Assignment Grading

Assignments are typically evaluated according to our EPNU scale:

  • Exceeds Proficiency: Goes substantially beyond the requirements for Proficient in regards to depth, breadth, or quality.

  • Proficient: Meets the specific defined requirements of the assignment.

  • Not Yet: Does not meet all requirements for proficiency.

  • Unassessable: No assessable evidence of learning has been provided.

 

Regardless of where a student is evaluated, we endeavor to provide specific feedback on how their work can be further improved or what the next steps of learning may be for the student.


 

Final Grades

The traditional ABCDF grading scale is familiar to everyone, but is less helpful than we often assume. If a student earned a B in math, what do you know about how well that student understands the math from that course? That B may mean the student understands all of the material perfectly but does not complete their homework. Or, it may mean their understanding is not very good, but they work quite hard. Or, any number of different combinations. As a result, we at ILHS are trying to find new ways to evaluate students and to report their skills and abilities, such as the mastery transcript.

 

We are actively advocating for final course grades that consistently and accurately reflect students’ learning. Until we can get state policy changed, however, we must report final grades using traditional letter grades. While we are still working to find the most accurate way to translate our course proficiencies into the traditional grading system, these general ideas are guiding our work:

  • A student who exceeds proficiency in a course earns an A on their traditional transcript. Earning an A at ILHS often requires a little more work or a demonstration of deeper learning than is typical at a traditional high school.

  • A student who is proficient in a course earns a B on their traditional transcript. This can be challenging for students who are used to getting even higher grades for just completing the required work in a traditional class.

  • Students who have not yet met proficiency in a course earn a C, D, or NC (no credit), depending on their distance from proficiency.