Pre-K-1st Grading Guidelines
What are the grades in PreKindergarten, Kindergarten, and 1st Grades?
Historically, students in grades pre-kindergarten through first in Fort Bend ISD (FBISD) have received grades using Standards-Based Grading which outlined two proficiency levels. Beginning in 2019-2020, teachers will provide more specific feedback to students, aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) by communicating progress by using three levels of proficiency: Developing (DV), Progressing (PG), and Proficient (PF). Students’ report cards clearly communicate academic progress.
What is Standards-Based Grading
Standards-based grading is a system where students receive feedback around “fixed targets” or competencies. Non-academics factors (participation, late assignments, group work, etc.) are removed so that the final grade represents what the student knows and can do.
PreK-1st Parent Guides
The Parent Guides are the key to understanding marks in Skyward and on the report card. The following definitions provide guidance to parents to understand the language of Standards-Based Grading.
Competency
Standards-Based Grading communicates students’ understanding of the Texas Essentials Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Using the TEKS, teachers developed grade-level competencies to communicate student progress in the Standards-Based gradebook. The competencies are the same for each grade-level content area (i.e. 1st grade math) across the district. Teachers report students’ progress on the competencies using learning progressions.
Learning Progression
A learning progression is comprised of three proficiency levels (developing, progressing, proficient). Each proficiency level in the progression defines the knowledge and skills that students will master on their pathway to proficiency.
Proficient
A mark of Proficient (PF) means the student meets the grade-level expectations for the competency.
Competency Success Criteria
Success criteria define the knowledge and skills that students must master in order to attain the Proficient (PF) level at the end of a unit or quarter as related to the competency. Success criteria define what students know and can demonstrate.
Competencies and Progressions
PreK - 1st Parent Resources
The standards-based grading system cannot be correlated with the traditional A-F grading scale. The marks (DV, PG, and PF) describe a student's proficiency level for a competency. The grade level target is Proficient (PF). When a student reaches Proficient (PF), he or she has met the grade level expectations for that competency.
When your child receives a mark of...
Shifting the Conversation at Home
At home, parents can begin to shift the conversation towards learning as well. Instead of asking your child, "what grade did you get?" try asking questions that push towards reflecting on learning.