As the Clear Creek Independent School District continues to improve teaching and learning for all students, we know that parents and families are our most valuable partner.

This is especially true as the district continues to hold each student accountable to more rigorous standards in each subject area and grade level. Achieving these high standards requires continuous progress monitor-ing and providing targeted support as needed.

Like teachers, parents need accurate and meaningful information, particularly about their child’s strengths and areas where growth is needed.

As a result, the district has implemented Standards-Based Grading in grades Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. This system allows your child to know exactly what is expected in each content area and provides parents with a more detailed outline of learning expectations and student progress.

We believe this is the key to student success.

through standards- based grading, parents will be equipped to help students at home as they progress toward key grade level targets.

STANDARDS-BASEDGRADINGA Clearer Picture of Your Child’s Academic Progress

STANDARDS-BASEDGRADINGA Clearer Picture of Your Child’s Academic Progress

1 2 3 (Target) 4Standards-Based Learning Progression

Developing Proficiency:Student demonstrates progress toward initial foundational skills of the topic.

Approaching Grade Level Standards:Student demonstrates proficiency on foundational skills of the topic.

Meets Grade Level Standards:Student demonstrates proficiency on all grade level skills of the topic.

Exceeds Grade Level Standards:Student demonstrates understanding and perfor-mance beyond proficiency and has exceeded the standard.

Understanding My Child’s Report Card

In the past, students in primary grades received progress ratings of IA, SD, and NS – Independently Applies, Steadily Developing, Needs Support. While these provided general information to parents about student progress, they lacked specificity.

In the Standards-Based Grading system, both students and parents are aware of clear learning outcomes and the pace for expected mastery of each grade level target.

Grades on traditional report cards often reflected a combination of academic progress, work habits, and participation. Standards-Based Grading solely reflects progress on priority topic targets.

The grade level target for each learning standard is a 3. When a 3 is earned, the student has met the grade level expectations for that topic. While some topics have expectations for mastery early in the year, many of the topics do not have mastery expectations

until the end of the school year. Levels 1 through 4 cannot be equated

to the A-F grading scale. For example, a 3, or “meets grade level standard,” isn’t the same as a B. It is normal for students to advance from a 1 to a 3 as they develop greater proficiency of the standard. A student who achieves a level 3 on all topics on the report card by the end of the year has mastered all grade level expectations.

You will likely see more 1s early in the year and 3s later reflecting the necessary progression, and mastery level of the skills. This is especially evident in language arts and math. In science and social studies,

most topics are addressed completely within a grading period. It is important to be aware of the Target (T) for each grading period in order to understand whether Student Progress (SP) matches current expectations.

Level 4 should not be equated with an “A.” When a child achieves level 3, they have met the expected grade level standards. In Level 4 a student demon-strates understanding and performance beyond expected proficiency and has exceeded the standards. Level 4s are challenging and achieved less frequently.

To help you better understand, we have included a sample report card with some explanations of exactly what you will be seeing. We have also added a Frequently Asked Questions section to our website for reference, as well as a place for you to submit your own questions. www.ccisd.net/sbg

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benefits of Standards-Based grading

Before: The parent sees a grade of 80% on an assignment and wonders ‘what was the 20% he/she missed?’After: The parents are able to identify skills met toward standard and which are still developing.

For Parents• Report card grades are less mysterious and have

more meaning• Parents are aware of exactly what their child

knows, is able to do, and next steps for progress• Parents know in what areas their child needs

more support• Parents are empowered to increase their child’s

confidence and help their student set goals

How Does Standards-Based Grading Differ From Traditional Grading?

With the traditional grading system, many elements are combined to determine your child’s grade – test scores, quizzes, completed homework, classroom participation, coming to school on time, extra credit – then, the average of the semester’s work equates into a percentage that correlates with a specific letter grade.

Standards-Based Grading separates those elements. And while we believe all should be addressed, now parents will be able to see specifically if their child needs help with an academic concept or if he or she can’t remember to turn in homework.

Standards-Based Grading measures a student’s mastery of grade-level standards by prioritizing the most recent, consistent level of performance.

For Teachers• Teachers know exactly where students stand in

their progress toward learning targets and what supports need to be provided

• Teachers of the same courses have aligned expectations and standards

• Assessment results help teachers determine when students need extra help and when they need more challenging work

Before: By reporting one grade per subject, the teacher often felt it was an incomplete picture of the learning that had taken place. After: The teacher is more equipped to identify and communicate where each student is on the learning progression.

For Students• Learning targets are clearly defined and aligned

with state standards• Students are offered multiple opportunities and

ways through which to demonstrate proficiency• Students monitor their own progress toward the

achievement of specified learning targets• Specific feedback on progress helps build self-

esteem, pride, and motivation for students

Before: “My teacher ‘gave me’ a C.”After: “I need to work on mastering units of measurement to describe length.”

Want to know more?

www.ccisd.net/sbl

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or reference the

district website. On the website, you can access links to parent

guides by grade level, which show a more in-depth look as to how

subjects are evaluated. We look forward to working

together to provide you and your child with the best possible

knowledge and tools to be successful in Clear Creek ISD and beyond.

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Principal:

Teacher:

Clear Creek ISD 2016 - 2017

School NameStudet's Name :

Student ID:

Grade : First Grade

Academic Key: 1st 9 weeks

T

2nd 9 weeks

T SP

3rd 9 weeks

T SP

4th 9 weeks

T SPSP 3 Meets Grade Level Standard 1 Developing Proficiency

4 Exceeds Grade Level Standard 2 Approaching Grade Level Standard T= Target SP=Student Progress

Reading

Comprehend texts 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0

Apply phonics in order to decode words 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0

Display phonological awareness 2.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

Read texts fluently using a variety of word solving strategies 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0

Instructional Reading Level E G I J/K

Writing

Write to communicate ideas 1.0 2.0 2.5 3.0

Utilize grade-level writing conventions 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0

Math

Generate, represent, solve, and explain addition and subtraction word problems to 20 1.0 2.0 3.0 3.0

Compose and decompose numbers up to and including 10 1.0 2.0 3.0

Use units to measure and describe length 2.0 2.0 3.0

Identify, describe, and classify 2-D and 3-D figures 3.0 3.0

Compose, decompose, and represent numbers using place value to 120 3.0

Compare and order numbers using place value and number lines to 120 3.0

Science

Observe, describe, and communicate properties and patterns of matter 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0

Identify, describe, and demonstrate force, motion, and energy 2.0 2.0 3.0

Describe, compare, and demonstrate cycles, patterns, and systems in Earth and space 3.0 3.0

Investigate and compare needs, life cycles, and characteristics of organisms in their

environment

3.0

Social Studies

Understand relationship of physical and human characteristics of places 3.0 3.0

Make choices to prioritize needs versus wants 3.0

Understand the purpose of rules and authority figures in various settings 3.0 3.0 3.0

Understand that people have various beliefs and customs 3.0 3.0 3.0

Sample Standards-Based Grading Report Card

Learning progression academic key

Priority standards that have been identified for content areas/subjects

The Target (T), or goal, for that grading period

Student Progress (SP), or where the student measures against the Target (T) for that grading period

Instructional reading level scale (*, A, B ... L ... Z)

*Shaded, or grayed-out areas, indicate that the standard has either not yet been introduced or is not yet ready for formal assessment

1.0

1.0

1.5

1.0

E

1.5

1.0

1.5

3.0

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