In response to inquiries from parents and teachers, School Leadership has developed this set of frequently asked questions concerning the district’s decision to not administer the fall Assessment of Course Performance (ACP). For future updates on the ACP, please continue to follow us on The Hub.
What is the Assessment of Course Performance (ACP)?
The Assessment of Course Performance (ACP) is a cumulative semester exam that typically makes up 15% of a high school student’s semester grade and 10% of the semester grade for middle schoolers. While it is given to elementary students, the ACP is not a stand-alone part of their semester grade.
Will Dallas ISD students take the ACP for 2020-2021?
On Dec. 17, 2020, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees waived specific language related to the Assessment of Course Performance grading requirements in EIA (Local) for the fall ACP, due to circumstances arising from COVID-19. Therefore, no student in any grade will take the ACP for fall 2020. The decision to administer the ACP in spring 2021 has not been determined at this time.
Why was the decision made to cancel the ACP for fall 2020?
Given student learning loss, teachers require more time to address instruction rather than spend that time implementing the fall ACP in January. Instead, the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) will provide middle-of-year data on student learning for the teacher, campus, and district.
Will teachers administer an assessment in place of the fall ACP to track student progress?
Teachers have the flexibility to decide whether they want to give a cumulative exam, but it should be treated as a regular test, rather than carrying the weight of a traditional ACP. Sample exams will be made available to teachers as a support.
How will semester grades be calculated?
Students’ fall semester grades will be calculated by averaging their scores in the first and second nine-week periods.
What if my child/student performed poorly the first nine-weeks? Is there still time to improve the first or second nine-week grade for a better semester outcome?
Students have up to 10 days after the grading period ends to make corrections to grades. Corrections of grade errors will be based on teacher grade book records. Corrections made during this window require teacher and principal approval.
Are students’ grades negatively impacted by the decision to waive the fall Assessment of Course Performance?
Because the ACP and the exam grade are being waived, the students’ grade will consist of the average of the two nine-week marking periods. The ACP will simply be removed from the equation.
How will Assessment of Course Performance grades be calculated for Fast Track and Super-Fast Track students?
It is our understanding that the Board of Trustees intended this to affect all ACPs given at the end of January. Therefore, Fast Track students would also have the ACP waived. The students would therefore only get a course grade derived from their coursework.
When will the decision on administering a spring ACP be made?
The district will review middle-of-the-year data, continue to engage principals and teachers, and make a recommendation to the Board by April 2021 for the spring ACP.
How will campus and central staff evaluations be impacted by the decision to waive the fall Assessment of Course Performance?
The Human Capital Management team will be briefing the Board in February on any impact to Excellence Initiatives and staff evaluations.
How will campus performance ratings be impacted by the decision to waive the fall ACP?
The Human Capital Management team will be briefing the Board in February on any impact.
