Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions for

Proficiency-Based Progress Reports in JumpRope

 

At Yamhill Carlton Intermediate and High School, teachers translate the state standards into proficiency statements.  These proficiency statements indicate exactly what students should know and be able to do in each academic content area.  Overall course grades have a letter grade next to them.  By clicking on each proficiency statement, students and parents can view progress reports that give more detailed information and show you and your child exactly what must be mastered in order to improve overall course grades.  Below are answers to a few frequently asked questions.  If you have further questions, please feel free to call the school.

My child did all of their work.  Why is his or her grade so low?

Scores are determined based on the level of proficiency demonstrated, not just by completing work.  While your child may have completed work, they may have to revise it in order to demonstrate high levels of proficiency.  Many standards require work over time to develop proficiency, so some scores may be lower in the beginning as students work toward mastery of a particular skill.

 

Why can’t I access the gradebook from my phone?

Here is a message from JumpRope:  Currently the mobile app is only working on iOS 7+ devices. We are working hard to have an Android version ready (we previously had a beta but have a few upgrades we need to make before it's ready for everyone. There are some steps you may need to take to enable the mobile app, with more instructions here (again, Android version is temporarily unavailable)

 

How are proficiency scores calculated for a particular Proficiency Statement?

Decaying average is the way that proficiency scores are calculated in JumpRope.  Every time a new assessment for a proficiency statement is entered, the previous assessments “decay” in value by 2/3 or 66%.  This means that the more assessments that are entered for a standard, the less each previous assessment is worth.  The most recent assessments are worth the most, because they reflect a student’s current level of proficiency for that standard.  As an example, if 4 assessments are entered for a proficiency statement, the first assessment is only worth a weight of 0.3 whereas the most recent assessment has a weight of 1.0.

When should my student be “proficient” on a standard?

Students are expected to master some proficiencies quickly (like a two week unit on adding and subtracting decimals), whereas other standards take a long time to master (like certain writing skills).  The best way to know if your student should be proficient “now” or if it is expected for your student to take a while to reach proficiency, is to ask their teacher.  Encourage your student to ask this type of question in class and to bring home information the teacher may give out.

 

What is a passing grade?

Passing means getting credit for a course, which is not determined until the end of the semester.   The purpose of a progress report like this one is not to determine whether a student is passing or not, but instead to give students and parents clear feedback on what they are learning and how well they are progressing towards mastery of learning targets.  Scores of 3 or 4 mean that students are meeting or exceeding expectations, while scores of M, 1, or 2 indicate that a student needs to keep working towards mastery on those learning targets.

What do the colored bars mean? 
Green: 3.0- 4.0 The student is Proficient or Exceeding in that assessment,proficiency statement, or course. 
Yellow:2.0- 2.99 The student is Approaching in that assessment, proficiency statement, or course. They need some more practice in that area. Contact the student's teacher.
Red:1-1.99 The student is Not Proficient in that assessment, proficiency statement, or course. They need extensive support in that area. Contact the student's teacher as soon as possible. 

Why is the progress report so long?

This progress report contains specific information from all of your child’s teachers and gives specific feedback for each proficiency statement.  This allows students to see their strengths and determine next steps to achieve mastery.

Why do gradebooks vary by teacher?

As always, there are many reasons why gradebooks may vary by teachers.  Some learning targets can be mastered in one marking period and some are designed to be mastered over the course of the term.  In each case, there will be additional opportunities to demonstrate mastery of the learning target.

What does this look like when it comes to my transcript?  What will colleges see?

For YCHS students, the course grade you see next to the overall proficiency score for each course will eventually become the course grade that is posted to transcripts at the end of the term.  For details of how course grades are determined, see the YC Grade Conversion Guide.

How do I get on the honor roll?

Honor roll will be determined at the end of each term.  In general, students with mostly fours and some threes by then end of the term are likely to make Honor Roll.

Am I eligible for sports/scholarships?

Proficiency-based grading is an ongoing process that allows for students to improve their understanding and acquisition of learning targets. This will inevitably have an impact with regard to athletic eligibility during the course of the semester.  Each teacher has received a team roster and will be asked to assess student athletes progress every 4 weeks or as needed with regard to the following three areas:

 

1.         Attendance

2.         Citizenship/Leadership

3.         Progress towards acquisition of targets

 

If any student athlete receives a 2 or below with regard to academic progress on the check sheet they will be placed in mandatory study table for the next four weeks. All eligibility requirements at semester will continue to be in effect, unchanged from past practice.

What is the Career Related Learning Standards (CRLS) grade?  How is it different?

The CRLS grade is reflection of real life skills demonstrated by a student.  These are skills that fall outside of specific academic standards, but are important for success in school and life.  Examples include work completion, timeliness, and participation.

Why does the number of assessments vary by teacher?

As always, teachers design their own assessments.  The number of assessments will vary by grade, content area, and proficiency statement.

How can I change my grade?

The best way to change your grade is to work toward proficiency and retake assessments.  The only grades that show up on the permanent transcript are report card grades at the end of the term.

Do I get credits for my classes?  How many?

At the high school level, credits are awarded at the end of each term, based on the overall course grade calculated using the YC Grade Conversion Guide.

Do these grades count?

These scores serve to inform you and your child about which learning targets have been mastered, and which learning targets have not.  The grades that go on permanent transcripts are the grades that are determined at the end of each term.

Why didn’t you grade my..?

All course work counts.  The assignments included on this progress report are those that are designed to show proficiency.  Assignments not included are designed to build skills that will later be used to show proficiency.  Either way, students receive some form of feedback on all assignments.