News, Online Grading Systems Allows Parents To Monitor Better School Progress Of Children. (counselor, middle school)

[John1960]

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Traditional school report cards will soon become obsolete as more schools shift to online grading systems. The new system not only saves paper, but also spares parents of surprises at the end of a grading period as the impact of a quiz on a student's grade is immediately available on real time.

Online Grading Systems Allows Parents To Monitor Better School Progress Of Children | AHN | November 6, 2008 (http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7012890391 - broken link)

[haggardhouseelf]

We have this at our kids schools, and we really like it. We also really like the online lunch accounts - view and pay lunch account balances online... the kids don't have to carry lunch money with them. It's great. We usually pack a lunch but they do like to buy a drink or something occasionally. Anyway - yes the online grade thing is great. Makes life a bit easier for teachers, too.

[Charles Wallace]

As a teacher, I think it's a wonderful idea for precisely the reasons John mentioned. I dislike it when parents are surprised at the end of the year, for the obvious reasons. It increases the likelihood that students can get their parents involved in their academic lives because when the "middleman" (the student) is eliminated, parents actually know what's going on in school rather than having to rely on their not-always-honest kids' versions of what's going on in school.

[haggardhouseelf]

This is so true! We've not had a problem with dishonesty, thank goodness, but I often have, at the end of the week, helped my kids clean out their desks or backpacks and found important letters or information I was meant to receive at the start of the week... and it's amazing how kids can remember to ask you all kinds of very detailed questions regarding play dates and get-togethers with friends and whatnot, but anything important and school-related is just completely 86'd from their brains by the time they get home in the afternoon.

Often, too, my middle schooler will bring home sopping wet and muddy paper forms and whatnot - he rides his bike to/from school in rainy Oregon. It's really nice when schools post forms/grades/newsletters/etc. online for these and other reasons. It also helps greatly when they send out email reminders to parents to let them know the goings-on and when to check the websites for info.

[HighlandsGal]

As a teacher, it is a lot nicer!! And parents love it, but many students hate it....

[momof2dfw]

We have had the online gradebooks for years. LOVE IT!!!! I can even put in to be emailed if their grade drops below a certain grade (determined by ME), if an assignment is marked missing or 0. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!

The ONLY problem I've had is that my younger childs school is SLLLLLOOOOOOOW about posting the grades. I looked them up earlier and her grades have not been updated in TWO WEEKS!!! I even brought this to the attention of the teachers, principal and counselor a few weeks ago. Told them it was not just this year but it has been EVERY YEAR! Still nothing done about it. URGH!!!

With my older daughter her teachers have the assignments put in even before the grades have been taken. LOVE IT! Her teachers (middle school) send out emails of what is going on in class so we know when an assignment is due, upcoming tests, what they are studying that week, etc. If I notice a missed grade or something I can ask my daughter AND email the teacher and know what is going on.

[teachbeach]

I'm a teacher who has been using on-line gradebooks for several years. Certainly takes away the element of surprise for parents when a report card comes home at the end of 9 weeks. It reduces the amount of time we have to spend on progress monitoring, bi-weekly summaries etc., because all important information is accessible to all who need to know(student, parent, athletic director, guidance counselor). I can also see how the student is doing in other classes as well (takes care of the one who says "you kept me off the honor roll"). The only drawback is that since we have utilized this tool, parent conference attendance has dropped off dramatically. We are required by our administration to post at least 1 grade per week, either a graded assignment, quiz, test, homework, class activity, process/participation grade or something.

[newflowers]

I too LOVE LOVE LOVE online grading. Teachers in our district aren't allowed to use the networked one, so we still have to bubble grades at each marking period, but having grades online really keeps my students on the ball -far fewer missed assignments and they can really see how the work they do on a daily basis impacts their overall grade. Parents love it too because they can see grades and attendace, send me email, and check the calender. The program I use allows me to print individual grade reports for students which I send home for signature every few weeks - talk about kids on the j.o.b.! I also post class grades and these kids are serious about competing to see who has and maintans the highest percentage.

I read a report on Teacherease that discusses a study they did for their own site - student acheivement improved by up to 40% when parents and students can access grades online.

[mikenbacismama]

We just got Edline in my son's school district, and I think it's great. It's a great tool to see where your child's at, and try to work on what needs improvement.

I'm guessing it's probably nicer for the teachers too since they can input the grades online on a regular basis, rather than have to scramble and get the grades together at the end of the grading period.

[Jaxson]

Our school has had online grading for about 5 years now and I love it for keeping tabs on the kids with no surprises. One problem some teachers in the Jr & Sr high don't input grades regularly so some missing assignments show up because they haven't put in grades. Each teacher inputs their yearly assignments over the summer so in that regard I think the teachers are failing the students a bit. I know my kids have gotten into trouble for telling me they turned something in then it shows up online as missing.

I can look at attendance, grades and discipline online but I can't view or load money on their lunch accounts. I have been trying to get our school to do that but they say they can't afford the software. My thinking is a debit lunch card is the first solo exposure most kids have to money or budgets~~ some go hog wild. My kid was charging food for others on their account because they had it not understanding that balance was for the first semester not the first 20 days of school! Yes they were told but that temptation was there and they succumbed. Had I been able to monitor their lunch accounts online I could have put a stop to it before the money was all spent.

Our school doesn't save money having the grades online because they still send home midterms and printed paper report cards. A couple of times a year they back it up by mailing home a copy anyway after the kids have copies as well.

Our parent teacher conferences have dropped off not because of online grading but they have turned to "student led" conferences. My child takes me into a classroom to show me their packet of all their class papers. I know they have picked out the best ones from each class they even have a rating sheet for each class they themselves fill out! I talk to my children daily about school when it comes to conferencs I want to talk to the teachers!