Dear Concrete Parents and Students,
Yesterday (4/21/2020) Superintendent Reykdal and OSPI provided emergency guidance regarding student grading. This guidance is summarized as follows:
This guidance and subsequent rule adoption will focus on the following framework:
- Students in grades K–8 will be challenged to demonstrate effort and success in learning standards established by their teachers. Students will move on to the next grade, unless by agreement between parents/guardians and teachers they agree to repeat a grade or a portion of learning missed. Districts will retain complete decision-making on middle school grading practices for students not taking high school credit-bearing courses.
- Grades 9–12 and middle school students taking credit-bearing high school level work will be graded using the following principles:
- Do no harm!
- Every student will get an opportunity to improve their grade with their March 17 status as a baseline.
- No student will receive a “pass,” “fail,” or “no credit” grade for any course.
- Teachers will assign grades or assign an “incomplete” for students that cannot engage in an equitable way.
- Every class taken during the closure period will be given a statewide designator on the high school transcript to demote the unique environment in which the course was taken.
- Students assigned an “incomplete” for a course will be given opportunities to re-engage in the learning standards based on local school district decisions in consultation with the student/parents/guardians, including but not limited to:
- Summer school,
- Courses in the following term or year,
- Independent study,
- Competency-based courses,
- Online courses, or
- Backfilling the incomplete grade with the letter grade obtained in the next course taken in that subject area.
- All students will be given an opportunity to engage in continuous learning to maintain or improve their mastery of essential standards.
This statewide framework will create more consistency across the state, but districts will still decide which letter grade system to use. However, “F’s” will not be an option. This is a very complex problem, and I am incredibly grateful to the parents, students, and educators across the state who offered their ideas and input.
Sincerely,
Chris Reykdal
State Superintendent
of Public Instruction
The Concrete School District will adhere to the following grading format:
All grades were frozen on March 17, 2020 in a (do no harm format). Students may demonstrate increased performance but may not have their grades lowered as a result, of Covid-19 distance learning.
Grades K-6 will continue with current grading practices and all students will move to the next grade unless mutually agreed upon by parent or guardian and the school district.
Grades 7-12 will utilize the following grading procedure:
- A
- B
- C
- Incomplete
Teachers will continue to grade student work and provide feedback to students on improving their performance. Students receiving an incomplete may complete additional learning, to receive a letter grade and credit for the course. This additional learning may include completing additional summer coursework.
Sincerely,
Wayne Barrett
Superintendent
Concrete School District