The ISBE Remote Learning Recommendations ask Illinois schools to avoid lowering student grades earned before the outbreak of COVD-19. This article describes what Illinois schools can do today to comply with this recommendation while we implement software changes.
Please bookmark this article. We will update it as more functionality is available.
The gradebook solutions available today depend on whether you use traditional or standards-based grading systems.
Traditional Gradebook Grades
To implement a solution that provides the ability to grade assignments without impacting the grade calculation, teachers can create a category with zero weight. Assignments assigned to a zero-weight category can be graded, but will have no impact on the overall gradebook grade.
Teachers who have never used categories before should first create a category with a weight of 1. All existing assignments will automatically be assigned to this category because it will be the only category that exists. Afterward, create a second category with a weight of 0. Any new assignments that should be created without affecting students’ overall grades should be added to this zero-weight category.
Teachers who have already used categories in the past can simply add the new zero-weight category. Assignments assigned to the new zero-weight category will not affect the grade; whereas, assignments assigned to other categories will be included in the grade calculation exactly as they were prior to adding the zero category.
Read the following KB for instructions about creating categories:
Additionally, TeacherEase allows teachers to create complete/not complete assignments instead of assignments graded by points, regular letter grades, etc. Giving this assignment zero points and assigning it to the zero-weight category will not affect a student’s assignment grade nor overall gradebook grade.
To create a complete/not complete assignment:
- Go to Instructor Main > Assignments > Create Assignment
- Set the grading options as follows:
When entering student grades, they will look as follows:
Notice the zero column is not affected by the complete/not complete assignment that is assigned to the zero category.
Standards-Based Gradebook Grades
Teachers who keep standards-based scores can create formative assignments that do not affect the gradebook standards-based grade. Formative assignments monitor student progress, however, are not factored into the student gradebook grades.
Read the following article for instructions about formative assignments:
Report Card Grades
There are two solutions for report card grades.
The first solution would be to set the weight for Q4 to zero when calculating Sem#2 or Final report card grades. This way Q4 will not affect report card grades.
To set the default weight of Q4 to zero:
- Go to Admin Main > Grading Periods
- Edit Q4
- Set the weight to 0 (zero)
- Save
The second solution is to use Pass/Incomplete special grade codes when entering Q4 report card grades. The Admins can set up the special grade codes, and teachers can enter them for any class.
Special grade codes do not factor into GPA, but they can be marked to give credits to students and can indicate passing or not passing the class.
To check the current special grade codes
- Go to Admin Main > Grade Reporting > Special Grade Codes
Sample special grade codes setup
Read the following KB for instructions: