[multigrade]

Does your private school use letter grades for young students or a number system, etc?

Our K uses numbers 1, 2 or 3. This year, the school board allowed me to use S, N, and U for the first half of 1st grade, but I had to go to letter grades after Christmas because we have a new rule that a child must have a C in Reading and Math to promote to the next grade.

With our curriculum, a C in reading (in 1st grade) is struggling, not satisfactory. A 'B' is more 'average'. I hope to go to the school board next month to talk about this problem.

What does your school do?

[scootertalks]

1st grade starts letter grades, but not all the teachers grade the same way. In the upper elementary grades, we grade at what level they are supposed to be in--if they're a 4th grader, they are taught/graded in the 4th grade curriculum. BUT, the lower elementary grades feel that kids should be taught/graded at what level they are at---a first grader could be getting an A in reading, even though they are reading in the Kindergarten curriculum. It is noted on their report card that they are reading in a lower curriculum, but they are still considered a 1st grader and passed on, even though they only read in the K curriculum!

Sooo, I'm the wrong person to ask about this and sorry I jumped on your post Grading is such a touchy subject. The way it is done at our school is causing major issues when these 3rd graders move up (to 4th) and have only read in the 2nd grade curriculum. (We have the same issues in math) Again, sorry for jumping on your post, just had to get it out.

[QueenBee2011]

This is so interesting. I teach fourth grade and we use a 1-4 grading system. Letter grades don't even start until fifth grade. I think you are right to talk about this with your school board. I believe that the public schools in my state don't even give letter grades until fourth grade. I think the grade of an A should mean Exemplary. B should be Good and a C should be average.

[sweetsong32]

Yes, we use letter grades in all grade levels.

Although, Kindergarten does not start grading until the 2nd 6-weeks of school.

Our grading scale:

100 to 90 A
89 to 80 B
79 to 70 C
69 and below F

Students have to have a C in both Math and Language to be promoted to the next grade level.

[multigrade]

Thanks, all.
Scootertalks, I'd be upset, too.

[bells4me]

It use to be that C was average. Now it is definitely a B. But grades are very subjective. It depends on the tests/papers and how the teacher grades.
In our school, the K-2 gets S, U, I(improving) upper grades get letter grades 94-100=A 86-93=B etc.
Parents want their child to have all A's or S. They don't understand that a child is learning and B's are perfectly fine.
I tell my parents that if the child is earning an S in my class that means that is they keep on this path, they will earn B's and A's in the upper grades.

I do put a letter and percent on test papers to help the parents with the transition.

[multigrade]

It use to be that C was average. Now it is definitely a B.

Interesting....I can see this.
Thanks.