HomeMy WebLinkAboutRes 14-12 WA Ameding Secondary and DP Assessment and Grade Reporting Policy WESTLAKE ACADEMY
SOLUTION 14-12
A RESOLUTION OF THE WESTLAKE ACADEMY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
APPROVING AN AMENDMENT ASSESSMENT AND GRADE REPORTING POLICY
SECONDARY—MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM AND DIPLOMA PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, Westlake Academy is subject to the grading expectations of the
International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), this board policy must be revised for alignment
purposes Westlake Academy; and
WHEREAS, the assessment and grading processes should reflect the Next Chapter
requirements for the Middle Years Programme, grade reporting, weighted grades and transfer
grades; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees finds that the passage of this Resolution is in the best
interest of the citizens of Westlake as well as the students, their parents, and faculty of Westlake
Academy.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF
WESTLAKE ACADEMY:
SECTION l: That, all matters stated in the recitals hereinabove are found to be true and
correct and are incorporated herein by reference as if copied in their entirety.
SECTION 2: That, the Board of Trustees Westlake Academy, hereby approves the
amendments to the Assessment and Grade Reporting Policy for Westlake Academy attached to
this resolution as Exhibit "A'9
SECTION 3: If any portion of this resolution shall, for any reason, be declared invalid
by any court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining provisions
hereof and the Council hereby determines that it would have adopted this Resolution without the
invalid provision.
Resolution WA 14-12
Page 1 of 5
SECTION 4: That this resolution shall become effective from and after its date of
passage.
PASSER AND APPROVED ON THIS 111h DAB' OF AUGUST 2014.
Laura eat, President
ATTEST:
Kell Edwa , Board Secretary Thomas E. B er upe endent
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Janet $ Bubert or L. Stanton Lowry,
School Attorney
Resolution WA 14-12
Page 2 of 5
Exhibit A
TOWN OF WESTLAKE
WESTLAKE ACADEMY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES POLICY
Policy No. 6.03:
Date Board Adopted: November 3, 2009
Date Board Amended: August 11, 2014
Effective Date: August 11, 2014
Policy Name: Assessment and Grade Reporting Policy
Secondary— Middle Years Program and Diploma Program
Policy Cg1qqoU: Student Achievement
Policy Goal: Definition, uniformity, and transparency in the Academy's Secondary
(MYP and DIP) assessment and grading policy
Policy Descril2tion:
Grading Policy
Uniform assessment of achievement and grade reporting standards are an important
component to support student success in the Secondary (MYP and DP) programs at
Westlake Academy. In order to accurately reflect the academic achievement of
students, the Academy shall develop grading standards that incorporate the following
purposes:
• Reflect a student's mastery of the curriculum based on the student's
performance on exams, homework assignments, projects, etc.
• Allow the parent to easily identify and gauge their child's performance and
progress
• Promote consistency across grade level(s) of assessment standards and
grade reporting
• Assist colleges in determining the scope of a student's academic
achievement
• Demonstrate college readiness
• Identify any subject area where a student may need additional assistance to
reach educational goals
Resolution WA 14-12
Page 3 of 5
In order to promote the above-identified purposes and establish comprehensive grade
assessment and reporting standards for the student body of Westlake Academy, Staff
will develop uniform grading/assessment guidelines for all secondary grades and
publish the information in the Parent/Student Handbook and on the Academy's web site
on an annual basis. These guidelines will address the Academy's assessment
philosophy and practices, the roles of summative and formative assessments, the role
of grades, and the role of criterion-based rubrics and assessment.
Use of Assessments
Staff will administer a variety of assessments to measure student knowledge and
progress throughout the year. The frequency and type of assessment utilized will be
program specific (i.e. Primary, Middle Years or Diploma Programme) and will be
published in the Parent/Student Handbook.
In the Secondary School (Middle Years and Diploma Programme), a student shall not
be required to complete more than two major assessments/tests on the same day.
In addition, SENIORS in the Diploma Program sitting for the IB exams may be exempt
from final exams based on criteria adopted by the Executive Principal or his/her
designee.
Grade & Progress Report
Westlake Academy will send home grade reports at the end of each quarter
(approximately nine-week period). Additionally, parents shall receive interval reports on
student progress once each semester by conference.
Staff will conduct two (2) parent/teacher conferences per year - one (1) each semester.
This will allow parents to meet with teachers and briefly discuss their child's progress.
Additional concerns may be addressed as needed at conferences scheduled at the
request of the teacher or a parent any time during the school year.
Weighted Grades
The Academy shall identify courses for which weighted grades will be assigned and
designate the courses and grade weighting procedures in the Parent/Student
Handbook. The Academy shall assign a ten-point weight to semester grades for the
designated courses and shall calculate a weighted numerical grade average. The
Academy shall record the weighted numerical grades on each student's academic
achievement record.
When a student transfers a grade that was subject to a grade weighting system from
another school, the Academy shall assign weight to the transferred grade based on the
category and grade weight system used by the school that assigned the grade. This
paragraph applies only if the same or equivalent course is offered to the same class of
students at the Academy.
Resolution WA 14-12
Page 4 of 5
Evaluation of Credits for Transfer Students
The Academy accepts credits from other schools accredited by the State of Texas.
Transfer students may also request a transfer of credits from other privately accredited
institutions. Upon receipt of a transcript, courses will be evaluated by a counselor to
determine if the course meets the requirements for graduation from a Texas high
school, as well as any applicable standards for Westlake Academy. Parents/Students
are responsible for providing any additional information requested by the Academy's
counselor necessary for the counselor's evaluation of the requested transfer credit. All
transfer grades earned in accredited schools will be converted to the Westlake
Academy grading scale and course designation consistent with the Academy's
standards and Board policy.
In order to receive credit for completed work, students entering Westlake Academy from
a non-accredited school or from home schooling must take credit-by-exam (CBE) tests
approved in advance by Westlake Academy. Students are responsible for any
applicable fees associated with these tests and must achieve acceptable test scores
based on the standards of the administering organization.
Guidelines consistent with these policies will be developed by Staff and published in the
Parent/Student Handbook.
Resolution WA 14-12
Page 5 of 5