"what if" grades

[lalleman]

Is it possible to enter "what if" grades in PowerSchool so that I can see how a grade on an assignment or assessment will affect a student's overall grade? This would be helpful when communicating with struggling students who have missing assignments or low test scores. Right now, I have to enter a grade for the assignment/assessment and then save it for it to show how it impacts the overall grade. Then I have to go back in and put in the original score and save it to put their overall grade back to where it was. If I forget to do this second step, then the student thinks they have a higher grade than they actually do.

[JeffG9]

There is a Preview Grades function in PT Pro.

[jweisenfeld]

Thank you for highlighting the Preview Grades function in PowerTeacher Pro, JeffG9. This is valuable information that many users, including myself, might not have been fully aware of.

I'm curious to learn more about this feature, and I'd welcome insights from any community members who have experience with it:

1. How are teachers currently using the Preview Grades function in practice? It would be great to hear about some real-world applications and best practices.

2. Does anyone know if there are plans or discussions about extending this functionality to students? A student-facing version could potentially be a powerful tool for self-reflection and goal-setting.

3. Has anyone heard of or suggested potential enhancements to this feature for future updates?

4. For those who have used it extensively, how has this feature impacted your workflow or communication with students about grades?

JeffG9, as a PowerSchool Champion, your insights would be particularly valuable, but I'm also eager to hear from any other community members who have experience with this feature. Your collective knowledge could really help those of us looking to make the most of PowerTeacher Pro's capabilities.

[JeffG9]

Personally, I think the feature is a solution looking for a problem. It takes approximately 3 seconds to add a grade, save, tell the student, and remove/revert the grade. I taught for over 10 years and never had a single problem doing this, regardless of the grading platform I was using (and there have been a few). 

I think allowing students the ability to enter anything into a teacher's gradebook, preview or not, is a terrible idea. 

But as my signature says, I do not work for PS.

[jweisenfeld]

# Re: "what if" grades - Empowering Students with Self-Service Grade Projections

Thank you all for the engaging discussion on this topic. I'd like to revisit and clarify the main point I was trying to address, which I believe got a bit lost in the conversation:

## The Case for Student-Facing "What If" Grade Calculators

While the current Preview Grades function in PowerTeacher Pro is certainly useful for teachers, I believe there's significant value in providing students with their own tool to run "what if" scenarios.

Here's why:

**Student Empowerment**: Allowing students to independently explore grade possibilities encourages them to take ownership of their academic progress.

**Reduced Teacher Workload**: With a self-service tool, students wouldn't need to approach teachers for every "what if" scenario, freeing up valuable time for both parties.

**Privacy and Reflection**: Students might feel more comfortable exploring grade scenarios privately, without the pressure of immediate teacher involvement.

**Goal Setting**: This tool could help students set realistic academic goals and understand the effort required to achieve them.

**Accessibility**: In diverse or high-needs classrooms, where teachers may be managing large numbers of students, a self-service tool ensures all students have equal access to this information.

**Teaching Financial Literacy**: This kind of tool mirrors financial planning tools adults use, providing a valuable life skill lesson.

To be clear, this would be a read-only tool for students that wouldn't affect the actual gradebook. It's about providing information and encouraging proactive academic planning.

I'm curious to hear thoughts from other educators, especially those working in diverse or high-needs environments. How do you think such a tool might impact your students and your workload?

Let's continue this discussion focusing on how we can best support student success and engagement.

[nicolebond]

You could use the Preview Grades function in PowerTeacher Pro.  Enter in the possible grades and let the students see how that possible grade will effect their overall grade.  I have used it and found it helpful when trying to get students to complete assignments.