PERSHING GRADING POLICY
2014-2015
Grades shall be based solely on achievement of course/grade level standards. Student attendance, conduct,
effort, ability, improvement, attitude, and other behaviors shall be reported separately from achievement.
GRADES (Our school’s goal is to achieve above 90% student success rate)
 Teachers will update grades once a week by Monday, of each week
 A minimum of 2 grades per week in all core subjects will be assigned
 Each grade level department will assign categories and percentages with the approval of the Principal
 No one grade should count for more than 20% of the overall cycle grade.
Definitions of categories:
 Class work is an activity or task that allows a teacher and a student to identify what students already
know, or have learned, as well as areas for intervention and remediation. Class work can include an
activity or task that a student performs or works at repeatedly for the purpose of improving or
achieving proficiency.
 Homework is any type of independent practice or assignment which will likely be completed outside of
the classroom.
Internal: Homework should have clearly defined learning targets that are appropriate for the age and
ability of the student. Homework should foster the review and practice, application and enrichment of
skills that have been previously taught during the school day. A general rule of thumb is a maximum of
10 minutes of homework times the grade level of the student. Therefore, no more than 60 minutes for
6th graders, 70 minutes for 7th graders, etc. This time frame is for all homework for all subjects total.
 Quizzes are assessments that provide information so that teachers can adjust instruction and students
can improve performance.
Internal: Quizzes have fewer questions and take less time to complete than tests.
 Tests/Performance Assessments are assessments based on the District’s standards-based curriculum
that measure the skills and knowledge that a student has mastered. Specifically, performance
assessments are assessments based on observation and judgment of the quality of a skill or product.
Performance assessments are products, performances, and projects (e.g. essay artwork, visual
representations, models, multimedia, oral presentations/recitations, lab experiences, live/ recorded
performances).
Grading Policies
 Students may correct homework and classwork as a learning opportunity but will not replace the
original grade. Teachers may assign an academic detention for students who consistently fail to
complete classwork and homework assignments
 Homework must be counted as 10% or less (of the 6-week grade) with the exception of Algebra and
Geometry.
Excused Absences
Students who have excused absences will be given 1 day or until the next time the class meets (upon receipt
of missing assignments) for every day of excused absences to turn in their missing assignments. It is the
student’s responsibility to request the missing assignment from the teacher.
Late Work (only for work designated as class work)
IEPs and 504 plans must be followed at all times.
Late work is any classwork assignment that was not completed by the time class starts on the due date. Late
class work will be accepted for 5 school days after the class work was due with 10 points deducted for each
calendar school day. After 5 school days, the grade will be a zero. Homework will not be accepted if it is late.
Test Reassessment
Teachers shall provide students an opportunity for reassessment for major tests when the grade received on
an assignment indicates that the objective assessed was not mastered (below 70%).
Reassessment may include, but is not limited to, any of the following:
Alternative assessment
Oral assessment
Student must attend a mandatory tutorial before being allowed to retest. All reassessments must be
completed within one week from the time the assessment is returned to the student.
After retest, the 2 grades will be averaged, but the average of the 2 grades cannot be higher than 70. For
example, a student who earns a 50 on the first assignment and a 100 on the retest can only have an average of
70 (not 75).
Incomplete Six Week Averages
A teacher shall give a grade of “Incomplete” for a grading cycle to any student who does not complete
assignments or assessments due to excused absences or other extenuating circumstances. The grade of
“Incomplete” shall be resolved by the end of the next grading cycle immediately following the grading cycle in
which the incomplete was first given.
Incomplete grades must be cleared in the first week of the following grading period or an academic detention
will be assigned until the incomplete is resolved.
Midterms and Final Exams (High School Credit Courses only)
In all high school credit courses, the final exam will count for 25% of the student’s final grade. Please read, sign
and return the attached advanced course letter to your high school/advanced course teacher.
Academic Dishonesty
Academic Dishonesty is a behavioral issue which will result in a Level 2 offense. Academic dishonesty will
result in a grade of zero for the assignment.
Plagiarism OF ANY KIND will not be tolerated in any classes. It is a Level 2 offense and will be handled
accordingly. The following are examples of plagiarism:
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You go to the Internet, download a substantial part of an essay, and put your name on it.
You go to the encyclopedia, rewrite the information in your own words, and put your name on it.
You buy the Cliff Notes for a novel, read the comments, analysis or notes about theme, style etc., write a
paper using those ideas, and put your name on it.
You turn in a paper written totally or partially by a friend, a sibling, or parent and you put your name on it.
Cheating OF ANY KIND will not be tolerated in any classes. It is a Level 2 offense and will be handled
accordingly. The following are examples of cheating:
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You give your paper, homework, project, etc. to someone else to copy.
Copying / looking at someone’s paper, homework, project, etc. that is not your own.
Taking Accelerate Reader (AR) test for another student or allowing another student to take AR test for you.
If you are caught cheating or plagiarizing, your conduct grade will drop one level for the six weeks during
which the offense occurs. If the assignment is a major project, for example a research paper, then the
student may receive a “U” in conduct for the six weeks with Assistant Principal or Principal approval.
Attention: ALL students taking Advanced or High School Credit Courses
ONLY
Congratulations for being accepted into your advanced or high school credit course! These courses are
designed to challenge and provide rigor coursework for our students. Your classes will be academically
demanding and most courses will require daily homework and independent project work. In order to meet
the grade requirements for these classes, you must maintain at least an 80 average per 6 weeks grading
period. If your grade falls below an 80 for one grading period, you will be given a warning letter be required to
attend your teacher’s weekly tutorials. If your grades do not improve during the following grading period, you
will be removed from the class.
Please note that your grades in high school credit courses will impact your high school transcript. Many of
these courses are also evaluated with an end of course exam at the end of the school year. Good luck in your
studies this year!
I have read and understand the grade requirements of my advanced or high school credit course. Please
return this form to your advanced or high school course teacher.
Student Name _____________________________________________________________________
Course Name _____________________________________________________________________
Teacher Name ____________________________________________________________________
Student Signature ________________________________________________________________
Date ______________________________________
Parent Name _____________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature ________________________________________________________________
Date _________________________
Phone Number __________________________________________________________________
Email _____________________________________________________________________________