Secondary Grading Practices

All Barrow County School System middle and high schools implement mastery-based grading as part of our common grading practices.

What is mastery-based grading?

Mastery-based grading focuses on how well students understand what they are learning. Grades are based on how much students know and can do versus work completion and effort. This way, grades more accurately reflect what students have truly learned.

Key Features of Mastery-based grading

1. Clear Learning Goals: All students in Barrow County Schools receive instruction aligned to the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE). Students are graded on how well they meet specific learning goals aligned to the GSE.
    
2. Focus on Learning: Grades inform and show progress towards mastery of learning. Students earn their grades based upon what they know and can do. Grades only reflect academic performance, not student behavior.
    
3. Multiple Opportunities to Demonstrate Learning: Students have chances to improve and show what they’ve learned in different ways. Reteaching and retesting opportunities are provided for students to help them improve and demonstrate mastery of the learning.
    
4. Use of Formative and Summative Assessments: Formative assessments are practice activities that help students prepare for bigger tests or projects. Summative assessments are final evaluations of what students have learned.

How are final course grades calculated?

• Grades are organized using terms, categories, and weights. Grading terms serve as timelines for when grades are posted for students. Categories and weights are used to provide further clarity and to ensure equitable weighting of individual grades throughout the term.
   
• Student proficiency is reported using a 100-point system as outlined in the table below.