Grading Special Education Students Elementary, Middle School, and High School Ages “Research suggests that grading practices vary considerably among schools and among teachers in the same school, despite attempts in many schools to build in more consistency and predictability.”

Definitions An accommodation is a change in the course, standard, test preparation, location, timing, scheduling, expectation, student response, or other attributes that provides access for a student with a disability to participate in a course, standard or test, and it does not fundamentally alter or lower the standard or expectation of the course, standard or test. A modification is a change in the course, standard, test preparation, location, timing, scheduling, expectation, student response, or other attribute that provides access for a student with a disability to participate in a course, standard or test, and it does fundamentally alter or lower the standard or expectation of the course, standard or test.

Ethical Positions: Aligning with Institution Grading Every student should be held to the same standards regardless of disabilities. Grading systems are in place to measure all students’ knowledge and skills. A student’s grade should not reflect that accommodations have been made. Accommodations are to provide students with disabilities an equitable chance to learn and participate within general education. Grading students only on effort and participation along with failing grades may mislead both the student and parents. An unrealistic view of students skills and future goals becomes likely. It can also hide a student’s true ability level and their areas of improvement. If modifications have been made to the curriculum of any course, it is important that a student’s grade should reflect his/her achievement in the modified curriculum. This can only exist as long as modified grades are made available to all. Any modifications should be recorded in an IEP and be connected to the disability. Automatically giving modified grades to all special education students would be discriminatory and potentially violate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of “Inflating grades is a bad idea...” Mandi,

Ethical Positions: Aligning with Student Need How can an orange be compared to an apple and graded fairly based on color and taste? When teachers use a “one-size-fits-all” grading system without accommodations, students with disabilities can be left feeling inadequate. Traditional competitive grading systems allow students a chance to show effort and completion of assignments, but often fail students when they take tests. Low grades negatively affect their self-esteem, cause frustration and a loss of motivation. Teachers should take into consideration what success looks like for a student with special needs. Grades should be based on that success and performance as defined by the student working to the best of his/her abilities. Effort and participation should also be evaluated. Accommodations and modifications are key to leveling the assessment playing field. A grading system should be fair to each student. A teacher can maintain fairness with grading by meeting individual needs through teaching and assessment. Grading modifications can be made by either changing the methods for assessment of redefining what the “grade” means. “An accommodation levels the “playing field” for those students, and that though they may feel that it is unfair to the other students it is truly their only way to have success in the classroom.” Jennifer Fleming,

A fair grading system... provides opportunities for high grades to be earned provides meaningful grades that reflect experiences in the classroom includes flexibility as needed to meet individual needs an equitable grading system maintains high student accountability even when a grading system is individualized accurately matches grades to performance, even when accommodations are implemented

Suggestions: grading adaptations provide accommodations for assessments routinely used for classroom instruction. Do not give an assessment accommodation for the first time on the day of a test. prioritizing of content and related assignments for grading. considering student effort when calculating a grade. considering how well the student uses "processes" to complete his or her work. basing part of the grade on the student's progress on IEP objectives. considering improvement over past performances. changing the weights that certain types of assignments count toward the grade or altering the grading scale used to assign letter grades. collaborate with the special needs teacher when assessing knowledge and skills. missing or incomplete work is a common issue in all classrooms. Giving a student a zero for missing assignments can drag down down the cumulative grade. A zero does not accurately reflect the amount of actual learning that has occurred. Develop a policy that allows for make-up work so that students credit for turning in missing work. differentiated assessment is an opportunity for students with learning disabilities to demonstrate their learning in other ways than a traditional test. providing formative (e.g., quizzes, laboratories) as well as summative (e.g., tests) assessments

Suggestions: IEP know and understand students’ goals and accommodations on the IEP’s. any discussion of a student with an IEP regarding his/her low or failing grades should identify specifically the skills for which the student receives the lowest grades. Accommodations in conjunction with the skill should be evaluated for appropriateness. parents, teachers, and students with IEP’s should have an understanding of what the accommodations and modifications are in regards to grading. the use of different, individualized grading procedures, based on modified goals or standards, is legal only when such procedures are documented in the IEP. special grading procedures cannot be made for individual students (without an IEP) unless the same procedures are made available to all students in the class, otherwise, it becomes illegal.

Suggestions: Assignments multiple types of assignments designed to allow students to demonstrate learning in different ways. blending extended assignments such as projects with in- class assessments, i.e. tests. providing an ample number of assignments and assessments throughout the grading period. modifying the amount of reading that is needed to complete the assignment. modifying the way in which the student will complete the assignment or assessment (i.e, written, oral).

Resources National Association of Special Education Teachers. (2007). Series I - Step-by-Step Guide - Part VIII: Grading Students with Special Needs. California department of education. (2009). Promotion, Retention, and Grading: Frequently asked questions from the field regarding the promotion, retention, and grading of students with disabilities. Multiple authors. (2008). Teaching Students with LD and ADHD: Grading special education students. Munk, D. (2005) An Introduction to Grading. bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=assessment&section=main&subsection=grading/mainhttp:// bin/cgiwrap/specconn/main.php?cat=assessment&section=main&subsection=grading/main Munk, D. (2008). Fair and Equitable Grading Practices for Students With LD Who Have IEPs. ieps.gs?content=1018&page=all ieps.gs?content=1018&page=all National Association of Special Education Teachers. (2007). Series I - Step-by-Step Guide - Part VIII: Grading Students with Special Needs. Office of Superintendant of Public Instruction. (2008). Washington State’s Accommodations Guidelines for Students with Disabilities.