Scores and Grading

You can set the gradebook response to scores that exceed possible points, enter assignment scores, and more. See the following topics:


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Configure Score Settings

Using the TeacherPlus Gradebook score settings, you can set the gradebook response to scores that exceed possible points, customize the enter key function, customize the number of decimal places, and set Turbo Mode.

To configure these settings, do the following:

  1. On the side navigation menu, click Settings, and then click the General Settings tab.
  2. In the Score Options group box, configure any of the following settings, and then click Save:


Score Options

A

Allow: Always allow scores above the possible points you set for the score column. You can use this setting to add extra credit points directly to an assignment score column.

Warn: After a warning, allow scores above the possible points you set for the score column. You can use this setting to add extra credit points directly to an assignment score column while making sure it's not in error.

Do Not Allow: Never allow scores above the possible points you set for a score column. This setting prevents you from adding extra credit points directly to an assignment score column.

B

Down: Move focus down a score column when you press Enter. Use this setting to add scores by assignment.

Right: Move focus to the right across a student's row when you press Enter. Use this setting to add scores by student.

C

0: Rounds scores to zero decimal places as you enter them. Existing scores with one or two decimal places are truncated when you change to this setting.

1: Rounds scores to one decimal place as you enter them. Existing scores with two decimal places are truncated when you change to this setting.

2: Rounds scores to two decimal places as you enter them.

D

Standard: Auto-save scores ON; Auto-calculate averages ON: Update averages as you enter scores. Standard mode can be slower, but it always shows accurate averages.

Turbo: Auto-save scores ON, Auto-calculate averages OFF: Don't update averages as you enter scores. Turbo mode is faster, but it doesn't accurately reflect changes in students' averages until you recalculate.

Tip: When grades are in the process of being saved, appears at the upper-right corner of the gradebook.

When the grades have been successfully saved, appears.

To update averages in Turbo Mode, click Save & Recalculate at the upper-right corner of your gradebook to ensure that all grades are saved and updated in the portals.

 


Grading Menu Features

The Grading menu contains settings and information that determine how your gradebook functions. The settings available to you may vary depending on how your Gradebook Administrator has configured permissions in the TeacherPlus Management Site.




Grading Details

A

Scores tab: You can view score names, codes, shortcuts, and values.

B

Score Annotations tab: You can view a list of all annotations, and then you can click Default Annotations or User Defined Annotations to view only the annotations in those categories. You can also add new annotations. For more information on adding annotations, see Add Custom Score Annotations.

C

Grade Scale tab: You can view the grade scale set on the TeacherPlus Management Site. The table includes the grades and their respective cut-off values.

Note: If you have a number grade scale, the scale doesn't appear on the Grade Scale tab because the number has no conversion, but if your administrator has set a letter grade scale, the scale appears. For example, a 76 is always a 76 on the number grade scale, but a 76 could be a C or a C+ on the letter grade scale.

D

Weighting tab: Depending on permissions set in the  TeacherPlus Management Site, you can view available weighting settings and assignment column categories. You can also customize your assignment column categories and add new categories. If you don't have access to any of these options, you can consult your Gradebook Administrator. For more information, see  How Weighting Works.

E

Averages tab: Depending on permissions set in the  TeacherPlus Management Site, you can view and edit available marking period weighting settings. For more information about the  Averages tab, see Customize Semester and Final Average Weighting.

F

Drop Scores tab: You can drop scores from a category or from all categories. If you've already dropped scores, you can undo previously dropped scores. For more information on dropping scores, see Drop the Lowest Score in a Marking Period.

 


Enter Assignment Scores

With  TeacherPlus  Gradebook, you can manually enter a score into your gradebook, select a score from your grade scale, or use Quick Entry to search for students by name and enter their scores.

Method 1: Manually Enter an Assignment Score

Manually entering assignment scores in  TeacherPlus Gradebook is, in many cases, the most efficient way to enter your assignment scores. If you have your scores in order and just need to transcribe them into your gradebook, you can sort your gradebook by a column, set your enter key and turbo mode settings (in General Settings), and quickly enter grades down or across your gradebook. For more information on score settings, see Configure Score Settings.

To enter an assignment score, do the following:

  1. Click a score cell, enter that student's assignment score, and then press Enter.

Note: When you press Enter, the cell focus will move either down or right, depending on your score settings. You can also use the arrow keys to navigate up and down a score column or left and right between score columns.


  1. If you have Turbo Mode turned on in your score settings, on the side navigation menu, click Tools > Recalculate Averages.

Note: If Turbo Mode is on, newly entered scores appear red until you recalculate. This indicates that they aren't included in averages. For more information on score settings, see Configure Score Settings.


Method 2: Enter an Assignment Score from the Score Table

If you prefer to select scores from your class score table, you can use the Enter Score feature.

To enter an assignment score from the score table, do the following:

  1. Right-click a score cell, and then click Enter Score.
  1. In the Scores dialog box, click the grade you want to enter for this assignment, and then click Select.

Tip: You can also double-click the score you want to enter.

  1. If you have Turbo Mode turned on in your score settings, on the side navigation menu, click Tools > Recalculate Averages.

Note: If Turbo Mode is on, newly entered scores appear red until you recalculate. This indicates that they aren't included in averages. For more information on score settings, see Configure Score Settings.



Method 3: Enter Scores Using Quick Entry

When you have many students in your class and need to grade them on various assignments, you can use Quick Entry to expedite the process of finding and grading students.

To enter scores using Quick Entry, do the following:

  1. In the Assignment Column that you want to grade, click on a score column to select that column.
  2. In the Gradebook Toolbar, click the Quick Entry toggle switch, enter the first three letters of a student's last name, and then press Enter.
     The focus moves to the student's cell in the current assignment's score column.
  3. Enter the student's score in their cell, and then press Enter.
    The focus moves back to the Quick Entry dialog box.
  1. Continue searching for students and entering their grades.
  2. After you've entered the last grade, in the Quick Entry dialog box, click Done.

 

Batch Enter Scores

The Batch Entry feature simplifies the process of editing all the grades for a given assignment at once. With Batch Entry, you can find a specific grade and replace it with another, add a certain number of points to all scores, increase grades by a certain percentage, or give all students a specific grade.

To batch enter scores, do the following:

  1. Right-click any score cell in the column that you want to modify, and then click Batch Entry: Current Column.

  1. In the Batch Entry dialog box, do one of the following:
  • Click Find score or grade and replace with this score or grade, and then enter the current score and the score that will replace it. For example, you could change all instances of a C- to a C.
  • Click Add to each score, and then enter the value to be added to every score. For instance, a teacher could add 5 points to an exam because all students completed their extra credit assignment.
  • Click Increase each score by, and then specify the percentage to increase all scores by. This option is similar to the previous one but it increases scores by a percentage instead of a point value.
  • Click Fill Column with, and then enter the score to be added for every student. This option is perfect for simple assignments, such as pass or fail assignments, in which all students have the same score.

  1. At the upper-right corner of the Batch Entry dialog box, click OK, and then click Yes to confirm the warning.

 


Undo Grading Edits

Using the Undo feature, you can correct any grades you assign and revert any changes you make in error. When you click Undo, a list of grading edits made during the current login appears, giving you the option to select any change(s) you want to revert.


Note: You can only undo grading edits made during your current login. If you haven't made any edits in the current login, the arrow is gray and can't be clicked. If you log out or change gradebooks, you lose any recorded edits.

To undo grading edits, do the following:

  1. On the top navigation bar, click Undo.

  1. In the Undo Score dialog box, select the check boxes for the score changes you want to undo, and then click Undo.

The Undo Score dialog box closes and the changes are reverted in your gradebook.

 

Drop the Lowest Score in a Marking Period

Using the Drop Scores feature, you can drop one or more of students' overall lowest score(s) in a marking period. You can either have TeacherPlus automatically determine what a student's lowest score is, or you can manually drop whichever score you prefer. Because TeacherPlus determines what the lowest score should be only at the time you run the feature, it's recommended you use the feature only at the end of the marking period (since grades are subject to change before then). Dropped scores can be undone if needed.

Automatically Drop the Lowest Score for All Students

  1. On the side navigation menu, click Grading.
  2. Click the Drop Scores tab.
  3. Click the desired Category Name for which you'd like to drop all lowest scores.
  4. Optional: To cancel any previously dropped scores, select the Undo any previous dropped scores check box.

Note: There may be times when you decide to drop lowest scores before the end of a marking period. Having dropped such scores, it's possible that new low scores might be added later, which are even lower than the lowest scores previously dropped. If you typically drop only one lowest score per category per marking period, you'd want to recalculate dropping the lowest scores again (given the new lowest scores). Selecting Undo any previous dropped scores cancels any previously dropped scores and enables you to recalculate from scratch.

  1. Click Drop Scores.
  2. To drop yet another lowest score for the selected category, clear the Undo any previous dropped scores check box, and repeat steps 1–5.

Automatically Drop the Lowest Score for a Single Student

  1. Right-click a student's name.
  2. Click Drop Lowest Score for [Last, First] from the shortcut menu.
  3. In the Drop Lowest Score dialog box, click any category from the list, and click Yes.

Manually Drop a Score for a Single Student

  1. Right-click a score for a student.
  2. Click Drop This Score from the drop-down list.

Undo Dropped Scores

The following table explains different ways you can undo dropped scores:

Task

Action

Undo a dropped score.

Right-click a score, and then click Undo Dropped Score (Include in Average).

Undo dropped scores for a student.

Right-click any of a student's scores, and then click Undo Dropped Scores for [Last, First].

Undo dropped scores for all students.

Click Grading, click the Drop Scores tab, click a score category, and then click Undo Previously Dropped Score.

 


Generate an Audit Report

Before submitting grades at the end of each marking period, it's a good idea to generate an audit report for at least one student. This provides you with an overview of a student's grades and how they contribute to averages. An audit report can help you catch any grading inconsistencies in category weighting, possible points for an assignment, or final grade percentages.


In the current gradebook, do either of the following:

  • Right-click a student's current marking period average, and then click Audit Report.
  • Right-click a student's semester or final grade, and then click Audit Report.

Tip: The Semester and Final columns are visible in the RC View template.

The audit report appears in a new window and displays a detailed overview of grades and how they were calculated.
 

Note: You can also generate a skill grade audit report in the Skills/Standards dialog box.

 


Submit a Gradebook

Depending on your school's policy, you may be required to submit your gradebooks to the main office for each marking period. There are many benefits to submitting grades using the Submit feature, including:

  • Indicating to the main office that you have finalized grades for a marking period.
  • Enabling TeacherPlus to inform you of any assignment columns currently not counting in the average (in case you intended all assignments to count in the average).
  • Ensuring that all marking period grades, as well as the semester and/or final grade column(s), are up to date by recalculating the grades.

Note: Submitting grades may be optional depending on your school's policy, so be sure you check if this process is required from you.


To submit a gradebook, do the following:

  1. On the side navigation menu, click Submit.
  2. Click Submit next to the desired marking period and then click Yes.


Before you submit a gradebook, its status is Not Ready. After submitting a gradebook, the status changes to Ready (in green text) and displays the date you submitted the gradebook. If the office has received the marking period gradebook, the status changes to Received (also in green text) and displays the date the office received the gradebook. Once the office has received your gradebook, you can Submit again without clicking Un-Submit first.

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