Grading Policy
School of the Future Competency-Based Grading & Attendance Policy 2024-2025
Versión en español de la Política de asistencia y calificaciones
What is competency-based grading?
SOF values developing our diverse students as motivated and curious learners. Our Competency-based Based Grading System makes explicit the skills and content that are prioritized in each course and over time at School of the Future. It helps students understand both what they are doing well and their next steps, so that they can recognize their strengths and continue to improve in intentional ways.
We value progress over time and integration of learning over merely compliant completion of isolated assignments. Our gradebooks in JumpRope are organized around content-specific ‘Learning Outcomes’ that name authentic components of success in the course. Students then earn scores from 1-4 on assessments. Rubrics for assessments are shared and unpacked with students ahead of time so that they understand the expectations on our 1-4 scale. These scores communicate how students are progressing towards competency in skills and content in the course from ‘not yet’ to ‘integrating’.
The grading system provides multiple and varied opportunities to demonstrate competency and growth, ideally decreasing unhealthy, mindless stress and increasing actionable feedback, goal setting, and reflection so that students’ focus is reserved for learning.
What does the shift toward competency-based grading mean for school-wide grading policies?
- In collaboration with the NYCDOE’s Competency Collaborative, we have a uniform grading system across the school. Teachers may have additional policies that align with school-wide policies and DOE Academic Policy.
What is scored and recorded in the JumpRope gradebook?
- Daily homework and classwork are not recorded in JumpRope. Only assessments of learning outcomes are scored and recorded in the JumpRope gradebook. We do this because we want students to view daily work as practice opportunities to get better in ‘Learning Outcomes’ as opposed to just checklists of work to get done. We also want students to focus on the most meaningful and actionable work at any given time.
- Though we don’t want students to be distracted from a focus on learning by a focus on individual assignments, we do want students to reflect on how their practice habits over time impact their learning. So, instead of listing daily assignments in the JumpRope gradebook, ‘Work Habits/Independent Practice’ is a ‘Learning Outcome’ that is worth 10% of the grade in High School and 15% of the grade in Middle School. Teachers will enter a score in this outcome every week or every other week using this rubric. Some teachers will keep records of student completion of daily assignments on Google Classroom and will communicate with students and families about which practice assignments to prioritize when a student is struggling.
- In addition to the ‘Work Habits/Independent Practice’ outcome, within each Unit of Study, teachers will assess at least three other ‘Learning Outcomes’ based on the skills and content of the course and discipline.
- Students will have at least three ‘Checkpoint Assessments’ for each ‘Learning Outcome’ each Unit of Study. ‘Checkpoint Assignments’ are scored on a rubric shared with students ahead of time. Students earn a score from 1-4, which communicates their current level of competency in the outcome - Not Yet; Approaching Competency; Application of Competency; Integration.
How will students receive feedback on their progress?
- Students receive feedback about how to improve their work daily. Feedback looks like whole class lessons teachers write based on what they are seeing in student work, one one-on-one conferences with students, small group instruction with students working on similar next steps, peer feedback based on rubrics and progressions, and personal goal setting based on rubrics and progressions. Students are expected to be active learners during all of these feedback opportunities to make meaningful progress in their learning.
- Students will have at least three ‘checkpoint’ assessments for each learning outcome each unit of study. Some ‘checkpoints’ are Formative - some of the expectations of a learning outcome are being assessed; and some ‘checkpoints’ are Summative - all of the expectations of a learning outcome are being assessed. Students will have at least two Summative checkpoint opportunities for each learning outcome each semester.
- Keeping up with daily homework and classwork helps students make progress and helps teachers give feedback to help students improve.
What does “M” in JumpRope mean & what are policies around ‘late work’ & extensions?
- “M or Missing” will be entered in the gradebook as an ‘M’ (equivalent to a 45) when students have not submitted assessments because they were absent or did not complete them.
- Students have one week (High School) and two weeks (Middle School) to complete Missing work. If it is not completed within this timeframe, the M (equivalent to a 45) will lock in the gradebook and students will focus on new work.
- NOTE: When students have Missing work due to absences, students are only able to make up the work if their absence is formally excused ahead of time. (Please see below for the attendance policy.)
- On rare occasions, teachers will grant extensions. For an extension to be considered, students need to respectfully communicate with their teacher at least 24 hours before the deadline and the teacher will make a decision on a case by case basis.
- Students cannot make up daily work (work not labeled as a checkpoint) unless a teacher instructs a student to do so for their learning goals.
Can students retake assessments/ redo assignments?
- Rather than making up or redoing missing work or work that did not demonstrate competency, students' efforts should be directed to the next checkpoint where they can marshall feedback and improve skills to demonstrate competency.
- Some teachers may allow students to retake or redo assignments on a case-by-case basis based on their individual grading policies.
*** Individualized Education Plans and 504s: Students’ IEP goals and psychoeducational needs will be adhered to and appropriate accommodations will be in place in order to support students in successfully mastering skills. ***
*** A core element of Competency-Based Grading is rubrics that show expectations of competency vs. traditional points. Both parents and students will have to get used to the fact that students with a range of achievement can demonstrate the same competency and earn the same score. We value learning over competition. ***
What is the Plagiarism & Unauthorized Use of AI/ChatGPT policy?
Students cannot meaningfully learn or demonstrate their knowledge if they produce assignments that do not reflect their own thinking and work.
Furthermore, according to the DOE Discipline Policy:
B31~Engaging in scholastic dishonesty which includes but is not limited to: a. Cheating (e.g., copying from another’s test paper; using material during a test which is not authorized by the person giving the test; collaborating with another student during the test without authorization; knowingly using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, or soliciting, in whole or part, the contents of an un-administered test; substituting for another student or permitting another student to substitute for one’s self to take a test; bribing another person to obtain a test that is to be administered; or securing copies of the test or answers to the test in advance of the test) b. Plagiarizing (appropriating another’s work and using it as one’s own for credit without the required citation and attribution, e.g., copying written work from the Internet, or any other source) c. Colluding (engaging in fraudulent collaboration with another person in preparing written work for credit).
If teachers suspect that a student has turned in largely unauthorized AI-generated work such that the work does not reflect the student’s own thinking and ideas, they will first do the following: check the revision history to see proof of the process; ask the student to define words and concepts from the assignment; ensure that students have used required classroom texts/materials in the assignment.
The consequences for B31 range from conference with SOF Staff to superintendent suspension. SOF takes plagiarism very seriously, and students should be aware that, as a practice, it can result in being kicked out of college.
When a student plagiarizes or uses unauthorized AI on an Exhibition or a summative assessment like a major class paper or project, and that becomes clear either in the paper or the presentation, that student fails the Exhibition and has to redo it on another topic.
The policy for plagiarism/unauthorized use of AI in class is as follows:
1st time - Student receives a 1 (equivalent to a 55), student has two weeks to redo it, and we notify the parent(s)/guardian(s).
2nd time - Student receives a 1 (equivalent to a 55), student has two weeks to redo it, and we hold an in-person meeting with the family and a restorative circle.
3rd time - Student cannot redo the assignment and receives a failing grade.
How are grades calculated from ‘learning outcomes’?
Grades are entered in JumpRope on the 1-4 scale and the JumpRope system calculates course grades using a formula called ‘Decaying Average’.
First, teachers assign weights to the ‘learning outcomes’ of the course - each outcome counts for a percentage of the overall score (i.e. Work Habits/Independent Practice counts for 10% of the grade in High School).
Then, each ‘learning outcome’ is scored using the Decaying Average calculation. When calculating the scores for each learning outcome using Decaying Average, the more recent grades under the same outcome account for a heavier portion of the score than earlier grades. The weight of each individual score is decayed based on how far back in order it is. The more scores in an outcome, the less each of those older scores weighs in the overall standard score.
Finally, the course weights are applied to the Learning Outcome scores which have been based on the Decaying Average calculation to represent the overall score for the course.
How are absences handled in regard to missed work and JumpRope grades?
An absence is an absence whether it is excused (a doctor's note, an email from an adult about a child being sick, family issue, etc) or unexcused. Regardless of the reason, missing school impacts learning. Excused absences are only recorded in JumpRope for family emergencies, school-sanctioned events, or suspensions because outside of extreme circumstances, students are still responsible for learning the material they missed.
If families alert us to a student's absence (see below for procedure), the student is marked absent in JumpRope and we make an ‘excused’ notation only on the official DOE attendance record that is sent to other schools, colleges, and outside agencies. We also keep an internal record of excused absences that teachers use to grant appropriate work extensions.
Any work from the absent day is marked as ‘missing’ (MI/.5) in JumpRope. Only students with excused absences are eligible to utilize the late work policy. Furthermore, most checkpoints/assignments necessitate integrating classroom instruction, and teachers are not expected to make this material available to students who do not have excused absences.
After three absences with only a family email, we require medical documentation for excused absences on formal records.
Our wonderful counseling team will help coordinate education in cases of ongoing medical issues and extenuating family circumstances.
Communicating about attendance for Official Reporting
Notes for excused absences (sudden, serious illness or family emergencies) should be submitted to John Fanning - [email protected]. For up to three days, a note from a parent will suffice for formal records, not JumpRope; for longer than 3 days, SOF requires a doctor’s note with an explanation for formal records.
If formal attendance records need to be updated or revised, students must present evidence to John Fanning —classwork, notes, digital records—and not rely on teachers to backtrack and revise their attendance.
What are the specifics and timelines for progress reports and Family conferences?
- Official progress reports are given to families four times a year - November progress reports, February Semester grades, April progress reports, and June semester and final grades. Middle School final grades are annualized and are an average of first and second semester. High school final grades and credits are awarded each semester in February and June.
- We have Family conferences in November and April to discuss student progress reports with students and families.
- High School Student transcripts reflect grades out of 100 for the purpose of reporting to colleges. Middle School transcripts reflect scores on 1-4 scale Grades below 65 are failing. There are no grades given below 55.
- Families receive “At Academic Risk” notifications with the November, February, and April progress reports if their child is failing (below 65) or in danger of Failing (65-72) so we can collaborate on support plans.
How does the 1-4 scale translate to percentages for final grades & transcripts?
Conversion Scale for Overall Course Grades for Transcripts
Updated September 2024