LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Policy Bulletin
TITLE:
Elementary School Progress Report Marking
Practices and Procedures
NUMBER:
BUL-2332.5
ISSUER:
Frances Gipson, Ph.D., Chief Academic Officer
Division of Instruction
ROUTING
Local District Superintendents
Administrators of Instruction
Directors
Elementary Principals
Elementary Teachers
Kathleen M. McGrath, Director
Division of Instruction, Elementary Instruction
DATE:
July 11, 2016
POLICY:
The elementary school progress report will be implemented by all schools to provide
a consistent, comprehensive system for reporting pupil progress and for providing
data on student achievement of the California Standards.
MAJOR
CHANGES:
This bulletin replaces BUL–2332.4 of the same title, dated July 31, 2008. The revised
version delineates procedures for grading practices in the elementary schools in
accordance with new District policies.
BACKGROUND: The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) elementary progress report and
promotion policy are designed to develop a consistent, comprehensive system for
assessment, including measures designated in Education Code Sections 4906649067. This progress report further meets the need to align pupil progress reporting
and provide data on achievement of the California content standards. The elementary
progress report is computerized and will be implemented at all school sites.
Resources and job aids for the online progress report card can be found at
http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/6215. This policy refers to the current progress report
in MiSiS and should not be confused with the proposed, new progress report that is
in the pre-activation phase of development at this time.
GUIDELINES:
I. The following District policies have been established to ensure that students
grouped together for educational reasons will be evaluated on the same general
criteria.
A. Policies on Scoring Practices
1. All elements of the District educational program – the curricula, daily
instructional activities, materials, textbooks, and assessments – are to be
aligned to support progress of all students toward achievement of the
California content standards.
2. At the beginning of each school year, all classroom teachers will inform
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Policy Bulletin
students and parents about the District policy on Standards-Based
Promotion (SBP), including the California content standards to be met for
each grade level and the grade appeal process (BUL-1926.1).
3. Teachers are to evaluate a student on the degree to which she or he is
progressing toward the achievement of grade-level standards and English
language proficiency standards for English learners (EL) where
applicable.
4. Program participation will be automatically indicated on the elementary
progress report for English learners, gifted, and intervention students.
5. Although attendance, work habits, and cooperation may influence
student progress, these are not to be used as part of any rigid formula for
assigning subject marks (Education Code Section 49067) and are not
subject to the grade appeal policy.
6. Academic grades and work habits and cooperation scores must be
assigned to all students who have been enrolled at a school for fifteen or
more days during regular reporting periods. If attendance during the
initial marking period for a student has not been sufficient to warrant the
assignment of scores, a teacher will select under General Comments, G23, in the Teacher Comments section, “Insufficient attendance to
determine performance.”
7. Teachers should inform parents regarding exceptional student
performance and student improvement.
8. The score of “1” or “2” can only be issued to a student whose parent or
guardian has been given adequate prior notice by the time of the
midpoint of a reporting period.
9. Specific intervention is to be offered and implemented before issuing a
score of “1” or “2” and/or before issuing a recommendation for retention.
10. All schools will issue the elementary school progress report to parents
three times during the school year for grades TK-5/6 schools.
B. Explanation of Scoring Terms
The District has a four-level scoring scale using the numbers 4, 3, 2, and 1 to
indicate student achievement, with the score of four being the highest.
Aligned to the California content standards, these criteria describe the
expected performance levels for students at each grade level.
1. Achievement
Achievement in the academic subjects is indicated as noted below. The
following excerpts are from the progress report:
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EXPLANATION OF SCORES
ACHIEVEMENT SCORE
Indicates student progress towards achievement of grade-level
California content standards.
4 Advanced
Exceeds the standard
3 Proficient
Meets the standard
2 Partial Proficient
Partially meets the standard
1 Not Proficient
Unable to meet the standard
2. Effort
Scores for effort indicates student effort toward achievement of the
California content standards. The following excerpts are from the progress
report:
EXPLANATION OF SCORES
EFFORT SCORE
Indicates student effort towards achievement of grade-level
achievement expectations.
4 Strong
Always
3 Consistent
Usually
2 Inconsistent
Sometimes
1 Poor
Rarely
3. Work and Study Habits and Learning and Social Skills
The scores for “Work and Study Habits and Learning and Social Skills”
indicate the degree of development in these areas and are scored as noted
below. The following excerpts are from the progress report:
EXPLANATION OF SCORES
WORK AND STUDY HABITS, LEARNING, AND SOCIAL
SKILLS SCORE
Indicates development in behavioral expectations.
4 Strong
Always
3 Consistent
Usually
2 Inconsistent
Sometimes
1 Poor
Rarely
C. Transitional Kindergarten Guidance
Transitional Kindergarten students currently use the same report card as K5/6 students. Teachers should indicate in the electronic report card
“enrollment in Transitional Kindergarten,” a drop-down comment in the
“General” section. Students are evaluated on mastery of TK standards of the
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California Preschool Learning Foundations. Later in the year a TK student’s
score is based on development of early kindergarten expectations. Please see
Attachment C and Reference Guide 5777.4 for more detailed information.
D. Master Plan Programs Guidance
The following information is in regard to scoring procedures for Master Plan
Programs.
1. Scores for English Language Development (ELD) indicate the
amount of progress an English learner has made toward achieving the
state ELD standards Part I: Interacting in Meaningful Ways and Part
II: How English Works.
ELD SCORING GUIDE
4
Advanced Progress
3
Average Progress
2
Partial Progress
1
Limited Progress
Demonstrating
ADVANCED
PROGRESS in the
ELD proficiency
level standards
Demonstrating
PARTIALLY
PROFICIENT
PROGRESS in the
ELD proficiency
level standards
Demonstrating
AVERAGE
PROGRESS in the
ELD proficiency
level standards
Demonstrating
LIMITED
PROGRESS in the
ELD proficiency
level standards
2. With the LAUSD implementation of the 2012 California ELD
standards there was a shift from five English Language Proficiency
levels to three levels. The three English language proficiency levels
are as follows:
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT PROFICIENCY
LEVEL
BR
EX
EM
Bridging: Students at this ELD proficiency level continue to
learn and apply a range of high level English language skills in
a wide variety of contexts, including comprehension and
production of highly technical texts. Students are ready to
transition to full engagement in grade level academic tasks and
activities in a variety of content areas without the need for
specialized ELD instruction.
Expanding: Students at this ELD proficiency level are
challenged to increase their English skills in more contexts,
learn a greater variety of vocabulary and linguistic structures,
and apply their growing language skills in more sophisticated
ways appropriate to their age and grade level.
Emerging: Students at this ELD proficiency level typically
progress very quickly, learning to use English for immediate
needs as well as beginning to understand and use academic
vocabulary and other features of academic language.
3. For English Language Development marking guidance, the
Multilingual and Multicultural Education Department (MMED)
has developed the Elementary Progress Report ELD Marking
Guidance and the California ELD Standards grading alignment
document. These resources are available and are meant to assist
teachers during this time of transition to better communicate
student progress via the following link:
http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/11089#spn-content
For information on marking guidance for Mainstream English
Program, Structured English Immersion Program, Transitional
Bilingual Education Program, Dual Language Programs, and
Foreign Language Immersion Programs, see Attachment A.
E. Special Education Marking Guidance
For information on marking guidance for students receiving Special
Education services, please see Attachment B.
F. MISIS Report Card and Intervention
Refer to http://achieve.lausd.net/Page/6215 for resources and job aids
regarding detailed instructions for entering grades. Additionally, before the
end of each reporting period, all interventions must be documented in
MiSiS.
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G. Retention/Promotion
Teachers are required to notify parents of students who are at risk of not
meeting grade level standards for promotion at each reporting period. A
formal conference must be held when double promotion or retention is
warranted.
ASSISTANCE:
For assistance or further information regarding:
 General progress report marking practices, please contact Katie McGrath,
Director, Elementary Instruction at 213-241-5333 or via email at
Katie.McGrath@lausd.net

Mainstream and Structured English Immersion Programs marking practices,
please contact Carla Gutierrez, Elementary Coordinator,
Multilingual/Multicultural Education Department at 213-241-5582 or via
email at Carla.Gutierrez@lausd.net

Transitional Bilingual Education, Maintenance Bilingual Education, and
Dual Language Programs marking practices, please contact Anne Kim,
Coordinator, Dual Language/Bilingual Programs Office at 213-241-2550 or
via email at Anne.Kim@lausd.net

Foreign Language Immersion Programs marking practices, please contact
Kate Sohn, Coordinator, World Languages and Cultures at 213-241-4517 or
via email at ksohn@lausd.net

Special Education marking practices, please contact Diana Inouye,
Coordinator, K-12 Instruction at 213-241-8175 or via email at
Diana.Inouye@lausd.net

Transitional Kindergarten marking practices, please contact Leti Puyol,
Specialist, Elementary Literacy at 213-241-5631 or via email at
Lourdes.Puyol@lausd.net
ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A: Marking Procedures for Master Plan Programs
Attachment B: Marking Procedures for Students with Disabilities
Attachment C: Marking Procedures for Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
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Attachment A
Marking Procedures for Master Plan Programs
Master Plan Program
Mainstream English
Program (CELDT Levels
4-5)
Structured English
Immersion (SEI) Program
(CELDT Levels 1-3)
Transitional Bilingual
Education (ELs CELDT
Levels 1-3)
Maintenance Bilingual
Education and Dual
Language Programs (EL)
Maintenance Bilingual
Education and Dual
Language Programs
(RFEP)
Maintenance Bilingual
Education and Dual
Language Programs (EO,
IFEP)
Foreign Language
Immersion Programs (EL)
Foreign Language
Immersion Programs
(RFEP)
Foreign Language
Immersion Programs (EO,
IFEP)
BUL-2332.5
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Resource
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4MainstreamEnglishProgram
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-SEIProgram
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-TransitionalBilingual
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4MaintenanceBilingualandDualLanguageEL
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-MaintenanceBilingualandDualLanguageRFEP
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-MaintenanceBilingualandDualLanguageEOIFEP
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-ForeignLanguageEL
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-ForeignLanguageRFEP
http://bit.ly/BUL233-4-ForeignLanguageEOIFEP
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Attachment B
Marking Procedures for Students with Disabilities
Through an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the individual needs of students are described and
appropriate accommodations and/or modifications for instruction, assessment, and/or evaluation are
defined. It is expected that all teachers of students with disabilities, including general education teachers
serving these students, will implement all aspects of the students’ IEPs.
a. Parents of students with disabilities are to be informed of progress toward IEP goals at least as often
as report cards are issued for students ( 20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(III), Cal. Ed. Code §
56345(a)(3). In elementary grades, this means that IEP goal progress reports must be sent three (3)
times per academic year, at a minimum. Student progress toward IEP goals is documented on the
IEP Report of Progress and Achievement from Current IEP located on page 5 of the IEP. Printed
copies of the IEP Report(s) of Progress and Achievement must be sent home with students when
sending report cards.
b. Students with disabilities who participate in the general education curriculum are held to the same
grade level standards as their non-disabled peers. Grades assigned to students with disabilities are
assigned using grade-level standards to reflect progress in the general education curriculum. Access
to the general education curriculum is supported by the provision of accommodations and
modifications, when specified in a student’s IEP. Accommodations or modifications identified on
the IEP must be considered when grading students with disabilities, although they are not listed on a
student’s report card. The main determinants a teacher must make before issuing a mark are the
following:
i. Were all the accommodations and/or modifications listed in the student’s IEP implemented in a
specific subject area? Did the student have sufficient access to the curriculum through the use of
documented accommodations and/or modifications?
o If the answer is yes, the teacher may grade the student according to his/her performance
following criteria established for issuing marks in each subject.
o If the answer is no, the teacher cannot issue a mark of 1 (Minimal Progress Toward Grade
Level Standards). An IEP meeting should be held without delay to discuss needed
accommodations and/or modifications.
c. Students with disabilities who participate in an alternate curriculum are to be graded on their
progress and achievement based on alternate achievement standards.
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Marking Procedures for Students with a Section 504 Plan
Through a Section 504 Plan, the individual needs of students are described, and appropriate
accommodations for instruction, assessment, and/or evaluation in the general education program may be
defined. It is expected that all teachers of students with disabilities, as well as any appropriate designated
staff serving those students, will implement all aspects of students’ 504 Plans.
a. There are no separate marking procedures for students with a Section 504 Plan.
b. Students who have a Section 504 Plan should be monitored regularly by their assigned teacher(s)
and the Section 504 Case Manager for progress toward identified academic and/or behavior
performance outcomes. Re-evaluation of the Section 504 Plan is required any time there is evidence
that the Section 504 Plan is not effective in addressing the student’s identified disability and area(s)
of educational impact.
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Attachment C
Marking Procedures for Transitional Kindergarten (TK)
The TK program follows the requirements of SB1381 in providing a modified kindergarten curriculum
that is both age and developmentally appropriate. Emphasis is placed on developing oral language skills
and providing integrated experiences in language and literacy, English Language Development, socialemotional development, mathematics, physical development, the arts, science and social sciences.
Standards for TK
The TK curriculum is aligned with the California Preschool Learning Foundations.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/psfoundations.asp
Progress Reporting
During the first trimester of TK, students are working on developing key pre-kindergarten foundational
skills. By the second and third trimesters, students transition to work on developing early foundational
skills of the Kindergarten California content standards.
For the second and third progress report markings, a teacher should use professional judgement and
assign a grade of “3” if he or she feels that student is on target towards meeting the beginning skills that
will lead towards mastery of the Kindergarten California content standards by the end of the
kindergarten year.
As a basis for establishing if TK students are meeting expected appropriate criteria, schools are advised
to use the LAUSD TK-K alignment document extracted from the Alignment of the CA Preschool
Learning Foundations with Key Early Learning Education Resources (CDE, 2012). This LAUSD
extracts aligns Preschool Learning Foundations descriptors for children at 48 and 60 months of age with
the Kindergarten California Content Standards.
Teachers may wish to reference this document and its descriptors in parent conferences. As a reminder,
teachers should indicate in the electronic report card “enrollment in Transitional Kindergarten,” a dropdown comment in the “General” section.
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