On the evening of December 10, 2019, the Target-Based Grading (TBG) Committee met at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Administration building of Norfolk Public Schools for the second time. The committee met previously on 11/19/2019. This committee consists of school board members, teachers, guidance counselors, district administration, principals, parents, and students. The agenda for the evening included a focus on the role of homework and its current exclusion from the final grading calculation; as well as, the implementation timeline of target-based grading in future semesters.
Mrs. Beth Nelson, NPS Director of Teaching and Learning, shared with the committee that prior to the 2019-2020 school year, the guideline for final grade calculation was based on 30% formative work (homework/daily work/quizzes) and 70% summative work (tests, labs, final projects). Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, that equation was changed in connection with the district’s research completed by a Homework Ad Hoc Committee in 2018-2019 and additional studies on target-based grading. The current administrative rule states that homework, daily practice and/or quizzes are assigned, collected, and reviewed with feedback provided to students. Those scores are entered into Infinite Campus but not calculated in the final report card grade. In a pure target-based grading environment, formative work (quizzes/homework/daily work) is considered practice and a time for students to learn. Beginning August 2019, the report card grade calculation was changed to reflect 100% solely on summative scores (tests, final projects, labs, etc).
After district administration received parent and student feedback indicating some challenges and concerns regarding homework not being calculated in a final course grade, they established a TBG committee to review the concerns and challenges more closely. In addition, district administration surveyed NPS K-12 teachers for their input regarding formative and summative scoring and shared those details with the TBG Committee. In small groups, committee members discussed the two agenda topics and reported back to the large group with recommendations.
The first topic discussed by the committee was the inclusion of formative grading in the final course calculation. Although the TBG Committee recommended that formative work (homework/daily work/quizzes) be put back into the final grade calculation, they agreed that administration needed to carefully consider the information from staff surveys and work with teachers to make appropriate adjustments at grade levels/course levels. They also agreed that there should not be any midyear changes of grading. The recommendation was to finish the current school year with grading consistency to support equity of grading calculations of first and second semester as well as allow for proper time to make appropriate and consistent changes.
The second topic discussed by the committee was TBG timeline implementation. Current pilots, future pilots or expansion of pilots were discussed. Although there were slight variances in recommendations, the committee had an obvious consensus regarding grades K-6 and 7-12. A large majority felt that target-based grading should proceed in grades K-6. In regards to grades 7-12, they recommended NPS slow down to allow for more time to establish a conversion chart for GPA, increase communication with parents and students, and establish stronger consistency of grading and reassessment practices amongst courses and teachers. The committee also recommended the continuation of all current piloting courses throughout the end of the current school year.
The TBG Committee concluded their discussions and dismissed at 7:30 p.m. with plans to meet again in February 2020 after the NPS Conversion Chart Committee has developed more specific information to be shared.
After the meeting, Superintendent, Dr. Jami Jo Thompson stated, “I am excited by the commitment of the people on this committee. Their desire for student success is proven in their dedication of being here during the busy month of December. There were teaching professionals, parents, and students all together in this room tonight working with a passion to help NPS create the best learning environment possible to ensure our graduates are ready to pursue their goals for the future. Everyone has taken an opportunity to share their honest feedback with the group and participate in open dialogue. Our community should be very proud. We could not ask for anything better for our public school system than invested stakeholders.”
Norfolk Public Schools would like to thank the committee members for their time and commitment to the success of our students. Additional information on Target-Based Grading can be found on the school’s website or contact Mrs. Beth Nelson, Director of Teaching and Learning, at bethnelson@npsne.org or 402-644-2500.
