QuickSchools, Inc Introduces Standards-Based Grading Software to Ease Adoption of Common Core State Standards
For pennies per student, school management software helps teachers plan lessons around standards while automating grading and report cards
QuickSchools, Inc. launched a Standards-Based Gradebook (SBG) app for teachers and administrators to gauge student mastery of Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and provide vital data for institutions as to the effectiveness of CCSS long term.
As of this year, 46 states, four territories, and the District of Columbia have adopted Common Core State Standards released in 2010, yet some controversy about its broad goals and assessment tools, not available until Spring 2015, have surfaced. SBG is gaining popularity as a tool for public school districts, charter schools and private institutions to ease the implementation and assessment of CCSS.
“Following the publication of CCSS and as early as 2011, QuickSchools’ customers began to ask about how they could efficiently and economically move from paper-based grading systems to an automated standards-based grading system,” explains Azreen Latiff, co-founder of QuickSchools. “Our SBG app is an extension of our development philosophy – open, flexible, and scalable – so our subscribers are equipped to get in motion as standards-based curriculum is prioritized by their administration or their district,” added Latiff.
QuickSchools subscriber St. Rita School in Fairfax, California, began using International Baccalaureate and Common Core Math and Language Arts standards this academic year to differentiate themselves from other private and parochial schools. SBG gives them a more precise way to assess the instructional effectiveness and student accomplishment of meshing IB and CCSS. “The SBG app gives our teachers actionable feedback on whether their students have mastered a concept,” notes John Black, principal. “The QuickSchools SBG program is a huge time savings, especially if we are able to group the standards by grade level to quickly locate and record assessments of a standard. The screens are simple and easy to follow. Over time, the data from the SBG app lets us showcase the quality of our teaching and student accomplishments. That’s important for us to grow enrollment.”
The fully cloud-based application is currently available free to customers who are on the Apollo and Athena plans. The app plugs seamlessly with the school information system (SIS) offered by QuickSchools and eliminates the need for redundant paper records or re-keying student data. Live chat support for integration and customization of the app is included in the pricing. A demonstration of the app is offered here.
The SBG app integrates with the report card module of the QuickSchools Student Information System to pull information from either the traditional student grade book or from the SBG to produce the semester-end report card or progress report. The app also facilitates data-readiness for district reporting. Upgrades to the app are continuous and are prioritized by user feedback so there is no waiting for software fixes or annoying and disruptive version changes. The SBG app can be readily turned on from the QuickSchools App Store. Find out how to activate apps on QuickSchools AppStore.