Biology Essential Standards
During the 2001 - 2002 academic year, the district biology instructors came together to align our courses more closely with the California State Content Standards for Biology. The result was an agreed upon set of "Essential Standards" and a rubric to assess achievement of the benchmarks under each of the standards. Further meetings have resulted in a common end of course exam for each semester that all biology students in the district will take based on the Visalia Unified School District (VUSD) Essential Standards and Benchmarks.
Pertinent Documents (in PDF format)- Science Content Standards for California Schools
- VUSD Essential Standards and Benchmarks for Biology
- VUSD Standards Rubric for Biology
What
is the point of this change?
We have observed that many students proceed from chapter-to-chapter, passing
tests but missing certain essential concepts along the way. Ultimately, these
missing concepts block the student's progress to a well-rounded comprehension of
the subject matter. By focusing particular attention on essential concepts and
skills, we hope to increase student achievement in biology as assessed by test
scores, percentages of students passing our courses, and by student scores on
California State Standardized tests, including the STAR test and in the future
sophomore year standardized biology test to satisfy the requirements of No Child Left Behind.
As noted in the course outline:
Students are first and foremost expected to achieve the essential standards for
biology. Student achievement of the standards will be assessed primarily through
benchmark quizzes. Students will not be able to pass the course if they have
failed more than two of the benchmarks within a semester. Students will be
allowed unlimited opportunities to improve their scores until they achieve a
score that indicates a mastery of the standard, generally a score of 75% or
better. Students who have more than two of the benchmark assessments offered up
to a particular date will be assigned a grade of "F" until they made
up those quizzes successfully.
Multiple Opportunities to Pass:
Students and parents should understand that a single failed quiz will not
immediately result in an "F" in the class. Students will have to have
failed three or more quizzes, which should suggest that over a considerable
period of time the student has not been responsible about making up failed
quizzes. Retakes may be similar, though not identical quizzes, graded by the
same standards as the original quiz. Students must make up the quiz during
available make-up times such as before school and at lunch (NOT after school!)
Unlimited Help:
No student will ever be denied help. Rather than have students take a quiz
repeatedly in the hope of "lucking out" and passing, it is preferable
that each student make an effort to get help from the instructor prior to taking
a second or a third attempt at passing a benchmark. Since creating make-up
quizzes requires a significant investment of time on the part of the instructor,
the instructor reserves the right to REQUIRE a student to come in for tutoring
prior to attempting a re-take.