Nova Scotia Public Education System

Quick Reference Guide

DRAFT - Revision Date: 10/16/2014 Page 1

Using PowerTeacher Gradebook to Determine a Percentage Grade
From Achievement Levels by Outcome

PowerTeacher Gradebook has new functionality that can calculate an overall percentage
grade from outcome level scores. This feature will support teachers who record assessment
information at the outcome level using the provincial achievement levels (1-4), however, it is
not appropriate for teachers in grades 1-6 who report student achievement with letter grades.

When teachers are ready to evaluate and report, they pause and reflect on the variety of
evidence of student learning collected to make an evaluative, summative judgment on
where each student is in their learning at that point in time. As part of this process teachers
are expected to review the final scores by outcome to ensure an accurate representation of
student achievement to date. The system will assist in determining a percentage grade with
an auto-calculation of the final scores by outcome. Based on evidence collected during the
assessment period, teachers are always expected to use their professional judgment to
override either this score or percentage grade for a student if required.

Setup of Final Scores

In order for the grade to reflect the teachers intended assessment practices reflected in
their assessment plan and more recent trends in student learning, teachers must first setup
PTGB to calculate final summary scores for each outcome. To setup this feature go to Tools,
Preferences, and click on the Outcomes Tab. There teachers can choose any of the following
settings: Mean(Average), Weighted Mean, Median, Mode, Highest, or Most Recent. The
recommended setting in most cases is Most Recent.




Nova Scotia Public Education System
Quick Reference Guide



DRAFT - Revision Date: 10/16/2014 Page 2
If using Most Recent, teachers can then select how many outcome scores to be included in
this calculation and apply weightings if appropriate.


At the end of a reporting period, teachers should examine the final scores for each outcome
using Student View and use professional judgment to override the score(s) if necessary.



Nova Scotia Public Education System
Quick Reference Guide



DRAFT - Revision Date: 10/16/2014 Page 3


Setup for Percentage Grade Calculation

To enable PTGB to calculate a percentage grade from the final scores by outcome, teachers
must setup each term/semester. Under the Grade Setup tab in PTGB select the appropriate
term/semester( i.e.T1, Q1) and click on the Term Weights/ Standards Weights Option as
shown below.



Click on the Add Standards button at the bottom left to select the desired outcomes for
the course. To select an outcome, simply click in the box beside the outcome.(Note: Do not
include GCOs, strands or Learner Profile items in your selection.) This feature also enables
teachers to assign weightings to outcomes according to their complexity and/or importance
in the development of the course curriculum. Weighting of outcomes should always be
reflected in a teachers Assessment Plan and clearly communicated with parents and
students in the Communication Plan.








Nova Scotia Public Education System
Quick Reference Guide



DRAFT - Revision Date: 10/16/2014 Page 4

In-Progress Mark

In grades 7 &8 the In-progress Mark in the Parent/Student Portal will display IP for In-
progress regardless of any grade setups in the PTGB.

In Grades 9-12 when using achievement level scores by outcome only (no points entered
under assignments), the In-Progress Mark will not display an ongoing percentage mark if F1 is
set to Total Points. F1 can be setup to calculate a final grade as teachers near the end of the
course and once set, will display an ongoing in-progress mark. (Note: if using both points
under assignments AND achievement level scores under outcomes, PTGB could potentially be
calculating an In-progress mark and a term/semester grade from different data using
different calculations and potentially these grades will not match.Therefore, choose one
method for calculating a grade and one set of evidence - points out of OR achievement levels
by outcome.)

Focus on Effective Classroom Assessment Practices

Report card grades are only as accurate as the classroom assessment practices and the
evidence of student learning on which they are based. In order for any calculated grade to
be a fair and accurate summary of a students achievement the teacher must:
have ongoing quality assessment practices that engage students,
use evidence collected in a variety of ways from multiple sources (conversations,
observations and products/performances)
intentionally align curriculum, assessment and instruction,
review assessment information and student progress on a regular basis,
ensure that the grade calculation is based on more recent evidence of student learning,
use their professional judgment to override a grade for a student, if required, based on
their evidence.