GRADING AND REPORTING SYSTEM

The past chapter of this book discussed the different

methods and tools measured and achievements in the
context of the different learning targets. In this chapter the
assigning of the grades to students and how it should be
done in relation to the intended learning outcomes have
been achieved and that grading policies of schools must also
be taken into consideration in developing grading system.

SECTION INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this section, you should be able to

demonstrate skills in the preparing and interpreting, grades,
Also, you should be able to assess the effectiveness of parent-
teaching conferences as the reporting learner’s performance.

CHAPTER INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this chapter, you are expected to demonstrate
skills interpreting test result and reporting grades.

ENGAGE
Assessment of learning during instruction and after
instruction may be achieved in several ways. One of the
challenges is summarizing the variety of collection
information from different types of assessment and coming
up with a standardized numerical grade or descriptive rating
of brief of report.
The guided presentation in developing grading and reporting
system is provided below:

1.) The primary good of grading and reporting is

communication.
2.) Grading and reporting are integral parts of the
instructional process.
3.) Good reporting is based on good evidence.
4.) Changes in grading and reporting are best
accomplished through the development of a
comprehensive reporting system. In developing and
implementing the grading and reporting system, these
premises must be taken into consideration to have a
meaningful output and help in the attainment of the
student learning objective, to which the assessment
objective cascade.

K TO 12 GRADING OF LEARNING OUTCOMES

The K to 12 curriculums has specific assessment
requirements and design category is the delivery
modes of learning. The formal education and
alternative learning system.

The K to 12 assessment is learner.

-created and carefully considers its learning
environment system. 21st century skills such us
research, analytical /critical (COGNITIVE)practical and
creative are part of the indicators included in the K to
12 assessments.
Cognitive and noncognitive skills which includes
values, motivation, attitude, behavior traits and
interpersonal relation are part of the assessment.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
- (ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING) Is given importance
to ensure learning.
Learner is encouraged to take part in the process of
self-assessment (assessment as learning)

SUMMATIVE FORMS OF ASSESSMENT

(ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING) Are also part of the
curriculum assessment under the k to 12.

The k to 12 curriculums prescribes the of

traditional and authentic assessment tools and
techniques for a valid reliable and realistic
assessment of learning.
Traditional and authentic assessment complement
each other though they are not mutually exclusive.
Furthermore, it gives greater importance to
assessment. Understanding and skills development
rather than as mere accumulation of content.
In K to 12 curriculum assessment will be standard
based to ensure that there is standardization in
teaching and learning. Department of Education
 (DEPED) issued an order (DEPED ORDER NOV.31,
S,2012) Stating that assessment will be done in four
level and will be weight accordingly.

THESE LEVELS ARE THE FOLLOWING

 KNOWLEDGE -Refers to the essential content of

the curriculum the facts and information that the
student acquires.
 PROCESS -Refers to cognitive acts that the student
does on facts and information to come up with
meaning and understanding.
 UNDERSTANDING -Refers to lasting big ideas,
principles, and generalization that are fundamental
to the discipline which may be assessed using the
facts of understanding.
 PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE
-Refers to the real-life application of understanding
as shown by the student’s performance of
authentic tasks.

The assigned weight per level of assessment is

shown in the following table:

LEVEL OF ASSESSMENT PERCENTAGE

WEIGHT
KNOWLEDGE 15%
PROCESS OF SKILLS 25%
UNDERSTANDING 30%
 PRODUCT/PERFORMANCE 30%
TOTAL 100%
Source: DepEd order 31, S,2012
At the end of the quarter the students’ performance
Will be described based on the prescribed level of proficiency
level is computed from the sum of all the students in various
level of assessment.
Each level is described as follows.

 BEGINNING
- The student of this level struggles with /her
understanding of prerequisite and fundamental
knowledge skills that have not been acquired or
developed adequately.
 DEVELOPING
-The student of this level possesses minimum
knowledge and skills and core understanding but
needs help throughout the performance of
authentic tasks.
* APPROACHING PROFICIENCY
-The student at this level has developed the
fundamental knowledge and skills and core understanding
and with little guidance from the teacher and or with some
assistance from peers can transfer these understanding
through authentic performance tasks.
* PROFICIENT
 - The student at this level has developed the fundamental
knowledge and skills and core understanding and can transfer
them independently through authentic performance tasks.
*ADVANCED
-The student at this level has exceeded the core requirements
in terms of knowledge skills and core understanding and can
transfer them automatically and flexibly through authentic
performance tasks.

Translating these proficiency levels into its numerical value is

described in the following table.
LEVEL OF PROFICIRNCY EQUIVALENT NUMERICAL
VALUE
BEGINNING 74% AND BELOW
DEVELOPING 75-79%
APPROACHING PROFICIENCY 80-84%
PROFICIENT 85-89%
ADVANCED 90%AND ABOVE
Source:( DepEd order 31, s 2022)

COMPARISON OF LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY

Indication Beginning Developin Approaching Proficienc Advan
acquisition of struggling g Proficiency y ced
knowledge, or have minimum fundamental Fundame Excee
skill and not With little ntal ding
understanding acquired. Needs guidance
help from the Independ Auto
Transfer of teacher or ent matic
knowledge some And
assistance flexibl
Application of from peers. e
knowledge

Source (Marilyn D. Dimaano’s presentation materials on

Assessment and Rating)

2.) Over the years, studies have also been made on how
grades, and the comments of teachers written on student’s
papers might affect students’ achievement. An early
investigation by page (1985) focused specially on this issue, In
the students in their classes and scored in the usual way. A
numerical score was assigned to each students’ paper and
based on the scores obtained, a corresponding letter grade of
A, B, C, D, or F was given. Next teachers randomly divided the
students’ papers into three groups. The first group received
only the numerical score and letter grade. The second group
aside the score and grade, received standard comments:
A: Excellent! Keep it up.
B. Good work! Keep it up.
C. Perhaps try to do still better?
D. Let’s bring it up and
F. Let’s raise this grade.
For the third group, the teacher marked the score, letter
grade and then. Wrote on each paper a variety of
individualized comments.
Page asked the teacher to write anything they wished on
these papers but to be sure their personal feelings and
instructional practices papers in a were then returned to
students’ normal way.
Page then evaluated the effects and comments by
considering students score on the very next test or
assessment given in the class.
Based on the study presented in the previous paragraph its
relevance is:
1.) It illustrated that while grades may not be
compulsory for teaching or learning they
can be used in positive ways to enhance
student achievements and performance.
2.) It showed that positive effects can be gained
with relatively little effort on the part of the
teacher. Stamps or stickers with standard
comments such as these could be easily
produced for teachers to use. Let the effect
of this simple effort have significant positive
effects on the student.
 BULDING A GRADING AND REPORTING
SYSTEM

I. The basis of good reporting is good

evidence of whatever is preferred and
required of the teacher when it comes
to format, grading and reporting should
provide high quality information to
interested person by means of any
schema they can understand and use.

There are three qualities that

contribute to the goodness of evidence
that are gathered on student learning.

These are three qualities are described

in the following table.
QUALITY DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
VALIDITY Refers to the It an assessment
appropriateness and is to be used to
adequacy in inter describe
predations made from student’s
the information (Liin of reading
Gronloud 2000) comprehension.
Evidence should
reflect reading
RELIABILTY comprehension
and no other
Refers to the irrelevant
 consistency of factors.
assessment result.
Attain very
similar scores
when the same
assessment
procedures are
used with the
same students at
two different
times result have
a high degree of
reliability.
QUANTITY The more source of Any single
evidence on student’s source of
learning the better the evidence of
information can be student learning
reported. can be
imperfect, it is
essential that
multiple sources
of evidence in
grading and
reporting
student is
utilized.

II. MAJOR PUROSES OF GRADING AND

REPORTING
 The following are the major purposes
of grading and reporting:
1. To communicate the achievements
status of the student to parents and
others.
2. To provide information that students
can use for self-evaluation.
3. To select, identify or group students
for certain educational paths of
programs.
4. To provide incentives for students to
learn.
5. To provide evidence of the students’
lack of effort or in appropriate
responsibility.

Below are possible source of grading

and reporting system:

Major of Composition Class observation Attendance

Class Quizzes Oral presentation Punctuality of
assignment
Report or Projects Homework Class behavior or
Completion attitude
Student’s Portfolio’s Homework Progress made
quality
Exhibits of student’s Class
work participation
Laboratory project Work habits and
neatness
Student notebooks or Effort
journal
III. GRADING AND REPORTING METHODS
I. LETTER GRADES
-The most common and best known of all
grading methods.
-Mostly composed of five -level grading
scale
-Letter grade description
Despite their apparent simplicity the true
meaning of letter grades is not always clear.
What the teacher would like to
communicate with particular letter grade
and what the parents interpret that grade,
to mean, often are not the same
(Waltman&Frisbie,1994).
To give more clarity to the meaning of letter
grade, most schools include a key or legend
on the reporting from in which each letter
grade is paired with an explanatory word or
phrase. Description must be carefully
chosen, to avoid additional complications
and misunderstandings.
ADVANTAGE
A brief description of student’s
achievements and level of performance
 including students’ potential can be
provided to parents and other interest
persons.
 Based on the parent’s experience when they are
still studying, it is easier for them to believe and
understand what letter grades mean.

DISADVANTAGES:
 Requires abstract of a great deal of information
into a single symbol ( Stiggins’ 2001)
 Despite educators’ best effort, letter grades tend
to be interpreted by parents in strictly non-
referenced terms. The cutoffs between grade
categories are always arbitrary and difficult to
justify.
 Lacks the richness of other more detailed
reporting methods such as standard based
grading, mastery grading and narrative.

DIFFERENT INTERPRETATION OF GRADING GRADES

GRADE CRITERION- NORM- COMBINED NON-
REFERENCE REFERENCE -NORM IMPROVEMENT
D D REFERENCE
(STANDARD D AND
– BASED) CRITERION
REFERENCE
D
A Outstanding Outstanding Outstandin Outstanding
 or advanced among the g very high much
Complete highest or of improvement
knowledge best performanc on most or all
of all performanc e targets
content e
Mastery of
all targets
Exceeds
standard.

B Very good Very good Very good, Very good :

or proficient performs better than some
Complete above the average improvement
knowledge class performanc on most or all
of most average e targets
content
Mastery of
all targets
Meet most
standard
C Acceptable Average: Average Acceptable
or basic performs at some
command the class improvement
only basic average on some targets
concept or
skill
Mastery of
some
targets
Meet some
standard
D Making Poor: below Below Making
progress or the class average or progress
developing average weak: minimal
Lacks minimum progress on
knowledge performanc most targets
of most e for
content passing
Mastery of
only a few
targets
Meet only a
few
standards
E Unsatisfacto Unsatisfacto Unsatisfact Unsatisfactory
ry: Lacks ry: far below ory lacks no
knowledge average sufficient improvement
of content among the knowledge on any targets.
No mastery worst in the to pass
or targets class
Does not
meet any
standards.

II. PERCENTAGE GRADES

-Are the ultimate multi- category grading method
-Can range from 0 to 100
-Generally, more popular among high school teachers than
elementary teachers.
ADVANTAGE
 Allows for maximum discrimination in evaluation
of students’ achievement and performance.
 Maximizes the variation among students, making
it easier to choose students for honors or
representatives for special programs.
DISADVANTAGE
 Requires a great deal of abstraction.
 Interpretation of the meaning of a percentage
grade is extremely difficult.
 The cut- offs are no less arbitrary but a lot more.
 Because of a large number of grade categories, it
is less reliable and more subjective.

IV. STANDARD -BASED GRADING

In an effort to bring greater clarity and
specificity to the grading process, many
schools initiated standard based
grading procedures and reporting
forms. Guskey and Bailey (2001)
identify four steps in developing
standard -based grading. These steps
are:
1.) Identify the major learning goals
or standards that students will be
expected to achieve at each grade
level or in each course study.
 2.) Establish performance indicators
for the learning goal.
3.) Determine graduated level of
quality (benchmark) for assessing
each or standards.
4.) Develop reporting tools that
communicate teachers’
judgement students’ learning
progress and culminating
achievement in relation to the
learning goal standards.

ADVANTAGE
 When clear learning goals or standards are
established, standard- based grading offers
meaningful information about students’
achievement and performance to students,
parents and to others.
 If information is detailed, it can be useful for
diagnostic and prescriptive purposes.
 Facilities teaching and learning processes better
than any other grading method.

DISADVANTAGE
 Takes a lot of effort.
 Often too complicated for parents to understand.
 May not communicate the appropriateness of
students’ progress.
METHO ADVANTAGE DISADVANTAGE
D
Standar Focused on high May not reflect student
d- standards for all learning in many areas;
based students,
Pass/  Simple  Little
Fail  Consiste discriminati
nt with on in
mastery performanc
of e
learning  Less
emphasis
on high
performanc
e

V. DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE REPORTING

SYTEM.
The most critical issue to be addressed
in selecting tools included in the
reporting system is what purpose or
purpose it is to serve. Why we need to
convey this information and what we
need to accomplish.
To determine the purpose or purpose,
three aspects of communication must
be considered.
 1.) What information or messages do
we want to communicate?
2.) Who is the primary audience for
that message?
3.) How would we like that
information or message to be
used?

VI. TOOLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE

REPORTING SYSTEM
Reporting systems most highly regarded by parents typically
include a mix of traditional and more modern reporting tools.

Tools that might be included in comprehensive reporting

system:
1.) Report cards
2.) Noted: attached to report cards
3.) Standardized assessment report
4.) Phone calls to parents
5.) Weekly? Monthly progress reports
6.) School open – houses
7.) Newsletter to parents
8.) Personal letters to parents
9.) Evaluate projects or assignments.
10.) Portfolio or exhibits of student’s work.
11.) Homework assignments
12.) Homework hotlines
13.) School web pages
 14.) Parents teacher conferences
15.) Student teacher conferences
16.) Student led conference

VII. GUIDELINES FOR BETTER PRACTICE

To ensure better practice of grading and reporting system, the
following statements serve as guide on how to effectively
utilize the grading and reporting systems:
1.) Begin with a clear statement purpose.
2.) Provide accurate and understandable description of
learning.
3.) Use grading and reporting to enhance teaching and
learning.

DO AND DON’TS OF EFFECTIVE GRADING

DO DON’T
Use well -thought – out Depend entirely on number
professional judgement. crunching.
Try everything you can to Allow personal bias to affect
score and grade fairly. grades.
Grade according to pre – Grade on the curve using the
established learning targets class as a norm group.
and standard.
Clearly inform students and Keep grading procedures
parents of grading secret.
procedures at the beginning Use effort, improvement,
of the semester. attitudes, and motivation for
 borderline students.
Based grades primarily on
students’ performance. Penalize poorly performing
students early in the
Rely most on current semester.
information.
Return assessments weeks
Mark grade and return later with little or no
assessment to students as feedback.
soon as possible and with as
much feedback as possible. Be inflexible with borderline
cases.
Review borderline cases,
carefully, when in doubt, Use zero scores
assign the higher grade. indiscriminately when
averaging grades.
Convert scores to the same
scale before combining. Included extra credit
assignments that are not
Weight scores, before related to the learning
combining. targets.
Use a sufficient number of Rely on one of two
assessments. assessments for a semester
Be willing to change grades grade.
when warranted. Lower grades for cheating,
misbehaving, tardiness, or
absence.
 VIII. PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING
PARENTS AND TEACHER CONFERENCE.

The parents -teacher conference is the most common way

teachers communicate with parents about single progress. It
is typically a face -to- face discussion, through phone
conferences and calls can also be used. Parents -teacher
conferences may be initiated by either the teacher or the
parents, based on purpose.

There are two types of parents- teacher conferences, based

on two purposes.
A. GROUP CONFERENCES
These are conducted in the beginning of the year to
communicate school and class policies, class content,
evaluation procedure for getting touch with teachers.
B. INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCES

These are conducted to discuss the individual students’

achievements, progress, or difficulties.

It is important to plan the conference to be prepared. It

means having all the information well- organized in
advance and knowing what to achieve from the
conferences.
It will include a list of areas pertaining to students that
need to be discussed with parents. The conference is an
ideal time to discuss and point out specific areas of
strengths and weaknesses that are not communicated
through the report card. Note that conferences are not a
lecture type of gathering or meeting, it is a conversation.
Listening is a primary key to understanding. Listening to
parents will help the teacher understand the student
better.

Mcmillan (2007) shared the following checklist in

preparing for parents -teacher conferences.

CHECKLIST FOR CONDUCTING PARENTS-TEACHER

CONFERENCES
□ Plan each conference in advance.
□ conduct the conference in a private, quiet, and
comfortable setting.
□ begin with class discussion of positive performances.
□ Establish an informal, professional tone.
□ Encourage parent participation in the conference.
□Be frank in reviewing student strenghts and
weakness.
□ Review language skill.
□ Review learning targets with examples of student
performances that show progress.
□Avoid discussing other students and teachers.
□ Avoid buffing
□ Identify two or three areas to work on in a plan
action.
Indeed parents -teacher conferences entail hard work to
be successful. If necessary, preparations of logistics as
well as teachers for their face-to -face encounter with
parents carried out to ensure that the objective of the
parent teacher conference is met. The table below
summarizes some recommendations for an effective
parents-teacher conference.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE PARENT-TEACHER

CONFERENCES

BEFORE THE DURING THE AFTER THE

CONFERENCE CONFERENCE CONFERENCE
*Encourage the *Provide *Provide parents
parents to childcare, with telephone
review student refreshment, and numbers and
work at home, transformations schedule of
note concerns or of necessary. specific times so
questions, and they may call
bring those to you with
the conferences. concerns.
*Show multiple
*Schedule times samples of *Follow up on
that are student work and any question or
convenient for discuss specific concern raised
both working suggestions for during the
and non- improvement. conference.
working parents.
*Actively listen *Plan a time to
*Notify parents and avoid the meet again if
well ahead of used educational necessary.
scheduled jargon.
conference *Encourage
times. *Communication
expectations and parents to
*Provide staff describe how discuss the
development for parents can help. conference with
new teachers their child.
and the purpose
for conferences,
preparation, and *Develop a
scheduling. system for on *Ask parents for
going written
*Consider evaluation for
communication
alternative conference and
with each parent
locations, such encourage them
that recognizes
as a church or to make
parents as
community suggestions.
partners.
center for
parents’ *Provide *Debrief with
convenience. resources colleagues to
materials that look for ways to
*Print improve future
parents might use
conference conferences.
at home to
schedules and
strengthen
materials in
students’ skills.
multiple
languages, if
necessary.