MSHS JUNIOR TEST PREP

• For each subject area (Math, Reading, Writing & Language) in which students are training, two grades are being simultaneously computed:
  • Each advisory has its own differentiated grading scale for each subject area in which the students are being tested. This grading scale was developed based on 7 years of student achievement data (e.g. how students at that particular level performed on the SAT…without training or assistance).
  • The second grade is a growth/improvement grade. We take each student’s past performance and course background into consideration and create a personalized growth chart—again, based on the past 7 years of data for students at that particular level of coursework. If the student shows above-average improvement, they earn a high growth grade. Literally, this is individual to each student.
• For each subject area, we take the higher grade of the two.
• For report card purposes, all of those grades are then averaged together to calculate one final grade. Math carries a 50% weight, Reading 25% and Writing and Language 25%.
• One final thing to understand: with the growth grade, the grading system is designed to reward growth and improvement. If students continue to grow, which they should do, then their growth grade will rise throughout the year, translating into an overall grade which rises throughout the year. So we fully anticipate seeing the grades growing from August through April. This was implemented to acknowledge that a student naturally has better odds of scoring high on a practice exam in March, for example, than they do in September.

Semester Course

• This is a semester course, and ultimately goes into effect 2nd semester. The only reason we meet all year long is because this course is held during advisory, which is only 25 minutes (essentially a ½ class period) every day. Ultimately, the only grade which matters for GPA, class rank, etc. will appear on their report card in June. The grade for this class seen at the end of 1st semester can be considered a progress report.

GPA, Class Rank

• This course does count for GPA, class rank, etc. However, understand that it is .25 credits. This is the only quarter-credit course at MSHS that counts towards GPA and rank. Every other course that does so is at least .5 credits.

Why Grade It?

• A few years ago, we tried this program without grading. The results were far from ideal. At times, over 40% of our students would just fill in straight C’s before submitting an exam in less than 5 minutes.
• To an extent, students look to us for cues—cues to perceive what is important and what is not important. With no grade attached to the course, there was little legitimacy to the course. By grading this class, the aforementioned issue of students filling in straight C’s and not trying has almost been completely erased.

 Perspective

• Fair or unfair, the reality is colleges and universities look closely at a student’s ACT/SAT scores. Colleges have no reliable way of discerning what caliber of high school a student attends; thus, comparing GPA’s and class ranks are like comparing apples to oranges. However, the ACT/SAT remain a level playing field on which they can separate students.
• This will benefit students. This will increase their odds of admission to schools. This will increase scholarship opportunities. Yes, there are growing pains, but they are worth it.

2 Practical Next Steps

• If a student is struggling, have they come in to see their content teacher outside of class to further go over practice exam difficulties?
• You can also employ Khan Academy videos to improve at specific skills.

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