What Parents Need to Know!

What Parents Need to Know!

LCPS is committed to quality assessment and grading practices whereby all teachers can design assessments that align with standards and provide feedback to improve student learning.

Loudoun County Public Schools is continuing to implement its web-based, integrated instructional management system called CLARITY.

Assessment of student learning is an essential component of the teaching and learning process.

Quality assessment involves timely feedback embedded in the learning experience.

Assessments are linked to standards within content areas. Quality assessment ensures that students are involved in and

parents are informed of the process. Grades reflect student mastery, multiple efforts, and student

growth within a grade level or subject area. Learning progressions are available for use as scaffolds for

learning and instruction.

Assessment: The methods, strategies and tools used to measure and determine the extent to which students have learned content, concepts and skills.

Three types of assessments: Diagnostic Formative Summative

Diagnostic Assessment: Assessment occurring PRIOR to learning that is used by teachers to identify the source of a student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Formative Assessment: Assessment occurring DURING the learning that is used by teachers to adapt their instruction and used by students to determine their current progress.

Summative Assessment: Assessment occurring AFTER the learning that documents how much learning has occurred at a point in time.

Standards: a set of minimum learning expectations defined by VDOE;

Unpacking a standard: occurs when a teacher breaks down the big concepts into smaller units to focus on one specific component of learning.

Learning Target (LT): A Learning Target is a “specific” statement of what the students should know, understand, or be able to do for an unpacked component of the standard.

To communicate to students/parents thatassignments, assessments and grades aretied to intended learning (standards, learning targets).

Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd

Grade Progress Indicators

E = Exceeds StandardM = Meets StandardP = Progressing Towards StandardB = Performing Below Standard

1st and 2nd Grade:Key for Characteristics That Affect LearningO = OutstandingS = SatisfactoryN = Needs Improvement

Kindergarten:Key for Characteristics That Affect LearningS = SatisfactoryN = Needs Improvement

X: Indicates that student is exempt from the assignment; Does not inform letter grade; Does not inform report card topic statements;

Z: Indicates that student did not turn in the assignment Will inform the letter grade; Does not inform report card topic statements;

Formative and summative assessments inform the report card topic statements

Report Card Topic Statements listed beneath each content area on the report card; describe the essential knowledge or desired student behaviors

expected at each grade level; provide parents with a clearer understanding of what your

child knows and is able to do;

If a topic statement is not assessed during a quarter, a dot (•) will be inserted into the cell.

Report Card Topic Statements(Grades K-2)

All assignments (formative and summative) linked to an SOL, regardless of weight, factor into the topic statements.

All Virginia Standards of Learning feed into report card topic statements.

The use of a standards-aligned report card communicates more clearly to parents and students their progress based on the skills and concepts to be mastered.

Rubrics and Learning Targets:

• provide students with clear goals;• allow them to be able to articulate the expectation;

and• compare their progress relative to the standard.

Standard of Learning (SOL) Mathematics 2.1; Learning targets: 2.1 The student will read, write, and identify the place value of each digit in a 3-digit numeral, using numeration models; round two-digit numbers to the nearest ten ; compare two whole numbers between 0 and 999, using symbols (>, <, or =) and words (greater than, less than, or equal to).

Assignments/Assessments will be posted in CLARITY as assigned;

Three types of assignments in CLARITY: Diagnostic Formative Summative▪ All summative assignments will include a rubric;

Summative: will be weighted 1

Formative: weighted zero

Diagnostic: weighted zero May include homework; Homework is not graded;

All assignments will include a standard descriptor:

S – Geography Test – Continents.▪ S = Summative(All summative assessments inform the report card topic statements)

D – DRA scores▪ D = Diagnostic

F – Draft writing assignment▪ F = Formative(All formative assessments inform the report card topic statements)

Grades and scores will updated at least every 10 instructional days;

Student papers will have a 1-4 indicator; consistent with CLARITY;

All summative assessments will have the opportunity for a level 4;

Opportunity for retesting;

Comments;

Complete the Access Request Form and return to the school office (found on website);

Parents will receive Information Verification (PIV) which will include CLARITY portal login address;

Access is limited to primary contact within Student Information System;

Portal will close in June;

Security Requires student ID and provided password; Change password; DO NOT SHARE

Help If access information is lost or forgotten, call school

office. You will need:▪ Student number▪ Child’s first and last name▪ Street address

Parent Portal Initial View

Class Reports

Student Assignment Report

Student Missing Assignment

Options

Elementary Email Notification options:Parents have the ability to receive email notifications as often as daily based on the data in their child's courses. The reports they can receive include:

•Grade Summary•Student Assignments•Automatic Grade Notification - notifies the parent when a quarter/course grade falls

above or below a point level.

Portal opens January 22, 2013 for parents of students in grades K-2;

Questions? Please call the office