Standards Based Grading
Report measures student mastery of state standards

Background Information:

For two years, five Wake County Public School Systems’ administrators, teachers and parents have
worked together to develop a new elementary school report card that provides consistency to the
grading process and better informs parents as to their child’s progress toward mastering the
state’s Standard Course of Study.

The new report card was developed to align with new laws and policies such as the NC Student
Accountability Standards and the WCPSS Promotion policy.

The purpose for the new report card is to inform students and parents about a student’s
performance on the grade level standards. The new report card measures progress against a
uniform standard, rather than other subjective assessments. Information related to growth and
overall strengths and needs is captured in the teacher comment section.

The new report cards provide a consistent grading scale; work habits and conduct are separate;
and teacher comments are specific. The new report card has helped administrators and teachers
at schools piloting it to improve assessment practices, guide instruction of the state
standards, and provide more deliberate development of enrichment activities.

The student performance levels of 1 to 4 indicate whether students have met the expectations set
by the state in the Standard Course of Study and indicate whether the student has the necessary
skills and concepts to be to be successful in the next quarter or next grade.

Student Performance Levels
The student performance level is determined with quarterly objectives and assessment data. Work
habits and conduct grades are separate from the student’s content proficiency.

Level 4 – Extends targeted grade level standards: represents the student exceeding grade level
expectations set by the state and that a student will be successful in the next grade or quarter
and whose curriculum may be enriched.

Level 3* - Demonstrates proficiency of targeted grade level standards with evidence of
application: represents the student meeting the grade level expectations set by the state with
evidence of application and that a student has the necessary skills and concepts to be
successful and confident in the next grade or quarter. Example: If a third-grader clearly
understands the concept of multiplication, can recall the facts quickly, and can use the
multiplication to solve everyday problems. The teacher has collected evidence of this mastery
and recorded it on the student’s math profile. The student’s assessment may indicate Level 3*
work.

Level 3 – Demonstrates proficiency of targeted grade level standard: represents the student
meeting the grade level expectations set by the state and indicates that a student has the
necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next grade or quarter.

Level 2 – Inconsistent and needs support to meet targeted grade level standards: indicates that
the student has not yet met grade level expectations set by the state and that a student does
not have the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next grade or quarter. This
should alert parents that close communication is needed for further student support. If the
student seldom turns in math homework and does not cooperate in-group problem solving in math,
this student’s work habits and conduct grade may indicate Level 2.

Level 1 – Insufficient performance of targeted grade level standards with support: indicates
that the student has not yet met grade level expectations set by the state and that a student
does not have the necessary skills and concepts to be successful in the next grade or quarter.
This should alert parents that close communication is needed for further student support.

Grades are provided twice a year for weekly special classes such as art and music, instead of
quarterly. This provides special teachers the time with students they need to assess each
student’s work.

The new report card provides space for teachers to list the individual interventions such as a
volunteer tutor, mentoring program, or Accelerated Learning Program instruction in which each
student participates.

Reporting on Classroom Behavior
The new report card includes reports on the student’s conduct and work habits. In reporting on
conduct, the teacher can indicate whether the student meets expectations in cooperating with
others, respecting others, and observing rules and procedures. In reporting on work habits, the
teacher can indicate whether the student uses time wisely, listens carefully, completes
assignments, writes legibly, works independently or seeks help when needed, and completes work.

The Rating Scale for Conduct and Work Habits rates students with a 1 through 3, where students
receive

3 – meets expectations

2 – inconsistently meets expectations

1 – does not meet expectations

The new report card increases a teacher’s ability to communicate with the student and parent
about the student’s success in meeting the state standards for that grade, as well as reporting
on the student’s classroom behavior.