Standards-Based Learning Communication for Parent Teacher Conferences

With parent-teacher conferences coming up, we wanted to provide some guidance for communication related to standards-based learning and grading practices.

If you have been piloting or implementing proficiency scales, or have adopted any shared practices related to multiple attempts at learning, the communication work group has created some documents to support talking points with parents and stakeholders.

When Dr. Tammy Heflebower provided professional development for our district, she referenced communication types from the book "A School Leader's Guide to Standards-Based Grading" (Hoegh and Heflebower, 2014). The authors stated, "To achieve communicative consistency, different versions of the standards-based grading message should be thoughtfully developed. One approach to accomplish this is to develop an elevator speech, a cab-ride speech, and a stuck-in-the-airport speech." This has been the approach taken by the SEP communication work group.

As you are working with parents, the communication group has provided language that highlights what is changing with standards-based learning and what will stay the same. Having communication and consistency with this message will support teachers and students as we continue to move forward to support learning.

Below is the information to support you with communication at conference time.  We welcome feedback to help further advance this work. There is also a link to this information in Google Drive.

COMMUNICATION FOR PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES

Grading and Reporting at Southeast Polk: A Summary
(Elevator Speech)

Student learning is the most important thing we do at Southeast Polk, and grades should reflect that. Our focus is specifically on what students know and are able to do. The purpose is to allow teachers to communicate the learning that took place and the feedback necessary for continued learning. The learning that takes place is specifically rooted in agreed-upon standards, so teachers can provide the instructional supports students need to succeed. We will continue to use traditional letter grades for student report cards.

Grading and Reporting at Southeast Polk: A Deeper Look
(Cab-Ride Speech)

Teaching and learning at Southeast Polk is based on identified standards. Rather than a reflection of student behavior, how much work is turned in, or unrelated task completion, grades are a reflection of the learning that occurred as applied to a scale of proficiency, based on the standard.  

Students and parents receive feedback on meeting proficiency scale targets. Feedback that is specific, targeted, and timely is critical for student learning. Teachers adjust instruction and students adjust their learning based on checks for understanding along the way to meeting and exceeding proficiency.

Students will have multiple attempts to demonstrate learning. Teachers honor the learning progression of students by providing multiple opportunities to demonstrate proficiency.

Teacher feedback provided to students between learning demonstration opportunities allows students to build on what they have already demonstrated while progressing to successfully meet and exceed proficiency.

New information about learning should replace old information. The purpose of giving multiple attempts to demonstrate learning is to show the student’s understanding of that standard. As such, when a student has shown proficiency in the standard through opportunities to provide evidence of attainment, that most current evidence of understanding will replace previous evidence. Once a student has shown consistent proficiency, they will have mastered the standard.

Communication and consistency are crucial. Feedback from the teacher is vital to the student’s understanding of their progress in demonstrating proficiency of the standard. Communication from the teacher about that progress means that the student is never confused about where they are in their learning progression. Clear and consistent communication about the student’s level of proficiency also helps parents understand the skills their student has developed, as well as areas where they need to improve in order to meet the standard. Since we will continue to use traditional letter grades on report cards, communication about a student’s proficiency on priority standards will also provide more clarity on how they earned the letter grade for the class.

Grading and Reporting: Communication

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