Franklin Middle School

A. General guidelines

The primary purpose for grading is to provide feedback to parents and students on the achievement of learning goals. In the Kenmore-Tonawanda UFSD, Middle School course report card grades are to be represented numerically for all course work in grades 6, 7, & 8. To reflect the transition from elementary school to high school, and to provide students with multiple opportunities for success, fifty-five (55) is the lowest grade that will be reported. If a grade earned is lower, a teacher comment will accompany the fifty-five (55) grade on the report card denoting an “actual grade less than 55”.

Course report card grades are based on in-class performance tasks (assessments, projects, assignments, and classroom participation), homework, responsibility, and in some instances, additional discretionary components. Each department will work with the Department Chair in conjunction with the Curriculum Learning Specialist to develop specific and consistent weights for each component, to be shared with parents and students. The following general guidelines have been established for the weighting of each of these components in formulating a grade:

1. Performance Tasks (assessments, projects, assignments - quantitative) – At least 70
2. Homework (assigned work completed outside of the classroom) – Not to exceed 15%
3. Responsibility (preparation for class) – Not to Exceed 15%
4. Discretionary (any component in excess of the other established categories) – Not to exceed 15%

Comments relating to student participation in class, attitude toward work, thoroughness in preparation, or completion of homework assignments may additionally be selected by a teacher to appear on the report card. The addition of comments is recommended but not mandatory for each student. (Exception must be noted for the comment denoting a grade lower than 55, if applicable.)

Make-up Procedures - Incomplete Grades

Every effort should be made for a student to make-up work as soon as possible when returning to school from an absence or series of absences. If a student fails to complete a significant number of performance and/or homework tasks due to absence or other extraordinary circumstances, a grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned with administrative approval. If the necessary performance and/or homework tasks are not complete by the end of the following marking period, the report card grade will revert to the earned numeric grade. In the final marking period, an Incomplete (I) will revert to the earned numeric grade if not complete by a date agreed upon by the teacher and administrator.

B. Grading System

Teachers will work cooperatively with the Department Chair in conjunction with the Curriculum Learning Specialist, and the members of each department to develop standard weights within the guidelines of this policy. It is important that the formula adopted be fair, explainable, and reflective of a student’s accomplishments. The following table may be of assistance when explaining numeric grade equivalents to parents and students.

Calculating the Final Average

A final course grade will be determined by averaging the quarterly grades: four (4) marking periods for a full-year course, and two (2) marking periods for a half-year course.

Middle School students take several New York State Assessments beginning in January and ending in June. These assessments (with the exception of NYS Regents Exams in accelerated courses) are not used in grade computation. In a course where a final examination is given, the exam will account for twenty percent (20%) of the final quarterly grade.

A student taking an accelerated (high school) course will have four (4) quarterly numeric grades. The NYS Regents (or final) Exam is added to these grades and divided by five (5) to determine the final course grade.

C. Promotion

A student must achieve a final average of at least sixty-five (65) to pass a course.

If a student fails to attain at least a sixty-five (65) average in one of the following courses: Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, or Grade 6 Reading; it will be strongly recommended that he or she participate in the Kenmore-Tonawanda UFSD Middle School Summer School Program.

If a student fails to attain at least a sixty-five (65) average in more than one (1) of the following courses: Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, or Grade 6 Reading; he or she will not be promoted* to the next grade-level.

*A student recommended for non-promotion may attend the Kenmore-Tonawanda UFSD Middle School Summer School Program for up to two (2) courses, and may be promoted to the next grade level if the conditions for promotion as set forth in this policy are met at the conclusion of the Summer School Program.

Student academic performance in Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS), Health, Computers, Technology, Art, Music, Physical Education, and Languages Other Than English (LOTE) will be factored in determining eligibility for grade-level promotion.

An administrative review of placement, promotion, and/or retention will be conducted for any student who does not meet the established criteria for grade-level promotion.