Communications

Parents & Guardians,

Making mistakes is a normal part of learning and helps students deepen their understanding. As educators, we encourage students to take risks in learning, knowing mistakes are part of the process. Parents and guardians can support this at home by asking questions like:

• What mistakes did you make today? How did you grow from them?
• What learning targets are you currently struggling with?
• What support do you need to be successful with those targets?
• What would you do differently if you were to complete that project or assignment again?
• Where are you now in your learning? How will you improve?

To reinforce this practice, parents and guardians can model this self-assessment at home.  

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

Research shows that when effective feedback is partnered with a score for student work, we see the largest growth in achievement. Grades or feedback alone do not show the same results.  

For example, a score of 73 on an assignment tells a student that improvements are needed, but doesn’t explain what to improve or how to do it. Scoring practice activities while learning is still ongoing can feel like judgment and may not build student confidence. Effective feedback goes beyond a numeric score—it tells the story of learning by highlighting progress, strengths, goals, and next steps. Teachers use this feedback to guide students and parents in supporting learning and growth.

It will be important for families to know how and where to access this feedback and student reflections. We are currently determining where this feedback will be stored, and we will share details with families in the spring.

In a separate update this month, the district announced that the full implementation of standards-based grading has been postponed until the 2026-2027 school year. Throughout this process, we have remained committed to taking the time necessary to ensure everyone is fully prepared for the transition. For more information, please refer to the letter emailed to all families last week.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Dear Families,

As we reach the halfway point of the school year, we want to provide an update on the transition to standards-based grading in middle schools. 

New Timeline:
Report cards with numerical standards-based grades will not be introduced until the 2026-2027 school year. Throughout this process, we have remained committed to taking the time necessary to ensure everyone is fully prepared for the transition. This extended timeline allows us the necessary time to build an effective report card that provides clear, meaningful insights into student learning. 

Looking Ahead:
For the rest of this year and the 2025-2026 school year, we will continue the changes already in place, including renaming homework as practice and eliminating zeros. These adjustments lay the groundwork for a grading system that emphasizes growth and accurate reporting of academic achievement. 

We are prioritizing professional learning for staff, focusing on grade-level standards, effective feedback strategies, and understanding grading practices. Additionally, we are planning opportunities for parents and the community to learn more about this approach.

Our Why:
Standards-based grading helps break down barriers and focus on what students truly know and can do. This approach provides clear, meaningful feedback that helps parents better understand their student’s strengths and areas for growth, strengthening our partnership in supporting their learning journey.

We appreciate your collaboration as we move toward a system designed to support student growth and provide valuable insights into their learning journey. For additional information, visit our Standards-Based Grading webpage for FAQs or submit a feedback form available on the page.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

Grading is a tool designed to communicate how well students are mastering academic standards. However, traditional grades often lose their meaning when non-academic factors—such as behavior or homework completion—impact them, leading to grades that can either inflate or deflate a student's true level of understanding.

While letter grades have long been familiar and comforting, they don’t always tell the full story of your child’s learning. They may not clearly reflect what your child knows, what they’ve achieved, or how you can best support them at home. As noted in Standards-Based Learning in Action by Tom Schimmer, Garnet Hillman, and Mandy Stalets:

"Traditional letter grades provide comfort and are the current status quo, but they do not give a clear picture of the whole child, do not communicate what he or she learned, and do not provide parents with information about next steps and how they can support him or her at home."

To bridge this gap, teachers can share insights about learning behaviors highlighted in progress reports. This includes examples of what these behaviors look and sound like in the classroom, such as how students engage with and complete their work.

By focusing on these learning behaviors and academic standards, we aim to provide you with a clearer understanding of your child’s progress and how you can continue to support their growth.

As a reminder, there is a Standards-Based Grading page on the District 47 website, which includes a comprehensive FAQ and all past communications introducing new standards-based grading concepts. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

Each month, we share updates to deepen your understanding of standards-based grading and how it supports student learning. Last month, we explored formative assessments and their role in helping students progress toward mastering standards.

This month, we’re focusing on summative assessments, which evaluate a student’s understanding at the end of a unit or topic. Please note:

• These assessments aren’t limited to traditional tests—they can also include projects, essays, reports, and more.
• They are designed to measure mastery in a way that helps students feel supported and confident, not overwhelmed or stuck. With teachers providing clear instruction on the standards, students are well-prepared to demonstrate their learning.
• Formative assessments throughout the unit guide both students and teachers, highlighting next steps and allowing teachers to provide targeted feedback so that students are prepared for the summative assessment.

We encourage you to discuss formative assessments and feedback with your child. These conversations can help your child set meaningful goals and understand where they are on their learning journey.

One key benefit of standards-based grading is that it doesn’t penalize students for early learning attempts. Instead, it honors the natural progression of learning and encourages students to learn from mistakes made during the process.

As a reminder, there is a Standards-Based Grading page on the District 47 website, which includes a comprehensive FAQ and all past communications introducing new standards-based grading concepts. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

In this update, we’ll explore the role of formative assessment and how it ties into standards-based grading. 

Formative assessment is an ongoing part of the teaching process that combines assessment, instruction, and feedback, allowing teachers to adjust their strategies to better meet the needs of their students. Not every activity is graded, but each one contributes to the teacher’s overall understanding of the student's progress.

A key component of formative assessment is the feedback loop. Effective feedback helps students understand:

• Where they are going,
• Where they currently stand, and
• How to close the gap between the two.

Formative assessments can take various forms, including:

• Question and answer sessions
• Exit tickets (including student self-reflections)
• Quizzes
• Student conferencing
• Digital quizzing tools like Kahoot

You can support your student at home by asking questions such as:

• What did you learn today?
• How do you know that you learned it?
• Can you tell me about an activity you did during _______ class?
• Do you have any work to show me?
• What’s one example of something your teacher said that helped you learn more about the topic?

It may take some practice for students to answer these types of questions, but your persistence will make a difference!

As a reminder, there is a Standards-Based Grading page on the District 47 website, which includes a comprehensive FAQ and all past communications introducing new standards-based grading concepts. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

We hope you’ve had an opportunity to explore the FAQ on the Standards-Based Grading website page mentioned in the August Focus on 47 newsletter. In this update, we’d like to share our new approach to homework, now referred to as "practice."

Traditionally, the term "homework" referred to work students were expected to complete at home. However, with the evolving learning environment, students now have various opportunities to practice the skills and concepts they are learning, both in and out of the classroom. Simply put, not all practice takes place at home.

To better reflect this, we are changing the term "homework" to "practice." This new term encompasses both in-class activities and those completed at home. Students will still have the opportunity to practice at home, just as they always have. We encourage you to think of practice as an opportunity for your child to build confidence, receive feedback, and grow. 

Think of it like a sport or any other extracurricular activity. There’s a team practice session where everyone works together (the classroom), and then members may also practice on their own at home, with an outside coach, or in other settings. 

Students are still expected to complete and turn in all practice activities. Some practice will be scored as a formative assessment, allowing teachers to provide valuable feedback, while other practice will simply help students identify areas where they need more support. Teachers will track and communicate the completion of practice assignments regularly, both throughout the term and on progress reports. Completion of practice activities may also impact participation in teams, clubs, and other extracurricular activities, as well as eligibility for the honor roll.

As Andy Goveia, a Middle School Teacher at Thomas Metcalf School in Normal, Illinois, puts it: “I don’t ask my students to learn without me fully available as a resource in the room. I didn’t stop giving homework; I stopped making homework the vehicle for learning.”

In keeping with the principles of standards-based grading, teachers will report your student’s achievement of the standards, and practice activities will not be averaged into this assessment. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Parents & Guardians,

As we move forward with our transition to standards-based grading in the middle schools for the 2025-2026 school year, we want to update you on our progress, timeline, and share additional information to address any questions you may have.

A reminder of our goal- Why We Are Transitioning to Standards-Based Grading:

• Purpose of Grading: Learning is about growth. The primary purpose of grading is to communicate proficiency with academic standards. Parents and students will gain a clear understanding of their academic strengths and weaknesses, rather than merely seeing a test score or homework assignment and wondering where improvement is needed. This approach measures how well a student meets grade-level standards by focusing on their most recent and consistent performance.
• Accuracy of Information: Traditional grades often include non-academic factors that can falsely inflate or deflate them, leading to misleading representations of student achievement.
• Enhanced Communication: We want parents to be involved in their child's education, and this transition will give them the information needed to ask pertinent questions and engage constructively. Traditional grades fail to show what the student has learned and do not give parents information on how to support their child at home.
• Parental Involvement: We want parents to be involved in their child’s education and aim to provide parents with more comprehensive information about their child's academic performance, allowing them to support their child's success more effectively.
• Focus on Growth: Switching to a numerical system underscores the importance of learning and growth over static letter grades.

What We Have Been Working On:

• Training: A committee consisting of administrators and middle school staff completed a comprehensive book study using Standards-Based Learning in Action: Moving from Theory to Practice by Tom Schimmer, Garnet Hillman, and Mandy Stalets. 
• Teacher Support & Implementation: The committee used the book study training to develop a learning sequence for teachers to outline what students should learn and when. Middle school administrators and committee members will conduct monthly training sessions throughout the school year. These sessions will focus on strategies for giving effective feedback and understanding grading practices, ensuring all teachers are well-prepared. This collaborative effort ensures every educator can accurately assess your child’s academic progress.
• Communication: We have launched a Standards-Based Grading webpage on the district website. It features a comprehensive FAQ section, proposed timeline, and all communications related to SBG. This page will be continually updated based on progress and feedback.

What Will Change This Year:

• We want to emphasize that while we are transitioning to a numerical system that emphasizes growth and learning for the 2025-2026 school year, letter grades will remain in place this year. Our focus is on developing instructional practices that support standards-based grading, providing a gradual and supportive shift for staff, students and parents.

We understand that this will be an adjustment. Please know that the success of our students is our priority. We believe this change will provide students and parents with clear goals and valuable feedback to enhance understanding and promote growth. If you have additional questions, we encourage you to review our FAQ on the website. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to your child’s education.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The heart of the district's mission is our commitment to Empowering All Students. This dedication drives us to continually assess student data and progress, review teaching and learning practices, and adapt to the evolving demographics of our student body.

Following the transition to Standards-Based Grading at the elementary level, we've decided, after careful review and discussions, to extend this approach to middle schools, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.

Why Standards-Based Grading? 

• Standards-Based Grading is a more accurate reflection of what the student has learned in class, with scores indicating proficiency in specific learning goals aligned with the Illinois Learning Standards. In contrast, traditional letter grades often factor in elements like attendance, behavior, and homework, which may not truly reflect a student's academic performance.
• It ensures equity in grading by maintaining consistent assessment practices across the district, focusing solely on what students have learned and can do.
• It empowers teachers to refine their teaching methods and encourages students to develop real-world skills, including receiving feedback and improving their performance, similar to workplace evaluations.
• Nonacademic factors like effort and attendance are crucial to student learning and will still be assessed, but will no longer be a part of the grade or level achieved for a learning standard.

The district and middle schools are just beginning the planning process. To ensure a strong understanding of standards based grading and consistent implementation across each middle school and the district, a committee consisting of administrators and middle school staff will complete a full book study on moving to standards based grading and create a comprehensive plan to move teachers to this goal. We will keep you informed throughout the 2024-2025 school  year through monthly updates on our district website, d47.org/families/standards-based-grading, and newsletters to provide insight into our decisions.

Thank you for your continued support as we strive to empower all students for success.

Sincerely,

Aimee Kasper
Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment