Whitehall-Coplay SD to pilot standards-based grading at Gockley, revamp K–5 report cards
January 13, 2025 | Whitehall-Coplay SD, School Districts, Pennsylvania
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Whitehall-Coplay School District staff told the Education Student Activities Committee on Jan. 13 that the district will pilot standards-based grading at Gockley Elementary this year and roll out a new K–5 report card next school year.
District presenters said the initiative is a K–5 effort that began with a grading and assessment committee spanning the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years and that the Gockley building will be first in line to implement the new report card. "We are excited to present to you standards based grading," a presenter said during the meeting.
The plan keeps academic standards scored on a 1–4 scale and separates character/profile items from academic measures. Characteristic items will be reported with language such as "frequently" or "occasionally," while academic standards will use the 1–4 descriptors district staff developed. The district plans to move from quarterly reporting to trimesters (roughly 60 days) and provide mid-trimester progress updates to families so progress does not wait until the end of the reporting period.
Officials said the district has worked with its Intermediate Unit (IU) on report-card layout and descriptors and will coordinate with PowerSchool to ensure the new grades and standards export correctly to the parent portal. Staff emphasized ongoing communication with teachers and families, including a short video miniseries (about two minutes per episode) planned for late winter and spring to explain the changes to parents and guardians.
Board and committee members asked how many neighboring districts use standards-based grading; staff said many nearby districts have adopted or updated the practice and offered to provide an exact count. Staff also said the district will implement the changes building-by-building so families in the initial pilot buildings become familiar with the format as cohorts move through the system.
No formal board action was taken at this committee meeting; presenters said the administration will continue to update the Board of Education as work continues into the spring.
District presenters said the initiative is a K–5 effort that began with a grading and assessment committee spanning the 2022–23 and 2023–24 school years and that the Gockley building will be first in line to implement the new report card. "We are excited to present to you standards based grading," a presenter said during the meeting.
The plan keeps academic standards scored on a 1–4 scale and separates character/profile items from academic measures. Characteristic items will be reported with language such as "frequently" or "occasionally," while academic standards will use the 1–4 descriptors district staff developed. The district plans to move from quarterly reporting to trimesters (roughly 60 days) and provide mid-trimester progress updates to families so progress does not wait until the end of the reporting period.
Officials said the district has worked with its Intermediate Unit (IU) on report-card layout and descriptors and will coordinate with PowerSchool to ensure the new grades and standards export correctly to the parent portal. Staff emphasized ongoing communication with teachers and families, including a short video miniseries (about two minutes per episode) planned for late winter and spring to explain the changes to parents and guardians.
Board and committee members asked how many neighboring districts use standards-based grading; staff said many nearby districts have adopted or updated the practice and offered to provide an exact count. Staff also said the district will implement the changes building-by-building so families in the initial pilot buildings become familiar with the format as cohorts move through the system.
No formal board action was taken at this committee meeting; presenters said the administration will continue to update the Board of Education as work continues into the spring.
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