Grading Students with Disabilities
“Real" Math or “Creative” Math
by
Cathy Sartain
Cathy Sartain Industries LLC
832.465.6825
cathysartainindustries.com
For additional information, contact Cathy Sartain at [email protected] or 832.465.6825
Top 10 Points to Ponder
In
Establishing Grading Practices for Students with Disabilities
1. Grades should be meaningful. Grades for students with disabilities
should communicate progress in content in the same manner as grades
for students without disabilities
2. Grades should be fair. When determining how to grade students with
disabilities, consideration should be given to any disability related
need(s) that may impact the ability to follow district grading policies and
procedures.
3. Grades should be equitable. Students with disabilities must also
demonstrate academic achievement and that academic achievement is
reflected in the grade (ALL students must work for their grades!)
4. Decisions on grading should be discussed AND documented in the IEP. These are
the 3 D’s of grading: discuss, decide and document.
5. IEP Team considerations for determination of appropriate grading decisions
should be based on 1) curriculum expectations, 2) place of instructions, 3)
disability-related needs, and 4) what is a meaningful measure of progress
6. Report cards are not the same as IEP Progress Reports. The report card
communicates progress in the entire scope of the curriculum that the student is
responsible for learning. The IEP Progress Report communicates progress
towards attainment of an annual goal. Think of the analogy of a piece of fruit
(IEP Progress Report) and a fruit salad (Report Card).
For additional information, contact Cathy Sartain at [email protected] or 832.465.6825
7. Students with disabilities are NOT guaranteed a passing grade of 70. Students
with disabilities must 1) have an appropriate IEP and 2) all responsible parties
must implement the IEP. If both of those conditions are met, and the student is
making a failing grade that are not disability-related, then the student may
receive that failing grade.
8. Students with disabilities can have grades that are weighted differently, for
class ranking purposes, as long as the district is determining weights of
individual courses based on the rigor of the course content and not on a
student’s special education status.
9. Report cards can contain asterisks or other symbols to indicate to parents an
exception to the generally applicable grading scale. This is not the case with
Transcripts!
10. Grades for students with disabilities CANNOT be based solely on effort.
According to TEC § 28.0216, a district shall adopt a grading policy each year
that:
Must require a teacher to assign a grade that reflects a student’s
relative mastery of an assignment
May not require an assignment of a minimum grade without
regard to quality of work
May allow a reasonable opportunity to make up or redo
assignments and tests a student has failed
In other words, districts should be making purposeful decisions about how to grade
students with disabilities. The decisions need to:
Be individualized
Be based on disability-related needs
Be documented in the IEP
Result in meaningful and authentic grades
Be implemented
For additional information, contact Cathy Sartain at [email protected] or 832.465.6825
Table Talk
Identifying Concerns and Creating Solutions
Concerns Causes Solutions
Subjects: ( as discussed) __Eng __Rdg __Math __Sci
__SS __Other_____
NOTE: IEP progress reports will be completed on students with disabilities concurrent with the issuance of report cards. The district Special Services Grading Guidance Manual provides further assistance in selection of grading options and ARD Committee documentation. However, it is the ARD Committee that makes all IEP decisions based on individual student need.
2010 Cathy Sartain Industries, LLC
Sample 12:Decision-Making Guide for Determining Grades XXXX ISD
Department of Special Services
When determining grading options for each subject area, consider the following:
Impact of student's disability on involvement and progress in the same curriculum as nondisabled students
ARD/IEP discussion of PLAAFP, goals, accommodations and/or modifications, assessment decision, other specialized supports, and instructional setting
Each content area
IF: THEN:
Curriculum Expectations
Instructional Setting
State Assessment
HS Graduation Options
* Grading Options ARD Documentation
TEKS
Grade level TEKS with or without accommodations
General Education and/or Special Education
STAAR STAAR L TAKS - High School only
Distinguished, Recommended, or Minimum AND pass state assessment, OR
Minimum AND participate in state
assessment
1. District policies, or 2. District policies with
grading accommodationsa
1. Go to Alter Assignment Screen, write Follow District Policies/Procedures
2. Determine appropriate grading accommodation, go to Alter Assignment Screen, describe accommodation, using Notes section if needed
TEKS Modified
Grade level TEKS with modifications Student meets all 3 Participation Requirements (PRs) for modified assessment (grades 3-11)
General Education and/or Special Education
STAAR Modified TAKS Modified – High School only
Minimum only, AND one from below:
A. participate in state assessment B. successful completion of IEP C. demonstrate employability, self
help skills or access agency services
1. District policies, or 2. District policies with grading accommodations
a
and/or 3. Alternate grading system
b
1. Go to Alter Assignment Screen, write: Follow District Policies/Procedures 2. Determine appropriate grading accommodation, go to Alter Assignment Screen, describe accommodation, using Notes section if needed 3. Determine appropriate rubric, go to Alter Assignment Screen, write See Attached Rubric
TEKS Essence
Grade level TEKS based on Essence Statements, pre-requisite skills, and independent living skills Student meets all 5 PR’s for alternate assessment (grades 3-11)
General Education and/or Special Education
STAAR Alternate
Minimum only, AND one from below:
A. participate in state assessment B. successful completion of IEP C. demonstrate employability, self
help skills or access agency services, OR
No longer meets age eligibility and has completed IEP requirements
2. District policies with grading accommodations
a
and/or 3. Alternate grading system
b
4. Progress noted through IEP goals and objectives in lieu of report card
c
2. Determine appropriate grading accommodation, go to Alter Assignment Screen, describe accommodation, using Notes section if needed 3. Determine appropriate rubric, go to Alter Assignment Screen, write See Attached Rubric
4. Go to Alter Assignment Screen, write See Notes, give explanation of rationale
*Taking a modified assessment in any content area will result in Minimum Graduation Plan
a Grading accommodations DO NOT substantially change performance criteria of course content. (Examples: Grades determined from work completed in class, etc.) 2 b Alternate grading systems DO substantially change performance criteria and grade student on individual levels of performance. (Examples: rubrics, etc.) c The ARD committee determines that the IEP progress report is the most appropriate measure of academic progress, and student will not receive a report card. This option is only available for students in PPCD-5
th grade that are in a self-contained classroom and whose curriculum is defined by the goals and objectives specified in the IEP. A staffing with special services supervisory staff is required prior
to selection of this option.
Subjects: ( as discussed) __Eng __Rdg
__Math __Sci
__ SS __Other ___
2010 Cathy Sartain Industries, LLC
Sample 9: XXX ISD Guidance for Selection of Grading Accommodations
Option “a” from Decision-Making Guide for
Determining Grades
Students with disabilities will be graded in accordance with XXX ISD grading policies and procedures unless otherwise determined by an ARD committee. Any variation to the district guidelines must be documented in the IEP and based on the student’s disability-related needs.
Grading accommodations do not substantially change the performance criteria of the course content. Examples of grading accommodations are outlined below. These are listed as examples only, not an exhaustive list.
Rationale for Grading Accommodation
(Refer to FIE and PLAAFP)
Type of Grading Accommodation
ARD Documentation
Disability Related Needs: Major Grades Examples:
Deficits in long-term retrieval
Deficits in attending for long periods of time
Deficits in attention and concentration
Deficits in acquiring basic knowledge
Deficits in specific academic skills (i.e., LD in reading comprehension, math calculation)
Significant test anxiety
Deficits in cognitive processing speed
Deficits in cognitive processing
Deficits in abilities to initiate and complete tasks
Deficits in fine or gross motor functioning
Deficits in abilities to organize materials
Benchmarks/checkpoint
Unit tests
Six Week tests
Semester tests
Projects
Notebook/Binder check
Lab/Group project
Student’s average will consist of __major grades and __minor grades.
Student’s average will be based on __% for major tests and __% for minor grades.
Additional points will be given for corrections on missed test items.
When an alternative assignment is used in lieu of a test, lab, or group project, as specified in student’s instructional accommodations, the grade count same % as original test.
Points will not be deducted for spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors except when assessing those skills.
Major grades will count as daily grade.
Semester exams will be weighted __% of final grade.
Drop __ of lowest test grades for each grading period.
Student’s major tests will not include essay or short answer questions and will match EOC requirements.
Benchmarks are not required as major test grade.
Teacher and/or student will schedule to re-test/make-up test.
No penalty for make-up test completed within __days.
Minor Grades
Daily assignments
Homework Quizzes Lab/Group work
No penalty to grade for classroom __notebook check; __warm-up activity.
Grades will be determined from work completed in class.
When an alternative assignment is used in lieu of a written assignment, lab, or group work, as specified in student’s instructional accommodations, the grade will count same % as original assignment.
Drop __lowest; __daily; __homework grade(s) per grading period.
Teacher and/or student will schedule to re-do/make-up assignments.
No penalty for make-up work completed within __days.
Math Fluency Probes will __not count as grade; __be graded on number of problems completed within the time limit.
Subject: ☐ ELAR ☐ Math ☐Science ☐Social Studies ☐Other, ________
2010 Cathy Sartain Industries, LLC
Sample 13: Grading Rubric for Students on Modified or Alternate Curriculum in the General Education Setting
This rubric may be used with students who are receiving instruction on a modified or alternate curriculum and who are being assessed
on modified or alternate achievement standards in a general education setting.
Criterion 4 3 2 1
Transitions
Appropriately moves from
one activity to another with
limited to no assistance
Appropriately moves from
one activity to another with
limited assistance
May move from one activity
to another with assistance or
guidance
Refuses to move from one
activity to another with
assistance or guidance
Participation and Effort
Actively engaged; stays in
chair and/or work area;
stays on task and
participates with limited or
no disruptions
Adequately engaged; stays in
chair and/or work area; often
participates and has minimal
off-task behavior and
disruptions; responds to
redirection
Minimally engaged; partially
stays in chair and/or work
area; some effort to
complete task or participate;
somewhat disruptive
behavior but responds to
redirection
Not engaged; out of
chair/work area; little or no
effort to complete task or
participate; is disruptive
and rarely responds to
redirection
Communication
Consistently verbalizes in
an appropriate manner to
express wants, needs,
emotions and thoughts with
limited to no assistance
With guidance, consistently
attempts to verbalize in an
appropriate manner to express
wants, needs, emotions and
thoughts with some assistance
Rarely verbalizes or
communicates wants, needs,
emotions and thoughts
Inappropriately verbalizes
or communicates wants,
needs, emotions and
thoughts
Completion of Assignment
Completes from 76% to
100% of class/subject
assignments
Completes from 51% to 75%
of class/subject assignments
Completes from 26% to 50%
of class/subject assignments
Does not complete any
assignments
Academics
Response Mode:
W-Written
Ve-Verbal
P-Physical
Vi-Visual
The student demonstrates a
beginning awareness of
TEKS based content
demonstrated by
involvement in an activity
with a teacher or peer 4 of 5
attempts.
__
The student is beginning to
develop a beginning
awareness of TEKS based
content demonstrated by
involvement in an activity
with a teacher or peer 3 of 5
attempts.
__
The student’s beginning
awareness of TEKS based
content is emerging as
demonstrated through
involvement in an activity
with a teacher or peer 2 of 5
attempts.
__
The student does not
demonstrate a beginning
awareness of the TEKS
based content presented.
__
Total
Comments: Raw Score: ___________/20
Converted % Score: ___________%
Sample 12: STAAR-Alternate
Academic Grading Rubric
Complexity Level Three
Student Name: Date:
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Subject: Essence Statement:
Activity:
Verb: ______________ Presentation of Supports and Materials Provided: Verbal/Auditory Physical Visual
Criterion 4 3 2 1 0
Academics The student demonstrates
mastery of TEKS based
content by applying
knowledge to answer
questions/complete tasks
using a variety of materials.
The student demonstrates an
understanding of TEKS based
content by applying
knowledge to answer
questions/complete tasks 4 of
5 opportunities.
The student is beginning to
understand TEKS based
content by applying
knowledge to answer
questions/complete tasks 3 of 5
opportunities.
The student demonstrates
emergent understanding of
TEKS based content by
applying knowledge to
answer questions/complete
tasks 2 of 5 opportunities.
The student does not
understand TEKS based
content and cannot apply
knowledge to answer
questions/complete tasks
Response Mode:
Verbal
Physical
Visual
Participation
The student demonstrates
the ability to maintain
participation throughout the
task/activity.
The student demonstrates the
ability to maintain
participation with minimal (1-
2) redirection throughout the
task/activity.
The student demonstrates the
ability to maintain participation
but required moderate
redirection (3-5) during activity
.
The student was able to
partially maintain
participation but required
significant redirection (>5).
The student was unable to
participate enough to
complete the activity.
Cueing and
Prompting
The student correctly
completed the task without
cueing or prompting.
The student chose the correct
answer with minimal cueing
(1-2) during the task/activity.
The student chose the correct
answer but required prompting
(1-2) during the task/activity.
The student chose the correct
answer but required
significant (>2) cueing and
prompting.
The student was unable to
choose the correct answer
with/without significant
cueing and prompting.
Total
Comments:
Raw Score: _________ X2 = _________/24 = ________
Converted % Score: _________________