The grading policy will return to the pre-virtual learning policy. The only difference is that home assignments are now considered asynchronous learning and thus fall in the classwork category. This means that the 30% of the grade that is reserved for non-assessments is split between classwork and participation rather than including home assignments for a three-way split. Each academic department will decide how the 30% is divided so please reference the “Grading Policy” section of the website to see how each department has divided that portion of the grade.

Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is committed to maintaining rigorous performance and achievement standards for all students and to providing a fair process for evaluating and reporting student progress that is understandable to students and their parents/guardians and relevant for instructional purposes.

Tracking Student Progress

• Students and families will receive a syllabus from the teacher highlighting grading practices for the course or grade level within the context of this policy.

• All teachers will use Infinite Campus as their official gradebook and, with the exception of resource classes or when assignments take more than a week to complete, will enter at least one grade per week.

•  Parents and students can track grades using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, which can be reached by receiving an access code by contacting Mr. Ray (BRay01@bcps.k12.md.us). 

Teachers will provide makeup work within three (3) school days of the student’s last absence, and students must turn in assignments within seven (7) school days after they are provided by the teacher. The time allowed for makeup work may be extended on a case-by-case basis for extenuating circumstances determined by the teacher.

Grades are calculated in the following manner: 

If a student receives an F as a marking period grade, the numerical equivalent of that grade cannot be lower than a 50 when used to calculate the student’s final grade. If a student failed a marking period by earning a 50-59, that score should remain unchanged when calculating the student’s final grade. A student’s overall course grade may be less than a 50 as final examination grades ranging zero to 100 are included in the final grade calculation.

The “INC” grade may be used temporarily for secondary students who have been lawfully absent from school and have not had an opportunity to make up missed work prior to the end of a marking period.

Formative Assessments (used for grades):

This category of assessment is the most commonly experienced. Formative assessments typically occur in classrooms daily as they are designed to be an ongoing process that take place during instruction. The primary purpose of formative assessments is to inform instruction and daily learning by providing feedback, updates on movement toward mastery, and the opportunity to improve upon learning by students. Results from this category of assessment ARE appropriate for use in determining a student grade.  

Common Examples: Chapter quizzes, debates, presentations, performances, essays, Socratic seminars, checklists, drawings, quick-writes, projects, teacher-created assessments, notebooks, self-reflection journals, and annotated bibliographies.

Summative Assessments (used for grades):

This category of assessment is best viewed as an evaluation of student learning (content/skill mastery) at the end of a specific instructional period – typically at the end of a unit, marking period, semester, course, or program. Summative assessments are experienced less frequently than formative assessments and tend to have more influence on informing long-term instructional strategies than formative assessments. Results from this category of assessment ARE appropriate for use in determining a student grade.

Common Examples: Integrated Performance Assessments (IPA), quarterly interim assessments, document- based questions, evidence-based argument sets, extended research opportunities like National History Day or science fair, end of module tasks, portfolios, laboratory activities, product creation, unit tests, skill-based performance task, and research papers.

State-mandated assessments (PARCC, MCAP, MISA, HSA) and national/international exams (AP, PSAT, SAT, ACT, IB), while summative in nature, ARE NOT to be used to determine student grades. 

State mandated assessments 

The administration of state mandated assessments for the 2020-2021 school year is dependent on decisions made by MSDE.  These assessments include MCAP reading, mathematics, social studies, high school government, and science, as well as alternative assessments and ACCESS.  State testing will not be administered in a virtual setting.  If MSDE does not waive the assessments, the testing calendar will need to include days for students to return to the building to complete state assessments.  Students who choose to participate in full virtual learning will be scheduled to complete testing at the school where they are enrolled.  Students who choose the hybrid model will take assessments on the days they are scheduled to be in the building.  Adjustments to the district’s testing calendar will need to be made based on details shared by MSDE.