence. Grades will be based on high standards that are aligned with Illinois State Goals, Objectives, and Benchmarks. In accordance with these concepts, it is imperative to accurately assess each student's learning and communicate the student's progress to parents.
Guiding Principles
1. Teachers have academic freedom in assessing student achievement, provided the grading is consistent with District 201 philosophy and is academically justifiable, consistently applied, and legally defensible.
2. Teacher expectations will be consistent with departmental course outlines.
3. Grading will not be used for disciplinary purposes.
4. Assessments will be valid and will measure what they propose to measure.
5. Assessments will also be reliable, accurate, and consistent in measuring what they propose to measure.
6. Assessments should provide a continuum of achievement ranging through levels of:
Superior/Outstanding Achievement - A
Excellent Achievement - B
Satisfactory Achievement - C
Unsatisfactory Achievement - D
Failure to Achieve - E
Pass Fail - P/F
Audit - R
Incomplete - I
No Grade - NG
7. A passing semester grade confirms a student's ability to meet fundamental competencies as specified by course outlines and the State of Illinois.
8. District 201 calculates semester grades by assigning 40% for each quarter and 20% for the semester final. If the needs of the course require different weights, approval by the Assistant Principal and the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum is required.
9. Because they are aligned with state and district objectives, grades will have credibility within each department as well as with state and appropriate professional institutions.
Report Cards
Parents should expect to receive a report card in the mail approximately two weeks after the end of each grading period.
- 1st quarter ends October 27, 2006
- 2nd quarter ends January 18, 2007
- 3rd quarter ends March 23, 2007
- 4th quarter ends June 8, 2007
An incomplete grade must be made up within six weeks after the end of the grading period or the grade will become an "E". Some of the criteria used by teachers in determining grades are knowledge of subject matter, performance on tests, class recitation, homework, and ability to communicate.
Grade Point Averages
Grade point averages are computed by adding up the number of points (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, E/F=0) and dividing by the number of courses a student has taken.
Honor Courses to be Given Weighted Grades
Students who enroll in the following advanced placement courses or designated accelerated and/or enrichment courses will be given an extra honor point when their grade point average is determined (A=5, B=4, C=3, and D=1). English Honors, A.P. English Honors, A.P. American History Honors, A.P. European History Honors, World History Honors, American Government Honors, Algebra Honors, A.P. Algebra Honors, Geometry Honors, Pre-Calculus Honors, A.P. Calculus Honors, Biology Honors, Chemistry Honors, Physics Honors, A.P. Biology Honors, A.P. Chemistry Honors, Spanish 7/8 & 9/10, French 7/8, Italian 7/8, A.P. Studio Art, A.P. Music Theory, and A.P. Psychology. These courses are offered when enrollment permits.
Honor Roll
Only full-time students are eligible for honor roll and class rank recognition. A full-time student is defined as a student enrolled in the equivalent of two and one-half credits per semester (5 courses). Only one-half of the two and one-half credits may be P.E.
Gold Honor Roll is achieved by full-time students who are enrolled in at least five courses (two and one-half credits), only one of which may be P. E. and earn a 4.0 or higher grade point average.
Silver Honor Roll is achieved by full-time students who are enrolled in at least five courses (two and one-half credits), only one of which may be P.E, and earn a 3.0 to a 3.99 grade point average.
A grade of "D" or "E" in any subject including P.E. will disqualify a student from the Honor Roll. Any student having questions regarding the Honor Roll should consult with the advisor of the National Honor Society or a guidance counselor. Valedictorian and Salutatorian must be full-time students and are selected according to year of entrance into high school.
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Grading