Preview all new grading - translations, categories, grade plans, report cards - and the ability to make changes

Our directors have been upgrading report cards and grading procedures for the last 2 years. They usually begin making changes during the first interim and the changes involve creating new course (with new grade plans attached), new grade translations, new grade categories, and then new report cards. I can't tell if the grade system I have set up for them will work - or worse - they change their minds and want something different once they see it. I would love to be able to show them what the grading will look like and how it will work, including any drop down boxes, choices, etc., when using assessment skills. For some reason I can not wrap my head around translate grade on input/translate grade on output in the grade categories (the instructions do not seem clear to me) and then have to create everything new again if someone has used it. I just need to see what it will look like before teachers are allowed to touch it. 

  • Cynthia Addison
  • Oct 20 2017
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  • Guest commented
    October 21, 2020 01:08

    Agreed - the instructions for the Input/ output selection should be given right within that area to alert you to the importance of the selection and to the fact that, once grades are entered, you will not be able to change that.

  • Dawn LaMothe commented
    October 20, 2020 19:27

    We are new to Blackbaud this year and are in the same boat as Cynthia. We also didn't have a full understanding of "Translate score on input" when we chose it.

    The Grade Category option: "Translate score on input" has HUGE implications to a report card. We feel the area next to the checkbox should have more verbiage to explain the ramifications of that option. I don't know exactly how to word what might be next to the check box, but this is what we've experienced.

    a) it cannot be unchecked after grades have been entered

    b) choosing this box and wanting to show the "Letter Grades (Numeric grade) A(95.33)" format on the design of the report card will NOT work. Meaning, the child will have a calculated grade of 91.23% on the Grading tab, yet the report card will show the MAXIMUM of the grade translation of 93.49. (see attached file)

    This makes no sense. No school would ever want to show anything other than the true calculated grade. I don't understand what value showing the MAXIMUM of the grade translation would be to a school or parent.

    In fact, this has characteristics of a "Bug Fix". I hope this gets resolved instead of being explained away in a KB article.