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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Standards-Based Learning: Proficiency Scales

Below is a synthesis of key ideas from the research groups that studied ideas during our professional learning on September 25th.  This summary includes information on assessments, communication, and implementation ideas as they relate to proficiency scales.  It also includes some responses to questions that were asked.

Proficiency Scale Key Ideas

Assessments

• Keep assessments open-ended, focus on inquisitiveness, critical thinking, risk-taking, real-world application vs. info recall
• Assessments might include student reflections, teacher feedback focusing on skills to master, learning as a process/growth mindset, data student notebooks
• Collecting evidence might include blended learning, stations, CFA's
• It will be important to have a clear idea on what a level 4 looks like

Communication

• It will be important for all of us to communicate to parents and community about the mind shift of proficiency scales and the focus on evidence of student learning
• This will begin with a clear explanation of proficiency scales to students.
• The website classroomblend.com has a lot of good ideas in a handbook.
• Adding an evidence column to the proficiency scale will support communication.
• Consistency will also be an important part of communication

Implementation Ideas

• Make proficiency scales visible, use them to track student progress/provide student accountability, revisit scales with students/make them routine, take baby steps (one scale with students to begin with), use for consistent feedback
• Use scales to guide instruction,
• Use scales to help students demonstrate level of learning.
• Use scales to develop CFAs
• Use scales to provide specific feedback to parents and students.
• Use scales as a source of reflection and goal setting for students.
• Don't punish practice
• Develop routines for integrating through out the lesson to support learning
• See your students as learners
• Focus on mastering level 2 criteria first
• Provide clear identification of what students should know
• Use for instructional decision making
• Focus on one standard in depth
• Have students self-evaluate and track their own progress
• Develop a growth mindset in classroom with students
• Teachers will need to purposefully plan multiple opportunities to develop mastery.
• Use scales in classrooms and share with others how it is going
• Observe in other classrooms to see how scales are being used with students and how students are self-evaluating their own progress.
• Additional supportive materials from district level SBG committee or Marzano group to assist with the implementation of scales into the classroom.
• Most recent evidence is what displays student learning
• PLC Implementation
• Creation CFAs and summative assessments to align with scales to show level 2 and level 3 skills.

Questions

Q: What is the timeline for implementation?

A: Below is the action plan for this work.  This year is targeted for completing the scales (including level 4 and evidence of attainment) and piloting.  Based on this work and feedback, the SBG leadership team will review the progress and add to the action plan.

Standards Based Learning Action Plan

Q: Should level 4's be included in an assessment?

A: At some point, we will be adding level 4's to assessment opportunities.  Some districts that we have collaborated with give a level 4 task, and if students are able to complete it successfully, they do not need to take the remainder of the assessment. This is something that we will work towards over time, and will get some guidance on when we work with the Marzano group in April.

Q: What is the grade book going to look like?

A: As we continue to roll out this work, we will collaboratively work on some processes for how to document progress.  We are in the process of exploring some learning management systems that may provide support.

Q: How does this prepare students for the real-world and college?

A: The use of proficiency scales provides more clarity for students on the learning targets, where they are in the learning progression, and what they need to move forward.  It increases both student ownership and student reflection on their learning.  Meeting the learning targets and having a clear understanding of what we have prioritized as important to know and be able to do will prepare students for the real-world and college.