EYCI Assessment Evaluation & Reporting Policy

Based on TDSB/Ontario Curriculum Policy and Growing Success, Assessment, Evaluation and Reporting in Ontario Schools, Grade 1- 12, 2010

 

Fundamental Principles for Assessment and Evaluation

To ensure that assessment, evaluation, and reporting are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of learning for all students, teachers use practices and procedures that: 

• are fair, transparent, and equitable for all students; 
• support all students, including those with special education needs, those who are learning the language of instruction (English or French), and those who are First Nation, Métis, or Inuit;
• are carefully planned to relate to the curriculum expectations and learning goals and, as much as possible, to the interests, learning styles and preferences, needs, and experiences of all students;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year or course and at other appropriate points throughout the school year or course;
• are ongoing, varied in nature, and administered over a period of time to provide multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• provide ongoing descriptive feedback that is clear, specific, meaningful, and timely to support improved learning and achievement;
• develop students’ self-assessment skills to enable them to assess their own learning, set specific goals, and plan next steps for their learning.

(Growing Success, 2010, p. 6)
 

The Ontario curriculum for Grades 1 to 12 comprises content standards and performance standards. Assessment and evaluation will be based on both the content standards and the performance standards. Course-specific content and performance standards are outlined in detail in the course curriculum documents. (Growing Success, 2010, p. 16)

The achievement chart identifies four categories of knowledge and skills that are common to all subject areas and disciplines. Assessment and evaluation is structured around these four achievement categories:

• Knowledge and Understanding: subject-specific content and comprehension of its meaning
• Thinking/Inquiry: using critical and creative thinking
• Communication: conveying meaning through various forms
• Application: using knowledge/skills to make connections within and between various contexts.  

(Growing Success, 2010, p. 17)
 

 Types of Assessment 

• Assessment FOR Learning: Teachers will work with students to determine what they already know; teachers use their information to provide feedback and adjust instruction accordingly.
• Assessment AS Learning: Students will work to develop their ability to be independent learners and reflect upon their achievements; this is done through peer and self-assessment.
• Assessment OF Learning: Teachers will collect and assess assignments, tests, essays, presentations etc. for the purpose of evaluating what the student has learned.  Assessment of learning will determine the grade that appears on the student’s report card. 

Reporting achievement 

When determining a report card grade, a teacher will use their professional judgement.  This professional judgement will ensure that a grade is indicative of a students’ most consistent level of achievement, giving particular consideration to a student’s most recent evidence of achievement.  Teachers and their principal will work together to ensure that all common and equitable grading practices follow the ministry policy and school board guidelines. (Growing Success, 2010, p. 39)

 The Ministry-mandated achievement chart also identifies four levels of achievement:

• LEVEL 1:  50 – 59%, D- to D+ (Achievement well below provincial standard)
• LEVEL 2:  60 – 69%, C- to C+ (Achievement approaching provincial standard)
• LEVEL 3:  70 – 79%, B- to B+ (Achievement indicative of provincial standard)
• LEVEL 4:  80 – 100%, A- to A+ (Achievement surpasses provincial standard)

(Growing Success, 2010, p. 18) 
 

Reporting Learning Skills

The development of learning skills and work habits is an integral part of a student’s learning. To the extent possible, however, the evaluation of learning skills and work habits, apart from any that may be included as part of a curriculum expectation in a subject or course, should not be considered in the determination of a student’s grades. Learning skills will be assessed and evaluated separately. They are reported on the right side of the provincial report card. The following learning skills will be assessed:

 

 

 

Reporting Terms

Provincial Report Cards are sent via email four times each school year on the following schedule:

• Semester 1 Midterm - Sent approximately the third week of November
• Semester 1 Final - Sent approximately the second week of February
• Semester 2 Midterm - Sent approximately the third week of April
• Semester 2 Final - Sent the first week of July

If a student or family does not receive their report card or requires a paper copy please contact the main office. If there are concerns about the content of the report card please contact the class teacher or Vice-principal by alpha.

Teachers will provide progress updates outside of these scheduled report cards. If you have concerns about achievement in a class please reach out to the teacher.

 

Assessment and Evaluation Rights and Responsibilities

Students' rights around assessment and evaluation:

• To know if they are achieving course expectations
• To receive timely feedback to improve their achievement
• To understand how they are being evaluated prior to the evaluation
• To be fully prepared for all assessment and evaluation experiences

Students' responsibilities around assessment and evaluation:

• To complete all work to the best of their ability
• To ensure all work submitted meets the standards of academic integrity (see the Academic Integrity section below for more details)
• To communicate with teachers in a timely manner regarding difficulties or challenges
• To take all opportunities to improve work after receiving feedback
• To submit work to teachers on time*
• To receive and complete missed work in the event of an absence
• To not interfere with the assessment and evaluation progress of other students.

*Deadlines may be communicated in a variety of ways including being discussed in class, posted on bulletin boards, written on assignment sheets and posted in virtual classrooms. Students are responsible for respecting deadlines. If an extension is needed for extenuating circumstances this must be discussed with the teacher before the assignment is due.
 

 Course Evaluation Plan 

 At the beginning of each course students will receive an Evaluation Plan detailing how they will be evaluated. 

• Term Work: 70% of the final grade consists of on-going evaluation throughout a course.  This portion of the grade should represent the students’ most consistent level of achievement, giving particular consideration to a student’s most recent evidence of achievement.
• Final evaluations: 30% of the final grade will be based upon a final evaluation administered at or towards the end of a course. This evaluation will be based on evidence from a combination of final tasks. These may include an examination, a performance, an essay, or any other evaluation method that is deemed appropriate for the content of the course.

 A credit will be granted to any student who achieves a final grade of 50% or higher.   (Growing Success, 2010, p. 41)
 

 Late or Missing Assignments 

Students are responsible for completing and submitting all work for evaluation on time. Teachers, students and parents will work together and use a number of strategies to ensure that students complete their work and submit it on time. Suggested strategies include: 

1. Counselling the students and offering extra help 
2. Providing support to help students develop better time-management skills 
3. Scheduling timely conferences with student and parent/guardians 
4. Providing alternative forms of assessment 
5. Setting up a student contract 

Should the need occur, students must advise their teacher in advance when a challenge will prevent the student from submitting work on time.  The teacher will use professional judgement and consider extenuating circumstances for individual students. Students must also understand that there are consequences for incomplete, missing and late assignments. 

When other strategies have been unsuccessful marks may be deducted from the value of the assignment. If seeing a marked assignment would give another student an academic advantage, then a late assignment may not be submitted after the marked work has been returned (the ultimate deadline) to the rest of the class.

When a student does not complete a test or assignment, a ‘0’ will be assigned. The ‘0’ is used as a placeholder until the missed work is completed, or the student has demonstrated the curriculum expectations in another assignment. Students with an explained absence will be given an opportunity as soon as possible to complete missed evaluations to replace the ‘0’. 
 

Absences for Assessments and Evaluations

• Tests, Presentations, and Labs: Parents must communicate the reason for the absence directly to the teacher. This may take the form of a written note, email or phone call. Students must be prepared to write the test, present, or complete the lab in the class following the absence. Make ups may also occur outside of class time including before school, at lunch or after school at the teacher’s discretion. In some instances an alternate format may be necessary.
• Absences for Group Presentations: Students are responsible for their part of the work on the day of the presentation. If a student is not present, the group is still responsible for presenting. Students will receive marks which represent their different contributions of the knowledge and skills represented in the product, and which are aligned with the curriculum expectations of the course. Assessment of collaboration will be reflected only on the Learning Skills portion of the Report Card, unless the ability to work in a group is part of the subject curriculum expectations.
• Culminating Evaluations & Scheduled Exams: All students must take part in the in-class culminating course evaluations and scheduled examinations on the date and at the time they are scheduled. See the EYCI Attendance Policy and EYCI Student Exam Manual for more information. If a student misses an exam for medical reasons a medical note must be provided. In cases where the absence is substantiated by a medical note the final mark will be based on the student’s term work and other culminating tasks. Travel is not a valid reason to miss an exam and exams cannot be rescheduled. Failure to write an examination will result in a mark of zero on the exam. Students are responsible for checking the exam schedule and ensuring they arrive at their scheduled exam(s) on time.
• Suspensions:  A student under suspension will be provided with opportunities to complete their term work from home or in an alternate setting. Students under suspension may be invited to complete final exams at an alternate site. 

Academic Honesty: 

All students in the Toronto District School Board are expected to submit their own work for evaluation. Cheating and plagiarism will not be condoned.

• Cheating is usually defined as the act of practicing deceit or breaking the rules. In the context of assessment and evaluation, cheating would be defined as the deviation from the behaviour expected in an evaluation situation. Examples include but are not limited to:
  • Copying another student’s homework;
  • Using another student’s work on a test or any other evaluation;
  • Bringing unauthorized notes or notations into an evaluation;
  • Asking for or giving someone an answer during an evaluation;
  • Unauthorized use of electronic media to obtain answers during an evaluation; 
  • Presenting assignments that have been completed by someone else as one’s own.
• Plagiarism is defined as the use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another without attribution, in order to represent them as one’s own original work. (Growing Success 2010 p.151) It can take many forms, including the following:
  • Submitting an piece of writing created by someone else, e.g., buying an essay online, downloading an essay from a website, having someone else complete one’s assignment, or copying or using work including homework done by another student;
  • Piecing together material from one or several sources and adding only linking sentences;
  • Quoting or paraphrasing material without citing the source of that material, including, but not limited to books, magazines, journals, websites, newspapers, television programs, radio programs, movies, videos, photographs, and drawings in print or electronic form;
  • Copying and pasting from the internet or other electronic sites without citing the source;
  • Omitting quotation marks for direct quotations even if the sources have been cited. 

 Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): Text, images and other student work generated using artificial intelligence and submitted as student work is considered cheating. At East York CI we recognize that AI can be a useful tool for the process of learning. However materials generated using AI should never be submitted for assessment or evaluation unless the use is explicitly allowed by the class teacher for that specific assignment. If a student is suspected of using AI the Consequences for Academic Dishonesty listed below will apply.

• Student Responsibilities: To ensure academic honesty and avoid instances of plagiarism, students are expected to:
  • seek clarification from teachers about actions that constitute plagiarism;
  • ask for extra help and support with research skills when needed
  • understand the penalties for academic dishonesty and plagiarism
  • ensure that all their work is original and that they cite sources accurately and consistently. 

Consequences of Academic Dishonesty:

When plagiarism/cheating is detected, it will be investigated.  If plagiarism/cheating is confirmed by the teacher, he/she will inform the principal/vice-principal, the student, and the parent/guardian (when the student is under the age of 18) of the specific details regarding the plagiarized assignment or the allegation of cheating and the resulting consequences. 

Consequences for Cheating/ Plagiarism:

• A mark of zero may be awarded for the assignment in question, as there has been no evidence that the  student has demonstrated research skills required to demonstrate achievement of the course/curriculum expectations; 
• The teacher may provide an opportunity at another time for the student to demonstrate evidence of proper research skills; 
• A repeated pattern of academic dishonesty may result in an escalating severity of consequences 
• All students who face the consequences of plagiarism or cheating have the right to appeal the teacher’s decision to their vice-principal.  Students may appeal their case to the vice-principal only after they have first discussed the matter with their teacher.