Cincinnati Public Schools Releases 4th Quarter Grading Procedures

Press release from Cincinnati Public Schools:

April 20, 2020

Guiding Principles:

• Grading will be equitable and do no harm to any student.
• Grading will take into consideration accommodations and modifications for diverse learners.
• Students in grades K-12 will receive a Pass (P) or Incomplete (I) grade (limited or no work completed) grade for the fourth quarter.
  • The fourth quarter Incomplete (I) grade will not turn into an (F).
• Teachers will provide feedback on student work in the fourth quarter.
  • Staff will contact students early and often (at least weekly) who are at risk of getting an Incomplete (I).
  • Focus will be on student effort made towards classroom goals and standards.
  • Teacher feedback on assignments will be through comments and/or grades using Schoology, PowerSchool, and/or virtual interactions.
• Preschool will not give grades.
• Teachers will continue to provide aligned feedback and support based on interventions written in the current RIMP for any student that already had a RIMP in grades K-4.
• Per State Guidance, CPS is relying on the professionalism, fairness and reasonable judgment of principals and educators in making determinations relative to the assignment of Pass or Incomplete grade. 1
• Fourth quarter grades and second semester grades will be due by 5 p.m. May 22, 2020.
• Students can submit work up until May 20, 2020 to positively impact their grade.

Grades K-12:

• Students will receive a Pass (P) or Incomplete (I) grade for the fourth quarter.
  • A Pass (P) means the student is completing work and learning.
    • Work is centered around what a student needs. For example, completing enrichment learning packets and/or Schoology assignments, etc.
  • An Incomplete (I) means one of two things:
    • Limited or no work completed
    • Student could not be reached
• All students will receive specific, weekly feedback on assignments and on their progress toward a Pass (P) or Incomplete (I) grade.
  • Staff will contact students at risk of getting an Incomplete (I) early and often.
  • Staff will make note in the Communication log If a student cannot be reached.

High School Specific Information:

• Overall GPA will be calculated using the final second semester grade.
• There will be no final assessments or exams administered in the second semester.
• School staff will work with students to provide additional pathways to recover credit if an F is assigned for the second semester.
• Second semester final grade will be either equivalent to third quarter or higher.
  • Examples:
    • Q3 is A + Q4 is P = A
    • Q3 is A + Q4 is I = A
    • Q3 is B + Q4 is P = B or Higher
    • Q3 is B + Q4 is I = B
    • Q3 is C + Q4 is P = C or Higher
    • Q3 is C + Q4 is I = C
    • Q3 is D + Q4 is P = D or Higher
    • Q3 is D + Q4 is I = D
    • Q3 is F + Q4 is P = I, D or Higher
    • Q3 is F + Q4 is I = F
• Teachers will input second semester grade manually.
  • When determining equivalent or higher, teachers will be fair and reasonable.
  • If an Incomplete (I) is assigned for the second semester, a student has through the end of the first quarter to make up the work.
  • An example of a higher second semester grade might be a student who earned a (C) in third quarter up until the time of the school-building closure.
    • During the closure period, the student was diligent in completing assignments and otherwise continued to respond to teacher feedback offered.
    • The student would likely earn a Pass (P) grade in the fourth quarter and be assigned a higher (B) grade for the second semester.
  • An example of an (F) grade in the second semester might be a student who earned an (F) in the third quarter up until the time of the school-building closure.
    • During the closure period, the student did not complete any work or otherwise participate in education services offered.
    • This student would be considered to have not completed the course and would be assigned an (F) for the second semester.
• From the Office Secondary Education:
  • Our teachers and students are hard at work ensuring members of The Class of 2020 are graduation ready. Our quarter ends May 21, 2020 and while we won't be able to hold our planned May celebrations, the District is looking at July dates for a possible virtual ceremony and August for an in-person celebration. Seniors who are working on credit recovery should strive to complete classes as soon as possible. Please contact your school counselor if you have questions.
  • Further guidance will be coming from the Athletics department regarding Seniors and NCAA, as well non-Seniors and Fall OHSAA eligibility.

Our school staffs realize that these are challenging times for our families and are working diligently to make sure students have what they need to successfully complete the school year and be prepared for life. Families that are having difficulty accessing remote learning activities should contact principals and/or teachers for assistance.

1. Grading, Promotion, and Retention: Coronavirus (COVID-19) FAQ (Ohio Department of Education)

This press release was produced by Cincinnati Public Schools. The views expressed here are the author’s own.