Overview
This article provides an overview of how students receive grades in Focus, how to view gradebook grades and posted grades, how to handle transfer grades, with both manual entry and an electronic import option using FASTER.
How Students Receive Grades
There are several different ways for students to receive grades in Focus.
1 . During each marking period, teachers enter grades in the gradebook as students complete assignments. Doing this generates a gradebook average. When the marking period ends and the teacher navigates to the grade posting screen they can post the gradebook average or they can manually enter a grade on the posting screen.
Once the teacher posts a grade, the posted grade is populated on each student's grades screen for the applicable marking period.
2. Administrators have the ability to post grades for teachers using Users > Teacher Programs > Post Final Grades. This allows administrators to navigate to the posting screen for any teacher, select a marking period, and post grades for their classes. Just like teachers, administrators can use the grade book average for each student or manually enter a grade on the posting screen.
Once the administrator posts a grade, the posted grade is populated on each student's grades screen for the applicable marking period.
3. The system administrator in your school district has the ability to use a feature in Focus called Pull Grades to post grades for a group of students or the entire school at once. The Pull Grades program uses the student's gradebook average for the marking period selected to post a grade for each student.
4. Grades can be manually posted for each student directly from the student's grade screen. We often see this done for transfer students.
Viewing Gradebook Grades
Gradebook grades are the grades the student receives during the marking period for each class they are enrolled in. When teachers grade assignments and class assessments the gradebook grades are updated in real-time. To view a student's gradebook grades, go to Students > Students Info and search for the student who you would like to view and click on the student. Next, click the grey Grades menu.
From the grades screen, you will see a list of grades. Your screen may default to Course History, if that happens click the button titled View Grades Summary.
The Grades Summary displays information for each graded class the student is scheduled into during the school year.
In the example above (from left to right) you see the class period, course number. course title, teacher name, attendance data for the duration of the course, the gradebook grade for each applicable marking period, and credits.
Click on the grade link to view the gradebook assignments and grades for the selected marking period.
1. The assignment title, points (if applicable), comments, the date assigned, date due, category (if assigned), and the date last modified is displayed.
2. A weighted breakdown of the gradebook average will appear in the top left corner if category weights have been assigned to the class.
3. You can use the pull-down at the top of the screen to toggle between classes.
Viewing Posted Grades
Once grades are posted they are stored on the student's grades screen under the applicable marking and/or the course history screen.. This means that even if the gradebook is changed the posted grade is not automatically updated since it is now stored in a different location. In most cases, report cards pull grades from the posted grades screen.
To view the student's posted grades navigate to Grades > Final Grades, GPA, and Class Rank.
Search for the student who you would like to view and click on the student.
Your screen should default to display Course History. If it does not click the button titled View Detailed Report.
The Detailed report is organized by marking period.
1. The marking period tabs that appear are driven by the marking period that is selected in the top right corner of the screen.
2. Select the marking period tab for the grades that you would like to view. The grades displayed here are the ones that have been posted for the selected marking period.
3. When no marking period tab is selected the student's course history tab will default. The grades found under course history are credit-earning courses that appear on the student's transcript.
A. In the example above the marking period for 1st 9 Weeks has been selected.
B. The screen will update and display only the grades that have been posted for that marking period.
C. In addition to the marking periods there is the Full 20XX Year. This tab will display any posted grade records that have a marking period of Full Year for the current school year.
D. The tab titled All Quarters will display any posted grade recorded with a Quarter marking period for all years the student has been enrolled.
E. The tab titled All Years will display any posted grade recorded with a Full Year marking period for all years the student has been enrolled.
If your district is using Progress Periods, you will also see a tab for each progress period. The Progress Period tabs will display posted grades for the specified Progress Period.
Grade Simulator
The Grade Simulator allows users to explore what-if grade scenarios and instantly see how potential changes would impact calculated averages, GPA, credits, and quality points. By entering hypothetical grades or adjusting existing values, users can preview outcomes in real time based on the schools current grading configuration and preferences--without affecting posted or official grade records.
From the Final Grades, GPA, & Class Rank screen, be sure you are on the Grades Summary screen.
Select the Simulate Grades check box and click Update to enable the Grade Simulator.
Enter mock grades for a student's progress period, semester grades, or exams that have not yet been taken in courses and marking periods where the student is actively enrolled and the Grade Posting Scheme allows simulation.
Once all mock grades have been entered for all applicable courses and marking periods, click Run Simulation.
All simulated grades display in red.
GPAs, Class Rank, Credits, Quality Points, etc. will also be updated to reflect the simulated grades.
Transfer Grades
When a student enrolls in your school from another school outside your school district grades should be entered from their prior district. There are two ways this can be done, manually or through FASTER.
Grades can be entered manually from students' grades screen.
To do this navigate to Grades > Final Grades, GPA and Class Rank > Search for the student > Click on student name.
Select the Course History tab and locate the blank grades line highlighted above.
Click the square icon at the beginning of the line.
The screen will now display the fields that should be filled out for a new transfer grade record. Fill out the applicable fields and click create. Repeat this process until all transfer grade records have been entered.
Focus allows you to use FASTER to import student records electronically.
Navigate to Florida Reports >FASTER > Incoming Transcripts
Note: The student's prior school must send a transcript electronically through FASTER for this process to work.
Locate the student whose records you would like to import.
Click on the student's name.
Next, you will be prompted to match the FASTER student record to an existing student enrolled in your district.
Once you find a match click the student's name.
After the student is matched you have the ability to import the student's records from the prior district, including grades.
To import grades, click the courses tab.
Click the box next to each course history record you would like to import.
Click Save Courses to import and save the selected course history records. The imported records will now display under the student's course history screen.