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Prince William schools outline major grading reforms: uniform grading bands, 60/40 and 70/30 splits, new quality-point approach
Summary
PWCS presented a comprehensive, phased overhaul of grading and assessment regulations, including elementary (60/40 formative/summative), middle/high (70/30), a new three-band grading scale with quality points, late-work limits, transcript denotation of the scale change, and a rollout and monitoring plan.
Prince William County Public Schools unveiled a multi-year update to grading, assessment, and reporting practices on May 20, intended to increase coherence across schools and improve transparency for families and students.
Dr. Stephanie Sullivan, associate superintendent for teaching and learning, summarized the work: standardization across grade bands (elementary summative 60%/formative 40%; middle and high schools 70% summative/30% formative), alignment of grading for grades 6 through 12, and new grading bands that reduce volatility through a three-tier band in each letter grade and a quality-point averaging method. "We heard loud and clear that standardizing grading practices was a high priority," she said.
Other notable changes include a two-week cutoff for accepting late work (with exceptions for approved IEP/504 accommodations and unique circumstances), clearer guidance and separate expectations for encore teachers, integrated language for grading students with disabilities and English learners, and updated guidance for transcripts and summer assignments. The district also plans to mark transcripts to show the year the grading scale changed so external reviewers can interpret grades accurately.
Dr. Sullivan described a phased rollout with extensive communications and professional learning for teachers, weekly gradebook posting expectations, improved SIS automation so teachers need not configure weights manually, and ongoing quarterly monitoring of gradebooks and assessment data. Student representative Beulah Sarsah said students appreciated the move toward uniform grading: "I appreciate the uniform 70/30 split," she told the board.
The presentation was informational; board members and staff said they will continue to refine procedures in tandem with technical SIS changes before the new school year.
