Standards: Set Your Marking Period Calculation Method

The calculation method you choose affects how indicators are calculated using assessment scores.

Set the Calculation Method Used at the Indicator Level

1. Click Standards > Standards Based Grading Levels and Calculation Methods.
2. Under Calculation used at Indicator level, click the calculation method you want your school to use.
   The calculation methods are defined in the following table.
   
   

   Method	Definition
   Mean	The average score across all linked assessments in the marking period.
   Mean of Most Recent [x] Assessments	The average score of the  x  most recent linked assessments, where  x  is a number defined by you.
   Highest	The highest score across all linked assessments in the marking period.
   Highest of Most Recent [x] Assessments	The highest score across the  x  most recent linked assessments, where  x  is a number defined by you.
   Most Recent Assessment	The score from the most recent linked assessment.
   Mode	The most frequently earned score of all linked assessments across the marking period. If there's a tie between two different scores, no score will populate in the Skill Grade column. This situation requires the teacher's judgement.
   Median	The middle score in the ordered grade-set of all linked assessments across the marking period. This formula assesses the grades in order from lowest to highest to find the score in the middle. If there are an even number of scores, the two middle scores will be added together and divided by 2.
   Power Law	This is a complex calculation that is designed to predict how the student would perform on the next linked assessment, based on the student's performances on all previously completed linked assessments. This calculation method places the most weight on the student's most recent assessment and progressively decreases the weight of each previous assessment. This calculation method often leads to more meaningful depictions of a student's skill progress on narrowly defined skills, such as counting to 10. When defining Achievement Level Tables (ALT), don't start the lowest level at 0. The Power Law doesn't accept 0 as a value. If a grade with a value of 0 is used, it will be counted as the next lowest grade in the assigned ALT for indicator grade calculation.
   Decaying Average	This formula assigns the most weight to the most recent score, and lowers the assigned weight for each preceding score. The Current Weight percentage is customizable, and the Previous Weight is the remainder. When you select Decaying Average, a chart with five examples illustrates the effect the formula will have on each assessment, based on the number of assessments in the marking period.

   
   
3. At the top of the page, click Save.

Set the Default Marking Period Grade for Standards When No Scores Exist

This setting only applies to standards linked to AdminPlus skills.

1. Click Standards > Marking Period Calculations.
2. In the Default Marking Period Standards Grade When No Scores Exist drop-down list, select a grade symbol.
3. At the top of the page, click Save.

Activate Year-to-Date Mode

When Year-to-Date (YTD) mode is active, indicators are calculated based on all assessments from the beginning of the year to the current date. For example: Marking Period 1 includes assessments from the first day of the school year to the last day of Marking Period 1; Marking Period 2 includes assessments from the first day of the school year to the last day of Marking Period 2; etc.

1. Click Standards > Marking Period Calculations.
2. At the bottom of the page, select the Activate Year to Date Mode check box.
3. At the top of the page, click Save.