Dear Skamania Families,
I hope this letter finds you and your family well and healthy. I am writing to share that the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) has issued new guidelines for grading Washington State students in grades K-12.
The rules, which were drafted based on feedback from parents, students and educators from across the state, focus on the following framework for determining grades and credit:
Students in grades K–8 must demonstrate effort and success in learning standards established by their teachers. Students will move on to the next grade, unless there is a mutual agreement between parents/guardians and teachers to repeat a grade or a portion of learning missed. Districts will make decisions on middle school grading practices for students not taking high school credit-bearing courses.
Therefore, given this guidance, we will continue using the same grading and report cards as in the past. TK-4 classes will receive feedback on their progress using numbers, and 5-8 will earn letter grades on the progress toward standards.
The framework issued by OSPI Superintendent Reykdal is meant to provide statewide consistency and local flexibility for districts when assessing student learning during the remainder of the school year.
I will continue to share information as decisions are made through email and on our webpage at skamaniaschooldistrict.org. I appreciate your understanding as we work to support students in their educational journey during these difficult times.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ralph Pruitt, Superintendent