Gradebook Setup Overview

Overview

SchoolWise has both Letter-Grade and Standards-Based gradebooks. Either one or both types of gradebooks can be used for the same class. Gradebooks can be enabled for specific classes if desired (1 class, some classes, all classes). 

Letter-Grade Gradebooks and report cards use traditional letter based (A-F) marks. Assignments are scored on a point system based on the percentage of points they earn, out of the total points available. Any grade in your marking system table can be used for a report card mark. Letter-Grade report cards normally just show 1 overall letter grade mark per course, but you can add 1 or 2 optional supplementary marks if desired. Letter-Grade report cards can be printed from the Desktop Report Explorer or from the Web Reports.

Standards-Based Gradebooks and report cards use standards that are referred to as “skills”. Standards-Based grading operates on a fundamentally different concept than traditional Letter-Grade grading. Instead of earning a percentage of the possible points in a course, students are assessed on whether or not they have mastered the individual skills linked to a course. The goal for each student in Standards-Based grading is to master the skills. The end result of skill mastery is the goal, not simply the accumulation of points. For this reason, many of the mastery level calculation methods in the Standards-based Gradebook apply more weight to recent scores than to earlier scores. Unlike letter-grade report cards where the report card marks are entered by teachers, standards-based report card content is determined by the skill assessment scores and assigned grading policies (Mastery Level calculation and Rubric). Standards-Based gradebook assessments are designed to enter numeric scores, typically in a range of 0-4 with a proficiency rubric but other rubrics are available. Standards-Based Report Cards are printed from the Web Reports.

If you use both types of gradebooks (Standards-Based and Letter-Grade), Hybrid Standards-Based Report Cards can be printed with marks from both gradebooks. The Standards-Based marks shown on the report card come from the Standards-Based gradebooks. The overall letter grade from the Letter-Grade Gradebooks will be shown as the subject average directly below the course name in the standardized report card. The calculated GPA from the Letter-Grade gradebooks can also be shown. Hybrid Standards-Based report cards must be printed from the Web Reports.

Click here to access the Gradebook Navigation Guide

Gradebooks and Report Card Setup Steps

Step 1: Setup Academic Class Sections.

See here for course setup help: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/course-setup

Once teacher gradebooks have been setup, a corresponding gradebook is automatically created for every class section and populated with the students enrolled in that class section. One basis for determining how many courses to establish in the desktop SIS is the number of gradebooks that teachers want to have.  

• Middle school grades typically have 5 academic courses: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, PE.
• Elementary school grades typically have 3 academic courses: Language Arts, Math, Other Skills & Behaviors.

Step 2: Configure Gradebook Settings

See here for help: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/gradebook-settings

• School Gradebook Settings must be set for the Combined Average Policy, Full Year Mastery Calculations, Standards Overall Grading Policy, Letter Report Card Options, and Letter Report Card Marking Period Locks.
• Course Gradebook Settings must be set. Letter and/or Standards-Based gradebooks can be enabled/disabled for each course. The Standards Grading Policy can be customized for each course (if not locked at the school level). 

Step 3: Setup Gradebooks

See here for standards-based gradebook setup help:

• Setup Guide: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/standards-based-gradebook-setup
• Training Video: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/administrative-gradebook-setup-video 

See here for standards-based gradebook teacher training aids:  

• Teacher’s Guide: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/standards-based-gradebook-teachers-guide
• Training Video: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/standards-based-gradebook-video-training

See here for letter-grade gradebook teacher training aids: 

• Teacher’s Guide: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/letter-grade-gradebook
• Training Video: https://help.schoolwise.com/docs/letter-grade-gradebook-video-training