Office of Instructional Services
COVID-19 Grading Guidance For Students Grades 6-12
Information for Parents
The Bay 91Pro 91Pro acknowledges that trying to evaluate students’ academic performance during this unprecedented situation is challenging. COVID-19 Grading Guidance For Students Grades 6-12 was developed to ensure that students would not be penalized academically by the closure of school during this public health crisis, as many academic and learning factors may be outside of students’ control. The purpose of this document is to provide parents with information regarding the grading procedures teachers will refer to when determining grades for students for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Consistent with the Bay 91Pro 91Pro’s Distance Learning Plan (Phase II), teachers are expected to regularly assess assignments and post grades in Infinite Campus for the academic tasks and assessments that are provided during distance learning, in a similar manner as they do during traditional instruction.
Fourth Marking Period
Fourth marking period grades will be determined for students in grades 6-12 based upon their performance and effort during distance learning. Students will have an opportunity to improve their current grades for all of their classes. If students are having difficulty completing assignments and tasks, this will be taken into consideration by teachers when determining fourth marking period grades.
Our faculty understands that there may be certain situations that are out of a student’s and family’s control. Every effort will be made by teachers to provide students with opportunities to be successful and, at the same time, teachers will be flexible and understanding in their grading practices.
Fourth marking period grades will be determined for students in grades 6-12 based upon one of the following options:
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NUMERICAL GRADE - If a student has performed at or above the level of his or her cumulative average for the course (the average of the first three marking periods and the midterm exam, where applicable), a numerical grade will be issued for the student, which will enhance and improve the student’s final average.
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PASSING GRADE (P) - If a student has performed below the level of their cumulative average for the course, but the student’s work was completed consistently and would generally satisfy the condition of a passing grade, a Pass (P) will be issued for the student.
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NO GRADE (NG) - If a student has not completed or submitted any work or has done so sporadically or in an incomplete fashion, a No Grade (NG) will be issued for the student.
Final Exams
Since instruction was interrupted by the closure of schools, it would not be appropriate to evaluate students using a summative measure of assessment based on the overall type of instruction, feedback, and support that students are able to receive in an emergency distance learning situation. Therefore, Final Exams will not be given in courses and will not be utilized to determine a student’s Final Grade in a course. This is also consistent with the New York State Education Department (NYSED) decision to cancel the June 2020 Regents Examinations.
Final Grades
Final Grades for the year are determined by the classroom teacher and will be numerical. Final averages for a student will primarily be determined using the marking period grades from the first three quarters and the student’s midterm exam grade (where applicable). A student’s fourth marking period grade will be utilized to help determine a student’s final grade. However, as stated earlier, special consideration will be given to students who are experiencing difficulty completing assignments and tasks, and teachers will take this into account when determining final course grades. Teachers have been instructed with updated grading guidance in order to ensure that students are not significantly impacted by assignments during distance learning. The percentages of the marking periods and midterm grade (where applicable) will be adjusted automatically and appropriately in order to benefit students, based upon the code or value entered for the fourth marking period.
Effective communication is essential to the overall success of Bay 91Pro 91Pro’s Distance Learning Plan. It is imperative that throughout the remainder of distance learning, parents continue to communicate with teachers, social workers, and administrators regarding any circumstances that may impact the success of a child’s distance learning experience. In turn, faculty and staff will continue to contact parents of students who struggle to meet expectations for student engagement during the distance learning experience. If you have a specific question regarding COVID-19 Grading Guidance For Students Grades 6-12, please contact your child’s teacher or building principal. As always, thank you for your continued support of Bay 91Pros.
Revised 04_30_20