Winchester Public Schools presents grading overhaul that adds SOL weighting, removes 50% floor

Winchester Public Schools staff on June 22 presented to the school board a year-long grading-task-force report that would add state Standards of Learning (SOL) results to final course grades and replace the district's contested 50% floor with targeted supports and clearer reporting.

The presentation, led by Dr. Bullard and a staff member identified in the record as Jake, said House Bill 1957 requires SOL results to count as 10% of a student's final grade beginning July 1, 2026, and the division plans to set the weight at the 10% minimum in the first year. "Throughout the entire presentation the three words we focus on are clear, consistent, connected," one presenter said, describing the task force's organizing principles.

Why it matters: Adding SOL results to course grades changes how classroom performance and state tests interact. The presenters said their approach aims to make grade books uniform across classes, increase transparency for families, and preserve opportunities for students to recover from low scores without relying on a blanket minimum grade.

What the plan says: The task force described several concrete changes. The district reported it will: - Apply a 10% weight for SOL results in applicable courses starting July 1, 2026, with implementation sequencing tied to state assessment format changes; the presenters noted a broader assessment overhaul is planned through 2029—2030. - Use a 100-point scale for SOL scores and provide a sliding-scale mechanism so students who pass the SOL receive the full 10% portion. - Remove the previous "50% floor" and replace it with three supports focused on student knowledge, consistency, and communication protections, along with administrator monitoring to avoid sudden grade drops caused by missing assignments. - Eliminate the 70% hard cap on retake scores so students can earn their actual retake results, while requiring remediation for any summative assessment below 70. - Allow late submissions to earn the student's actual earned grade, while permitting schools local discretion to apply additional late-work policy as developmentally appropriate. - Expand division mastery or performance-based assessments for courses that do not have SOLs and provide families with a one-page explainer in English and Spanish on the division website.

Officials said the task force collected survey data from students, teachers and families multiple times and held listening sessions with school staff; presenters said the changes are intended to improve fairness and predictability. One presenter said administrators ran division-level reports and conducted weekly monitoring of grade books to identify teachers or classrooms that were falling behind on grade entry.

What was not decided: The board heard the recommendations but did not take a formal vote on the grading policy during the meeting. Presenters said the task force will continue to monitor and tweak the policy as needed once the new state assessment rules are fully implemented.

Next steps: District staff said they will continue communication with families and teachers, provide professional development, and monitor early outcomes once the changes are implemented.