Grading of Students with Disabilities
All students with disabilities must be assigned a grade utilizing the Kyrene School District Student Report Card. Performance checks (K- 3 only) and letter grades shall be based upon mastery of the Arizona Standards, achievement of individual education plan (IEP) goals, or a combination of both IEP goals and AZ Standards.
Report card comment codes such as #11 and #24 should be used to communicate that modifications and/or accommodations were used. Other codes may be used as appropriate.
For those students who do not access the general education curriculum, an explanation of the report card system used is as follows:
A – indicates that the student has demonstrated excellent achievement of the IEP goals and additional classroom instructional objectives
B - indicates that the student has demonstrated good, but not outstanding, achievement of the IEP goals and additional classroom instructional objectives
C - indicates that the student has demonstrated satisfactory achievement of the IEP goals and additional classroom instructional objectives
D - indicates that the student has demonstrated a minimal acceptable level of mastery of the IEP goals and additional classroom instructional objectives
F - indicates that the student has not demonstrated an acceptable level of performance of the IEP goals and additional classroom objectives
In order for a grade of an “F” to be given, the teacher should address the following issues:
- Has an “Interim/Unsatisfactory Progress Report” been sent to the parent?
- Have the student’s parents been notified and involved in documented conferences regarding the student’s problems?
- Are the instructional strategies, techniques, curriculum content, and classroom assignments employed in the instructional program appropriate for the student’s abilities?
- Are the goals and objectives on the IEP appropriate for the documented levels of performance?
- Is a behavior intervention plan in operation in the classroom for those instances when effort and/or conduct are hindering the student’s mastery of skills necessary for meeting the goals?
The Arizona School Board Association (ASBA) as delineated in I-6700, IKA, Grading/Assessment Systems, that -
- A district-developed grading system will be utilized.
- Teachers will keep a careful record of the grades assigned to students.
- Written report to the parents concerning student achievement will be made every nine weeks by the teacher, and additional written reports will be made when necessary.
- Teachers will confer with parents when necessary concerning academic progress and discipline of students.
- Teachers will report to parents on students’ conduct, scholarship, and attendance, or excessive tardiness.
In regards to Special Education, the ASBA specifies that –
- Grades reporting achievement of special education student not taking regular education classes shall be given on a basis commensurate with the students’ abilities and based on their individual progress rather that in competition with classmates. The permanent record cards for such students shall indicate enrollment in special education for those classes.
- Parent of special education students shall be counseled regarding the significance of the grading system in order to avoid misinterpretation of the achievement grade.