As of Thursday, May 3, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Rockdale Citizen
CONYERS --Rockdale County Public Schools is expected to complete its initial implementation of standards-based report cards when they are introduced at the high school level next school year.
The report card system began in kindergarten through second grades in 2009, third- through fifth-grades in 2010 and all middle school grades in 2011.
"To do this all at once would cause implosion," said Rich Autry, chief academic officer in the Office of Teaching and Learning at Rockdale County Public Schools. "We chose to tackle it strategically and incrementally."
Like at the middle school level, high school students will continue to receive a numeric grade on a 100-point scale in each subject or course, as not to interfere with postsecondary and scholarship grading systems around the nation. An A will continue to equal 90 to 100, a B 80 to 89, a C 75 to 79, a D 70 to 74 and an F below 70.
They will receive an overall course grade, as well as a grade in multiple subcategories and topics for each subject.
This is unlike the report cards for kindergarten through fifth grades in which they score students from a level 1 to 4, instead of an A through F.
However, high schoolers will be graded on a four-point scale in learner behaviors and work habits in addition to the numerical grades.
They will earn a 1 to 4 for conduct and behavior, homework, timeliness and work habits. A 1 would mean that minimal or no progress is being made toward the achievement of the expectations, a 2 means that a student is progressing toward expectations, a 3 means that the student meets expectations and a 4 means that a student is exemplary.
Teachers will use a common rubric to score students.
"It's much more specific, much more detailed," Autry said, adding that he hopes it will give parents, teachers and students more information on strengths and weaknesses.
Autry said teachers have been trained on the new report cards, and parents have received information and will receive more information as needed.
RCPS is moving towards a new report card system because the state eventually will require it under its new Georgia Performance Standards curriculum, system officials have said.
Although all grades will be outfitted with the new report cards, they are likely to evolve over the years.
"They will continue to be updated and changed," Autry said. "We'll continue to refine them and get better."
Eventually, RCPS hopes to have an electronic grading system, he said.
More like this story
- Middle school report cards to change this year ( August 19, 2011 )
- Middle school report cards to change this year ( August 31, 2011 )
- 4th, 5th grades get new report cards ( September 1, 2010 )
- Rockdale County to start using new report cards for third-graders ( May 30, 2009 )
- Forum speaker to talk about new standards ( May 17, 2010 )
Comments
buck 1 year ago
So they're going to replace report cards again. What's the value of doing this and what are the real benefits? Is this really something that we should pay for now that our millage rates are by far the highest in the State of Georgia? I guess those high paid central office people have to continue to come up with new expensive ideas to justify their jobs and the big bucks they make. These kind of changes are costly and embarrassing for a school system that is failing and costing more money then it's worth!
olemissreb 1 year ago
"They will earn a 1 to 4 for conduct and behavior, homework, timeliness and work habits. A 1 would mean that minimal or no progress is being made toward the achievement of the expectations, a 2 means that a student is progressing toward expectations, a 3 means that the student meets expectations and a 4 means that a student is exemplary."
Seriously? I can understand this level of grading for an elementary student, maybe even a middle school student. Get the info early enough and you can correct those behaviors before the student gets to high school. By high school? Forget it! My son, a Magnet student, has horrible work habits and getting him to do his homework on a timely basis is like pulling teeth! His teachers have told me the "trend" with boys in Magnet is they pull this kind of thing their first two years and by their junior year, most of them "get it" and buckle down and are totally different students. (From their mouths to Gods ears! I pray it works that way next year.) It's just more information that really doesn't mean a "durn" thing at the high school level and creates more work for the teachers that they don't need. Now if "grades" of 1 in conduct and behavior would result in expulsions or something to "clean" up the problems within the high schools, then it might be worth it, but I am extremely doubtful the information will be used for anything even remotely like that.
"Autry said teachers have been trained on the new report cards, and parents have received information and will receive more information as needed."
I would like to know when the parents received this information because I know I haven't seen anything on it. Reading it here in the paper is the first I've heard about it. Luckily the teachers at Magnet have been grading the students by the standards for at least the last 2 years so that is something I'm used to.
REK 1 year ago
The characterisitics being measured are all attributes that should be instilled by the parents. A parent that is involved in their child's upbringing will already be aware of how their child interacts and behaves. More than likely corrective action to poor behaviour will already be in place by this type parent. The kids with consistently poor ratings will be a direct reflection on the lack of involvement the parent has in their child's life. To be blunt, parents if your kid consistently receives poor ratings, you suck at parenting. Do something in your child's life and stop depending on the school system to raise your child.
Sundance 1 year ago
Is there a plan for the students who get 1s accross the board? What about 4s? Will getting a 1 have any consequences except hurt feelings? Just wondering. Also, are teachers allowed to give homework grades? I know some of the comments earlier in the year stated that they werent allowed to grade homework anymore.
VPublicola 1 year ago
"I know some of the comments earlier in the year stated that they werent allowed to grade homework anymore"
In the elementary schools, it is graded on the 1-4 scale as above. Much of it is not homework, but work done in the classroom.
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