CONTENT KNOWLEDGE GRADES: 

• Content Knowledge grades reflect what a student knows and can apply, according to the Colorado Academic Standards.
• Final Proficiency Grades will be determined using proficiency scales along with a body of evidence.
• Multiple opportunities are provided for all students to demonstrate proficiency of the standards and exceed them.

WORK HABITS GRADES:

• Grades demonstrate the connection between consistent work habits and behaviors that promote student learning and growth.
• Grades are determined by other factors such as class participation, cooperation/collaboration, work ethic, neatness, organization, effort, punctuality of assignments, class behavior/attitude, student notebooks, journals, and learning logs. This data may be collected through observation and objective indicators. 

BASIS FOR DETERMINING PROFICIENCY GRADES:

1. Standards / Scales
   • Proficiency scales, based on prioritized standards, are used to guide instruction and show a progression of learning and growth.
   • Accommodations do not reduce the learning expectations or alter the content of the material to meet proficiency. Rather, they are intended to support a student in attaining grade-level proficiency.
   • The performance descriptors of the numerical scale as seen below:
     

     PROFICIENCY SCALE DESCRIPTORS

     4 - Exceeds Grade Proficiency: Has demonstrated a higher level of application of the skill and knowledge with regards to the specific standard.
     3.5: In addition to score 3.0 performance, in-depth inferences and applications with partial success.
     3 - Meets Grade Proficiency: Has demonstrated a proficient level of skill and knowledge with regards to the specific standard.
     2.5: No major errors or omissions regarding 2.0 content and partial knowledge of the 3.0 content.
     2 - Approaching Grade Proficiency: Has demonstrated they have some, but not all of the knowledge needed
     1.5: Partial knowledge of the 2.0 content and skills.
     1 - Does Not Meet Proficiency: Has not demonstrated they have enough of the knowledge and skills needed
     IE - Insufficient Evidence: There is insufficient evidence to evaluate the student’s attainment of the skills and knowledge described by the standard.

2. Practice / Redo
   • Standards may be addressed with multiple opportunities for demonstration of learning.
   • Standards may be learned at different times throughout the school year and thus appear in the grade book multiple times throughout a variety of assignments and opportunities.
   • Learners will be provided opportunities to redo/retake assessments based on the established expectations of the classroom teacher.
3. Absence of Late Penalties in Academic Grades
   • Littleton Public Schools removed late penalties from middle school academic grading practice to provide students with more recoverability. A missing assignment will be noted in the gradebook with an M for Missing and this will impact the overall In Progress grade until an assignment is turned in. The assignment will then be assessed for mastery of skills in the Academic Content score. If appropriate, the lateness will be noted in Work Habits.

COMMUNICATION TO STAKEHOLDERS

In addition to the information included here, families can find more details through a variety of resources:

• Back-to-School Nights, Parent/Teacher Conferences, and family communication throughout the school year
• School websites:
  • Euclid
  • Goddard
  • Newton
  • Powell
  • Options
• Infinite Campus 
  • Check both content knowledge and work habits grades regularly
  • Check for assignments marked as M (Missing), as these are missing assignments and impact a teacher’s ability to determine student proficiency.

INFINITE CAMPUS REMINDERS:

• Grades are not percentages or letters. All grades are on the 4-point scale.
• A 3 communicates that a student meets grade-level expectations and standards.
• Students may not have the opportunity for a 4 on every assignment but will have an opportunity to demonstrate a level 4 for each standard.
• The In Progress grade is a calculation of the student’s overall proficiency level based upon an average of all graded assignments aligned to the proficiency scales.
• Final Proficiency Grades are calculated twice a year at the end of each semester (excluding some quarter classes).
• Students earn Final Proficiency Grades at the end of each course (either semester or quarter): Content Knowledge and Work Habits.