FAQs
Will the honor roll still exist?
The A- and AB- Honor Roll will no longer be appropriate. Students will be recognized for their achievements at the end of the year. School staff is meeting to decide how this recognition will look. Decisions will be communicated to parents as soon as they are made.
Was this program instituted by the freewill of SISD or forced upon us by state or federal agencies?
The standards-based report card system was a campus-based decision.
If we are going to use this new model because we do not want a single test to determine a student’s success (because they could have been sick or having a bad day or trouble at home), how will they be prepared when they have to take the STAAR test in a few years? STAAR does not care if kids are sick or having a bad day.
The standards-based reporting system is designed to measure students’ progress throughout a grading period and report to parents where students stand in relationship to that standard at the end of each grading period. The assessment at the end of the grading period is just one piece of information to be considered when making a rating decision. The STAAR test is used instructionally in much the same way. It is one piece of information about students’ progress, not the whole story.
Are they changing to this new system at Hook?
Decisions about how to report grades to parents is a campus decision.
How will students be prepared for the “real world” of getting grades?
The work that students do will not change when they move to Hook. The only thing that will change is the way grades are reported to parents. If the students are well prepared, the transition should be very smooth.
What about students who thrive on achievement?
In the new accountability system, great emphasis is placed on students making progress. I would encourage students to strive for 3’s and celebrate their progress toward 3’s.
What happens when they start at a 3 on everything? What is being done to challenge those students?
All teachers are trained to differentiate instruction in their classrooms to meet the needs of all students. Also, special training and emphasis is being placed on the progress of all students regardless of their academic achievement level. This focus is designed to make sure all students progress to the highest levels possible.
What other school districts are using standards-based report cards?
There are many schools across the state of Texas who use standards-based reporting system. A few examples are Burnet ISD, Wichita Falls ISD, and Carroll ISD.
Why are there only two categories above failing? How can this system more accurately assess progress than 95, 85, 75, etc.?
The standards-based reports system is more accurate than a traditional grading system because it measures progress toward a standard and not progress toward a subject. The teachers are all on the same page about where students need to be with each standard each six weeks, and all are working toward the same goal.
What part of the administration selected this grading system for SISD?
The standards-based report card system was a campus-based decision.
If your child receives a “2” but is at the lower end of the 2 range, will notifications/guidance be provided to parents?
Teachers will be in constant contact with parents when students are struggling on any of the standards. They will request a conference, make phone calls, and/or send notes to keep parents informed.
Are class assignments graded on 1-3? Is this based on teachers’ assessment or is there another scale?
Since there is no averaging in this system, class assignments will not be graded on a 3, 2, 1 scale. On class assignments, teachers will indicate how many items a student got right out of the possible number of correct answers and will note the level of support provided by the teacher.
How do I reward my student now that there is no A/AB honor roll? (motivation)
In the new accountability system, great emphasis is placed on students making progress. I would encourage students to strive for 3’s and celebrate their progress toward 3’s.
How do you help the students who are at a low level and still teach the others?
All teachers are trained to differentiate instruction in their classrooms to meet the needs of all students. Also, special training and emphasis is being placed on the progress of all students regardless of their academic achievement level. This focus is designed to make sure all students progress to the highest levels possible.
What system is in place to prepare the children to receive grades in the 3rd grade? I am concerned that receiving grades for the first time and taking STAAR in the same year could be very stressful.
The work that students do will not change when they move to Hook. The only thing that will change is the way grades are reported to parents. If the students are well prepared, the transition should be very smooth.
Since there are not any grades on papers, how will we know how our student is doing as the six weeks progresses?
Since there is no averaging in this system, class assignments will not be graded on a 3, 2, 1 scale. On class assignments, teachers will indicate how many items a student got right out of the possible number of correct answers and will note the level of support provided by the teacher. You should notice students getting more and more questions about a standard correct with less and less teacher support throughout the six weeks. If you do not see this progression and you are concerned, you should contact the teacher.
What do the letters in the Reading Level – Minimum Expected Text Level section mean?
The instructional reading level expectation is based on an A-Z scale. The scale helps teachers where students are in comparison to where they should be in reading. Students’ reading levels should move up throughout the school year. Teachers will measure this level three times per year, beginning, middle, and end. The grade level expectations for each level are as follows: