Grading Practices
October 2025
Hello Elementary School Parents and Guardians,
We’ve reached the end of the first quarter! We want to share some helpful information about our elementary school grading practices and what you can expect to see on your child’s final quarter grades, which will be available at 4 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Focus. This information can also guide conversations during Parent-Teacher Conferences.
Standards-Based Grading
This year, WSD is focusing in on a system called Standards-Based Grading. This approach helps teachers—and families—see exactly what your child has learned and where they might need more support. Instead of traditional letter grades or percentages, all students in grades K-5 will receive a 1-4 score for each skill or learning goal.
Fourth and Fifth Grade Students
This year, fourth and fifth graders will receive both a traditional letter grade (A, B, C, etc.) for the overall subject and a number score (1-4) for each specific skill. To get the best picture of how your child is doing, please look at the number scores; they show which skills your child has mastered and where they may need more practice.
Focus on Learning, Not Just Effort
We know effort and hard work matter. However, academic grades will show your child’s independent understanding of Missouri Learning Standards (academic standards)—what they can do on their own. You’ll still see effort, participation, and turning in homework reported separately.
What Does Each Number Mean?
Letter Grade - A (4th & 5th grades only)
3 - Awesome! The student understands and can show what they know. (Independently demonstrates understanding of the standard. This is the target.) Students whose average of all standards is between 2.5 and 3.0 round up to an overall score of a 3.0.
Letter Grade - A (4th & 5th grades only)
2.5 - Good Job! The student has a full understanding of the foundational basics, but only a partial understanding of the standard. (No major omissions regarding level 2.0 content and partial success at 3.0 content).
Letter Grade - B (4th & 5th grades only)
2 - Keep it up! The student understands the important basics and can show they know the foundational ideas. (Independently demonstrates understanding of foundational skills and the standard) Students whose average of all standards is between 1.5 and 2.0 round up to an overall score of a 2.0.
Letter Grade - C (4th & 5th grades only)
1 - Good Start! The student is starting to get it. With teacher support, they show partial understanding of some of the basic skills. (With help, a partial understanding of some of the simpler details and processes.)
Letter Grade - D (4th & 5th grades only)
Note: Three (3) is the target, and what is explicitly taught.
Want to dig deeper? Find grade-specific grading scale information:
About The Report Card
Scores may change during the year as students work toward full mastery of a standard.
Modifications and Accommodations
In our standards-based system, a student's grade accurately reflects their learning, even if they are
working below their current grade level.
Modifications: For students needing grade-level modifications, lower-level proficiency scales are used. Instead of grading a student on a current grade-level standard, the teacher may use a lower-level proficiency scale that matches the specific skills a student is currently working on, in alignment with the current grade level standard. (example: A fifth-grade standard on story elements for a fifth-grade student with modifications will be scored using a third-grade scale because that is the level at which the student is working.)
Accommodations: Students who receive additional supports (extra time, read-aloud, or
translation) are taught and assessed on grade-level standards while using those supports. The
score reflects their knowledge when they have access to the supports they need.
If your child’s grades include modifications or accommodations, this will be clearly noted in the comments section of the report card.
