Proficiency-based grading assesses student mastery of specific learning goals, rather than traditional letter grades or points. It focuses on whether students have fully grasped a concept or skill before moving on, ensuring a solid foundation. This approach allows for more individualized assessment and clear learning targets, making it easier for students to understand what they need to achieve.
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Dear Parents,
Next year Hayden Peak Elementary will be a proficiency-based grading school. This means we will be sharing your child’s progress in a different way than you may have seen in the past. A 4-point scale will be used that correlates with the Utah Core Standards. We will share the learning scales that are currently being used in the classrooms. You will see individual data notebooks going home monthly. This reporting will provide a more accurate picture of what your child knows and areas in which he/she can grow. Please note that the grade level goal is a 3. This means a student is proficient in grade level skills. This is a change from what you may have seen in the past when the expectation was a 4.
For your understanding, here is a graphic to explain the ratings:
Here are some answers to questions you may have.
WHY CHANGE THE WAY WE REPORT GRADES? The way grades have been reported in the past didn’t show a clear, accurate picture of what a child knows. It was a system of averaging scores together from the beginning to the end of the grading period. That means that student grades were affected as they were being introduced to new concepts and learning them. It didn’t show what they ultimately learned. This new practice will help you understand what your child actually knows—not how long it took him/her to learn it.
IF MY CHILD PREVIOUSLY EARNED MOSTLY 4’S, WHAT CAN I EXPECT NOW? If your child has consistently earned 4’s in the past, you can expect him/her to earn 3’s and maybe some 4’s now. However, you may see some 2’s mixed in as well. This will tell you that in that particular area, your child is developing his/her understanding of a concept, but hasn’t quite mastered it yet.
CAN EXTRA CREDIT HELP MY CHILD’S GRADE? While we encourage extra practice and effort on skills that are more difficult to master, extra credit defeats the purpose of standards-based grading. Grades are not earned by obtaining extra points. Grades are based solely on proficiency of Utah Core Standards.
WHO CAN I TURN TO WITH QUESTIONS? Believe it or not, your child is becoming an expert with this!! Ask them to explain their Data Notebook data with you. Ask them to help you understand what they know and what their next learning steps are. If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to your child’ teacher. Still have questions? Reach out to administration