Defining the proficiency scale is the key for teachers using jmc's Competency-Based Grading module to record formative assessment results and report end of term summative results to a standards-based report card. With a properly defined proficiency scale, summative results will be calculated to a standards-based report card automatically and prevent extra manual report card work at the end of the term!
In jmc Teacher, click Competency-Based Grading > Define Formative Assessment to define the proficiency scale complete with summative assessment results.
Step One: Select a course from the "Course" drop-down list to begin setting up results for a course.
Step Two: Select a number from the "Number of Results" drop-down list to begin creating the standard-based result definitions.
Fun Fact: The "Number of Results" refers to how many proficiencies are in your proficiency scale. For example, if your proficiency scale is "Meets", "Developing", "Beginning", and "Incomplete" you would select "4" in "Number of Results".
Step Three: Click the "Edit" link to begin defining a result in your proficiency scale.
Step Four: Select a color from the color drop-down list to correspond with your competency-based grading result.
Helpful Tip: Unique colors for each proficiency result make reviewing student progress reports easier as families can look for patterns of colors to understand their student's learning progress.
Step Five: Enter an abbreviation (3 letters or fewer) in the "Name" column to create a display name for the result. For example "Met", "Dev", or "Beg" etc.
Step Six: Enter a number in the "Value" column to set a ranking order for your proficiency scale.
A few helpful tips
Since the value column is used when averaging proficiencies, give the highest proficiency the highest value to enable accurate calculations.
Set the highest value to correspond with the number of results. For example, if you have four results, set your highest value at "4".
Step Seven: Select the corresponding report card result from the "SB Result Def" drop-down list to convert CBG results to a standards based report card.
Step Eight: Enter a description for the result in the "Description" field to correspond with your competency-based result.
Step Nine (optional): Place a checkmark in the "Proficiency Target" checkbox to set the result as the proficiency target.
Fun Fact: When selecting the "Proficiency Target" checkbox, enter a "Proficiency Target #" in the "Calculate Options" box to set the number of times a student needs to reach the proficiency target before they are considered proficient for that Formative Assessment.
Step Ten (optional): Place a checkmark in the "Exempt" checkbox to prevent the result from contributing to the final calculation.
Helpful Tip: Use the "Exempt" option for an "Incomplete", "Insufficient Information", or "Not turned in" result to communicate the information to all stakeholders without being punitive.
Step Eleven: Click the "Update" link to save the result or click the "Cancel" link to discard changes.
Step Twelve: Click the "Copy to All Classes" button to copy your proficiency scale to all classes in your schedule.
Fun Fact: To edit any of the fields for a result, click the "Edit" link, make the changes and then click the "Update" link to save the changes.
Helpful Tip: Set your team up for success by agreeing on school (or department) wide results definitions before teachers begin entering their results so families are presented with one consistent proficiency scale used by all teachers.