How IGPro Can
Help Teachers
Understand the
Grades They
Assign
& More
1
Essential Question:
What effect does IGPro’s
operation and setup have on
the grades that teachers
assign?
2
Before we begin…
• The use of IGPro has made gradebooks much
more “public.”
BUT
• Many teachers consider their gradebook a
somewhat personal item.
• Complicated systems are not necessarily more
precise – they are just more complicated! 
• We have no direct measure of students’
knowledge of the AKS, only indirect measures
of how they perform and demonstrate
knowledge on a variety of tasks.
3
Before we begin…
• Teachers must understand HOW IGPro is
calculating their students’ grades.
• A good gradebook system enhances the
instructional process – it does not replace good
teaching!
• Mathematical precision does NOT yield fairer or
more objective grading.
4
What is the Policy?
Board Policy
The teacher has the responsibility for evaluating student
progress and providing grades that represent the student's
academic achievement.
(From GCPS Policies and Procedures)
5
What are the Procedures?
The grade mark is a report of the individual student's
progress, (as defined by the AKS), to the student, to his or
her parents, and to others who are concerned with the
student's progress in education.
All aspects of the evaluation of student progress, including
any tests, should assess mastery of the AKS.
Parents and students need to know what learning
activities will determine a grade, and the percentile weight of
each learning activity.
(From GCPS Policies and Procedures)
6
“Policy” Myths & Legends
EXAMPLES
 You can’t give a student a zero.
 Grades may be used in a punitive way, but only if there is written notice
before the grading period (signed by student/parent).
 Teachers must accept all late work for full credit.
 Special education students cannot get a “U” on their report card (or an “A”
for that matter).
 You can’t count homework in a student’s grade.
 Only tests can be used to assign students’ grades.
 Benchmarks
 don’t count
 can’t count
 must count
20%, 10%, as a regular test, etc.
7
Policy & Procedure Structure
8
Why do we use IGPro?
• Communicates with SASI
– Student scheduling
– Import/export of grades
– Student data available to staff
• Allows us to report grades to the district
• Allows the district to report grades to the state
• The state pays the school system for the classes
that we teach
• The school system pays us!
9
Results of using computerized
gradebooks include…
• Teachers have become more thoughtful about the
grades they assign
• Administrators have instant access to gradebooks
• Students have more immediate feedback about their
progress (if teachers make use of the gradebook)
• Parents’ expectations have increased
10
Weighted vs. Total Points
•
Total Points: Best for classes with a fixed
number of assignments for the grading
period and is sure this will not vary.
•
Can be difficult to have the mathematics
work the way you think it’s working if you
begin to making changes.
11
How does IGPro Calculate
Weighted Grades?
Can you explain it to parents?
Here are the grades:
• Tests:
Here are the weights: 83, 82, 64, 79
• Quizzes:
25, 100, 100
• Test – 30%
• Project:
100
• Quizzes – 20%
• Classwork:
• Projects – 30 %
100, 60
• Classwork – 15% • Homework:
100, 100, 100, 100,
• Homework – 5%
100, 100, 100, 100, 0,
100
12
Time for some math….
Here are the same grades:
• Test:
83, 82, 64, 79 = 308 / 4 = 77
• Quizzes:
25, 100, 100 = 225 / 3 = 75
• Project:
100 = 100
• Class work:
100, 60 = 160 / 2 = 80
• Homework:
100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 0, 100 =
900 / 10 = 91
But… we are not done yet….
13
And now more math….
Here are the same grades:
• Test: 30%
83, 82, 64, 79 = 308 / 4 = 77 x .30 = 23.1
• Quizzes: 20%
25, 100, 100 = 225 / 3 = 75 x .20 = 15.0
• Project: 30%
100 = 100 x .30 = 30.0
• Class work: 15%
100, 60 = 160 / 2 = 80 x .15 = 12.0
• Homework: 5%
100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 100, 0, 100 =
900 / 10 = 90 x .05 = 4.5
Add up each category for a total of …. 84.6
or 85% = B
14
That was easy… right?
Now for a new
example….
15
Is this student passing or
failing?
Here are your weights: Here are the grades:
•
•
•
•
•
Test – 30%
Quizzes – 20%
Projects – 30 %
Classwork – 15%
Homework – 5%
• Tests:
90, 96
• Quizzes:
NONE
• Project:
NONE
• Class work:
70, 70, 100, 100, 100,
100
• Homework:
100, 100, 100, 10016
Let’s find out….
Here are the grades:
• Test: 30%
90, 96 = 186 / 2 = 93 x .30 = 27.9
• Quizzes:
NONE
• Project:
NONE
• Class work: 15%
70, 70, 100, 100, 100, 100 = 540 / 6 = 90 x .15 = 13.5
• Homework: 5%
100, 100, 100, 100 = 400 / 4 = 100 x .05 = 5.0
But does the student really have a …. 46.4
or 46% = U?
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No. Let’s find out why….
Because the student did not have grades in these
two categories... You only have 50% of the
picture.
Cross multiply
46.4 = x
• Quizzes:
and solve for X to
NONE
50
100
get the real
• Project:
grade.
NONE
Use your basic algebra to solve for x, so the final
grade is 92.8 or 93% which equals an A.
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IgPro will do that part for
you.
If you have everything set up correctly.
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Here’s another
example…
Grades for Susie Creamcheese.
What grade would you assign?
Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88
Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80
Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0
Projects = 82
20
Scenario
• Student A vs. Student B
• Both are average students in their grade
level.
• Both students happen to have the same
grades and the same assignments.
Let’s see how two different teachers grade
them using different grading scales on the
same curriculum material.
21
Teacher A vs. Teacher B
•
•
•
•
•
Test = 30 %
•
Quizzes = 20% •
Classwork = 30%•
Projects = 20% •
Grades are:
•
Test = 50%
Quizzes = 30%
Classwork = 10%
Projects = 10%
Grades are:
Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88
Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80
Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0
Projects = 82
Tests = 86, 79, 92, 88
Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80
Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0
Projects = 82
What do you think the difference will be on their mid-term
reports?
22
Teacher A vs. Teacher B
Test = 86, 79, 92, 88 = 86.25
x .30 = 25.87
Test = 86, 79, 92, 88 = 86.25 x
.50 = 43.12
Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 =
80.75 X .20 = 16.15
Quizzes = 85, 83, 75, 80 =
80.75 X .30 = 24.22
Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 =
47.5 X .30 = 14.25
Classwork = 100, 0, 90, 0 =
47.5 X .10 = 4.75
Projects = 82 X .20 = 16.4
Projects = 82 X .10 = 8.2
Final grade is 72.67 or D
Final grade is 80.29 or B
Luck determined the final grade!
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How do we remove the luck of
the draw?
•
For our school (Harbins ES), we have
adopted…
–
–
–
Create grade weights that all teachers on a
grade level must follow.
Minimum numbers of assignments for
each grade category in each subject area.
Consideration of not only minimum
number of assignments, but proportion of
assignments in a category.
24
Why care about minimum
number of assignments?
25
Why care about minimum
number of assignments?
26
Why care about minimum
number of assignments?
27
Why care about minimum
number of assignments?
28
Live Demonstration 1
• Demonstrate the “split screen”
• Special Scores
• “gotcha’s”
– use of scale factor
– “Grading Rules” decimal setting
– showing the class average on student
reports
– End of term spreadsheet: make sure that
“percentage” is chosen as the export
option (MS/HS) or “letter grades” (ES)
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Live Demonstration 2
• Emailing progress reports
– Good practice:
• Class notes, spreadsheet notes, etc.
• Showing the “Percent of Spreadsheet”
– Avoid
• showing the “Class Average”
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Thoughts, suggestions, etc.
•
Templates for gradebook
•
Make corrections in IGPro, not CLASSxp
•
Create gradebooks at the start of each grading
period, not at start of the year
•
teachers can update email in CLASSxp and, of
course, in IGPro
•
What to do with students who enroll late in the
grading period?
•
Maintain gradebooks on the school server
•
The MASTER PASSWORD… (and security of
gradebook information)
31
Tips to remember …
•
We suggest an annual review of
grading policy and procedure.
•
Make sure parents and students are
told how grades are weighted at the
beginning of grading period.
•
Be sure at least one assignment is
given for each category by mid-terms.
•
Pay attention to the math… Giving 10
tests with a Test weight of 30% means
each test counts 3%. While giving 1
quiz with a weight of 20% means that
quiz counts 20%.
32
Tips to remember …
•
•
•
Parent involvement is very important
to student success! Consider the
option of emailing and/or printing
progress reports more often.
Enter grades as a matter of routine.
Create midterm reports using IGPro.
33
Considerations
•
Grading procedures sometimes seem
work against the mission and vision of
GCPS.
•
Should failure be an option in our
school?
•
Should we require students to replace
NHIs and zeros?
•
How should scores from benchmark
assessments factor into the final grade?
What are the implications?
34
Acknowledgements
Sandy Ewanowski, Information Management Division
Courtney St. John, Accountability & Assessment Office
Dr. Emmett Mullins, Harbins Elementary School
Tom Transou, Parkview High School
Jeff Robertson, Information Management Division
36
37
The lower
limits
determined
by GCPS
must be
used!
Back
38
Back
39
The Case Against the Zero
Number
Grade
Letter
Grade
Four Point Scale
Four Point Equivalent
using zeros
90-100
A
4
4
80-89
B
3
3
74-79
C
2
2
70-73
D
1
1
60-69
U/F
0
0
50-59
U/F
0
-1
40-49
U/F
0
-2
30-39
U/F
0
-3
20-29
U/F
0
-4
10-19
U/F
0
-5
0-9
U/F
0
-6
Back
42