Academic and Grading Policy

Philosophy and Purpose of Grading

This grading policy was revised and updated for the 2022-2023 school year.

The P.S. 115Q Academic and Grading Policy Handbook is designed to explain how student learning is measured in our school community. As a school community, we are committed to providing relevant, comprehensive, quality instruction in order to educate, prepare, and inspire our students to be life-long learners.

Academic grades play an important role in the schooling process. When schools inform students and parents of how grades will be determined in a particular subject, they are defining the standards and instructional requirements for that subject. Report cards are sent to parents informing them of the degree to which student success in learning and in mastering the Next Generation Learning Standards have occurred. Report cards provide reinforcement for students and reflect progress and achievement of students’ work at the grade level they are assigned.

Grades serve the following purposes: 

  • Reflect a students’ level of understanding and command of content, student progression through a subject, and student mastery of skills at a given point in time.
  • Give parents information about their child that will be useful in helping to promote and maintain desirable patterns of behavior and achievement.
  • Help identify areas of strength, improvement/growth, and areas still in need of support.
  • Inform teachers’ curricular, instructional, and organizational decisions

P.S. 115Q believes that grading has a purposeful and useful role in our school. It is the school’s desire to make the process both meaningful and helpful to teachers, students, and parents. The P.S. 115Q grading policy follows New York City Department of Education policies and guidelines and reflects professional evaluation by teachers.

Grades, based on documentation, participation, performance, and work habits of each individual student, are given on the basis of sound measurement techniques. Students earn grades; teachers do not give grades. Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about schoolwork and grades and contact teachers (first) and administrators (second) whenever there is a question regarding grading.

Grading and Reporting Requirements

Pre-Kindergarten

Assessed in the following areas:

Pre-K Standards

  • Domain 1: Approaches to Learning
  • Domain 2: Physical Development and Health
  • Domain 3: Social and Emotional Development
  • Domain 4: Communication, Language, and Literacy
  • Domain 5: Cognition and Knowledge of the World; Including Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, and The Arts

Report Cards

Pre-K students do not receive report cards.

Pre-K students will earn badges in their Badge Books aligned to the NYS Pre-K Learning Standards. Badge Books are a progress monitoring tool intended to serve as a learning bridge between home and school anchored in student’s individual progress. The November and March Parent Teacher Conferences will afford parents the opportunity to meet with their child’s teacher to discuss their child’s progress towards meeting the Pre-K Standards.

Kindergarten through Grade 5

Assessed in the following areas:

  • English Language Arts: (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, and Language)
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Physical Education
  • Arts (Music, Visual Art, Drama/Theater)
  • Library/Media
  • Technology
  • English as a New Language (only for students receiving mandated ENL instruction)
  • Academic and Personal Behaviors
  • Social-Emotional Development

Report Cards

Report Cards will be available for families to view in your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA) at the end of each marking period (December, March, June).

Kindergarten students will receive grades for all subject areas as indicated to the left however grades for a few sub-components in math, science, and social studies will only be given in March and June due to the scope and sequence of our curriculum as well as the developmental readiness of students.

Students who have been newly admitted to our school will receive a grade if they have attended school for a minimum of 75% of the days within a marking period.  If they have attended school for less than 75% of the days in the marking period, they will receive a mark of NL (Newly admitted) for that marking period.  Students could also receive a mark of NL if there is insufficient information to determine whether a student has met standards.

Classroom performance is measured by a variety of indicators such as participation during class lessons, classwork, tasks, assignments, projects, asynchronous work, one on one conferences, small group work, etc.

Students who missed assignments will have up to a week to make up any missed assignments from their original due date.  If they are absent due to illness, they will have up to two weeks from the day they return to make up any missed assignments. Please note that when you receive your child’s report card in June, there will be grades for marking period 3, as well as a final grade which will be an average of the overall grades from marking periods 1, 2, and 3.

Procedure for Changing a Student’s Report Card Grades, Changing Attendance, or Changing Number of Days Late

Once report cards have been distributed to families in your NYC Schools Account (NYCSA), (December, March, June) any changes to report card grades, attendance, or number of days late must be approved by the Principal or Assistant Principal.

  • Parents should report any discrepancies to classroom or cluster teachers within 2 days of the report card distribution date.
  • Classroom and cluster teachers will determine if grade, absences, number of days late should be changed.  Teachers discuss change with Principal or Assistant Principal.

All changes to report card final grades, final attendance, and final number of days late must be made prior to July 1st of the year.  The school year ends on June 30th and the new school year begins on July 1st.  Once the new school year begins, no changes can be made to grades from prior years.

Report Card Distribution

  • Marking Period 1 Report Card Distribution Date: December 15, 2022
  • Marking Period 2 Report Card Distribution Date: March 23, 2023
  • Marking Period 3 Report Card Distribution Date: June 27, 2023

Parent Teacher Conferences

  • Marking Period 1 Parent Teacher Conference Date: November 3, 2022
  • Marking Period 2 Parent Teacher Conference Date: March 9, 2023

Promotion and Retention of Students

Promotion and retention of students is determined based upon Chancellor’s Regulation A-501, which outlines promotion standards of students in grades K-12, as well as procedures for implementing the promotion policy.