Mastery Learning and Grading
Students are graded on their Mastery of 14 Learning Targets for English Language Arts
- Support analysis of content with strong textual evidence and use evidence to strengthen ideas
- Determine a theme, idea or claim of a text, determine its purpose, and analyze in detail its development.
- Understand and interpret the text-specific meaning of words and phrases.
- Develop arguments to support claims using reasoning and evidence.
- Create informative/explanatory documents to examine and convey complex ideas.
- Write narratives using effective details and sequencing.
- Produce writing that is appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
- Utilize writing process to develop writing (planning, revising, editing, rewriting, and publishing).
- Use technology to produce and publish dynamic content for academic and creative purposes.
- Conduct research projects by gathering credible information and synthesizing multiple sources.
- Utilize and attribute textual information appropriately and cite sources using MLA Format
- Participate effectively in classwork and discussions by posing and responding to essential questions.
- Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard academic English.
- Collaborate productively in whole group, small group and partner settings.
Mastery Rubric
Students will be given scores on assignments within each Learning Target based on a 4 Point Rubric
4 Point Rubric Description
4 - Mastery Complete and detailed understanding, above grade level, and beyond what has been taught
3 - Proficiency Considerable understanding at grade level of what has been taught
2 - Basic Some understanding, but just below grade level
1 - Limited Little understanding or demonstration of what has been taught
0 - Inconclusive Student has not shown ability or teacher cannot determine student’s ability
Notes about Mastery Grading
- Students class grades are based solely around student performance on learning targets.
- What do they know?
- What can they demonstrate?
- Students are graded on a median of their scores, not an average.
- What score to they have the most of in each Learning Target?
- Emphasis is placed on the process involved in producing work, not just the final product
- Extra credit is not offered, but students can re-submit most assignments for higher scores.
- Mastery learning provide opportunities for enrichment for students who require a challenge, and continued support for those who are struggling to meet proficiency.
- Marking period grades reflect the progress that students have made. If a student has struggled at the beginning, but then mastered a learning target, the grade they get will reflect that mastery.
- Students receive a Mastery Score for each Learning Target.
- Final Grades will reflect the median of the Mastery Scores.
- No more points, no more percentages, no more averages.
- Students and parents are expected to use Schoology to monitor their own progress.
Grade Equivalencies
This is how scores are transferred to a letter grade.
3.5 to 4 = A
3.2 to 3.4 = B
2.9 to 3.1 = C
1.8 to 2.8 = D
below 1.8 = F
How FINAL GRADES are determined
A
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Mastery Complete and detailed understanding, above grade level, and beyond what has been taught and apply them in a variety of situations.
Mostly 3.5’s. No 2’s, 1’s, in any target.
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B
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Approaching Mastery Considerable understanding at grade level of what has been taught.
Mostly scores above 3. No 1’s in any target.
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C
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Proficiency Understanding and applying what has been taught at grade level
Mostly 3s. No 1’s.
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D
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Basic Limited understanding or demonstration of what has been taught. Some understanding, but just below grade level.
Mostly 2’s.
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F
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Inconclusive Student has not shown ability or teacher cannot determine student’s ability
Mostly 1s, with a few higher scores.
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Click below for a tool students and parents can use to check your current grade. Focus on the MASTERY SCORES for each learning Target.