This year, the newly adopted Policy 5030 - Assessments and Grading will be in place to help measure and report student learning and progress. The new policy was adopted in the spring of 2025 for implementation this school year after a detailed, year-long review. The policy development process included community review and feedback as well as student and staff input. The updates to the policy were made to clarify and improve how teachers apply the policy across the division, how students participate in their own learning and how families can support their students’ work.
Significant updates to the policy include:
Definitions are included for terms like “reasonable effort” and “formative” or “summative” assessments to ensure families and staff have a consistent understanding of key terms.
The floor of 50% has been changed to apply only to quarter grades, not individual assessments. The floor of 50% also no longer applies to Advanced Placement courses.
Students must submit homework and other formative assessments, demonstrating reasonable effort, before any major summative assessment may be re-administered.
The ceiling of 80% for reassessments has been lowered to 70%. Students may only take a reassessment when they have received a grade of below 70% on a major summative assessment and may earn up to a grade of 70% on the reassessment.
The policy now allows for weighting for homework and formative assessments of a total of no more than 10% of a quarter grade.
Families can reach out directly to their student’s teacher or school principal with questions about how these changes may affect schoolwork or assessments and grading. Families will also be able to learn more at Back-To-School nights. Students can always reach out to a teacher, dean or counselor for more information on the changes.
The policy is supported by a regulation that helps provide guidance on implementation. (5030.1-REG K-12 Assessment and Grading Common Guidelines). Teachers have also been provided training on how to apply the guidelines consistently.
Visit the LCPS Assessment and Grading webpage to read more about the policy revisions and how they apply in school.