Assessment

W.R. Myers High School is committed to ensuring fair, accurate, and equitable assessment practices that support student learning and achievement. Assessments should provide meaningful feedback, inform instructional decisions, and reflect students' progress toward the learning outcomes outlined in the Alberta Programs of Study.

This policy establishes consistent guidelines for assessment, evaluation, and reporting in alignment with Horizon School Division’s Student Assessment, Evaluation, and Reporting Policy (HK).

In-Class Assessments

• Assessment Scheduling – Teachers schedule assessments, including unit exams and final exams, to evaluate student understanding. Specific dates are chosen to allow students ample preparation time and to ensure fair and equitable assessment.
• Attendance Expectations – Students are required to attend all scheduled assessments. In exceptional circumstances, teachers may:
• Administer the same exam at an alternate time.
• Provide an alternative assessment.
• Note: Students and parents are responsible for communicating any anticipated absences in advance of the exam date.

Teacher Evaluation Practices

Teachers are responsible for ensuring a broad-based assessment approach, including a variety of evidence. Teachers determine in their unique context which assessments best allow students to demonstrate evidence of learning.

• The following practices that distort accuracy shall not be used:
• Awarding extra credit or bonus points.
• Assigning a single grade to all members of a group for a demonstration of learning.
• Deducting marks for student work submitted after the due date.
• Applying a grade of zero as a punishment.
• Final assessments must:
• Reflect key learning outcomes from the Alberta Programs of Study.
• Support the determination of grade-level achievement.
• Be completed by all students unless special circumstances warrant an exemption.
• When evidence of learning is insufficient, teachers will establish proactive and responsive steps to support student success.

Assignment Completion and Late Work

• Students are expected to complete all assignments fully and effectively within the provided due dates to demonstrate their learning in a timely manner.
• Teachers have the autonomy to determine how late or missing work is handled, including:
• Accepting late submissions without penalty.
• Requiring students to complete missing work at other times during the instructional day
• Requiring completion of an alternative assessment if work is submitted late.
• Final Deadline for Late or Missing Work – Teachers will set cut-off dates around Exam Week for when outstanding or missing work will no longer be accepted. This ensures that:
• Students complete and submit their work before final assessments.
• Teachers have sufficient time to assess and report student progress accurately.

Assignment Non-Submission, Plagiarism, and Use of Zeros

• A grade of zero may be assigned as a placeholder in the following situations:
• Unsubmitted Work – If a student fails to submit an assignment, a zero may be used as a placeholder indicating insufficient evidence of learning.
• Plagiarized Work – If an assignment is determined to be plagiarized (including unauthorized use of AI tools), a zero may be assigned as a placeholder until the student demonstrates authentic learning.
• When a zero is assigned, students must be given an opportunity to redemonstrate learning and remove the zero. This may include:
• Resubmitting the original assignment.
• Completing an alternative assessment.
• Engaging in additional learning activities before reassessment.
• If a student does not take advantage of the opportunity to redemonstrate learning within the teacher's established timeline, or the re-submitted work violates the school’s academic integrity and plagiarism policy, the zero may remain as the final grade as insufficient evidence of learning was demonstrated.

Accountability and Fairness

• Transparency in Assessment - Students must be provided with clear and transparent information regarding their assessments, including:

• The purpose and method of assessment data collection.
• How grades are determined, including weighting and calculation methods.
• The criteria used for evaluation, such as rubrics, exemplars, and course outlines.

• Student and Parent Expectations - Students and parents have the right to expect:

• • • Assessment practices that are fair, equitable, and aligned with the learning outcomes in Alberta Education’s Programs of Study.
    • Timely and accurate communication regarding student progress.
    • Opportunities for students to improve their learning through feedback and reassessment where appropriate.
• Report cards provide a formal written summary of student achievement and should align with ongoing assessment data.
  • • Teachers will communicate assessment expectations within the first five instructional days of a course.
    • Teachers will ensure that evaluations are completed in a timely manner, and that grades recorded in SIS (PowerSchool) accurately reflect a student's demonstration of learning.
    • Students and parents will receive ongoing feedback throughout the course to ensure there are no surprises on the report card.

W.R. Myers High School recognizes the critical role of final examinations in assessing student learning and achievement. Final examinations and the designated Exam Week must be organized in a manner that supports fairness, equity, and alignment with Alberta Education standards while ensuring effective teaching and learning. This policy establishes consistent guidelines and procedures for the scheduling, administration, and weighting of final examinations within W.R. Myers High School.

Final Exams

• Culminating Assessments and Final Assessments
• Culminating assessments and Final examinations must align with the Alberta Programs of Study and assess key learner outcomes.
• Teachers shall communicate the purpose, format, and evaluation criteria of final examinations to students and parents/guardians within the first five instructional days of the course.
• Teachers of non-diploma courses may waive final examinations for individual students if writing the exam is deemed detrimental and sufficient evidence of learning exists to accurately assess the student.
• Teachers are not obligated to hold final examinations if course outcomes have been assessed through alternative methods.
• Weighting of Exams - Final examinations shall contribute to the final grade as follows:

• Grade 9: 0% to 20%
• Grades 10-11: 0% to 30%
• Grade 12 (Non-Diploma Courses): 0% to 30%
• Grade 12 (Diploma Courses): 0% to 15% (of the school-awarded mark)

• Accommodations
• Final examination practices shall ensure equitable access and opportunity for all students to demonstrate their learning.
• All accommodation requests for final examinations must be submitted to the Learning Support Teacher (LST) at least three weeks prior to Exam Week.
• Only accommodations regularly accessed during the course will be approved, except under exceptional circumstances as determined by administration.
• Accommodations must adhere to individual support plans and established Division procedures.

Exam Week

• Exam Week shall be defined as the period beginning on the scheduled day of the Mathematics Diploma Examination and ending on the day before the commencement of the next semester, or the last day of school in June.
• Scheduling of Exams
• Administration will communicate the exam schedule to parents with as much notice as possible.
• Regularly scheduled class days will be maintained except during Exam Week.
• Teachers must seek administrative approval to hold final examinations outside Exam Week.
• In circumstances where examinations requiring support from Educational Assistants (EAs) or other staff take place at the same time as government examinations, government examinations will take priority.
• School-based final examinations for courses with government exams (e.g., PATs or Diplomas) must be scheduled during class days, and additional support for accommodations may not be available.
• Rescheduling of Exams
• Exam Week is considered instructional time. Parents are responsible for ensuring that students attend scheduled final examinations.
• Students requesting to write final examinations on alternate dates must obtain prior administrative approval.

Retention and Appeals

• Final examination materials shall be retained for 75 calendar days following administration.

Students and parents may appeal final grades within 14 calendar days following the release of results. Appeals of diploma examination results must be directed to Alberta Education.

Examinations are held throughout the province in English 30-1, English 30-2, Social Studies 30-1, Social Studies 30-2, Mathematics 30-1,

Mathematics 30-2, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Physics 30, Science 30 and French Language Arts 30. In each of these courses, 30% of the final mark will come from the student's score on the Diploma Examination and 70% from the student's achieved school mark. Students who are dissatisfied with their Diploma Examination Mark may write the test again in accordance to Alberta Education policies. 

Students will be given their final school mark before writing their Diploma Examination.

Students wishing to discuss their final grades should first talk to their teacher. If a resolution cannot be reached, then students should schedule a meeting with the principal.

Per Horizon Policy, final grade appeals must be initiated within 14 calendar days from the release of the results (appeals for June final grades are subject to 75 calendar days). Appeals are subject to the appeals process outlined in Horizon Policy IFH.

A course challenge allows senior high school students to challenge the outcomes of a course by participating in a formal assessment process rather than taking the course through regular instruction. Course challenges should be rare in application and are subject to the following conditions:

• Eligibility and Restrictions
• Course challenges are intended primarily for placement purposes and will not usually be approved for courses at the end of a program stream.
• Course challenges do not apply to courses with no specifically defined content in the Alberta Programs of Study, including:
• Special Projects, Work Experience, and Off-Campus Learning.
• French 13, Mathematics Prep 10, all RAP courses, and CTS courses completed in Grades 7-9.
• A student may attempt a course challenge only once. If unsuccessful, they must complete the course through regular enrollment.
• For diploma examination subjects, the course challenge applies only to the school-awarded mark. The student is required to register for and write the diploma examination.
• CTS 1-credit courses must be challenged separately.
• Application Process
• Students must initiate the course challenge process by submitting a completed course challenge assessment application at least eight weeks before the final week of the semester.
• A student’s readiness for a course challenge will be assessed in consultation with the principal, subject teacher(s), student, and parent(s). The principal will make the final decision regarding eligibility.
• If approved, the principal, in collaboration with the subject teacher(s), will establish an assessment process for the student.

W.R. Myers High School supports flexible programming that meets the diverse needs of students, ensuring access to pathways for success in high school and beyond. Waivers of prerequisites and retroactive credits provide students with opportunities to advance their education in alignment with their demonstrated competencies and unique circumstances. These practices must comply with Alberta Education standards, maintain academic integrity, and be applied equitably and consistently.

Eligibility

• Waiver of Prerequisites: Students may have prerequisites waived under the following conditions:
• Students must demonstrate mastery of the prerequisite course’s learning outcomes through alternative assessments, prior learning, or exceptional circumstances.
• The principal, in consultation with subject-specific teachers and the Learning Support Teacher (LST) if applicable, will review the request and determine eligibility.
• Waivers cannot be applied to Diploma Examination courses or other provincially administered assessments.
• Retroactive Credits: Students may be granted retroactive credits under the following conditions:
• Students must demonstrate the required knowledge, skills, and competencies outlined in Alberta Education’s Programs of Study.
• Retroactive credits will not exceed the requirements for the student’s chosen graduation pathway (e.g., High School Diploma, Certificate of High School Achievement).
• The principal, in consultation with subject-specific teachers, may require students to complete additional assessments before awarding retroactive credits.
• Retroactive credits are not available for Career and Technology Studies (CTS) courses, Off-Campus Learning (e.g., Work Experience, RAP, Green Certificate, Special Projects), Dual Credit courses, EAL courses, or Locally Developed Courses.
• Course / Credit Recovery: Students who are unsuccessful in a course may be eligible for credit or course recovery based on the following criteria:
• Students must demonstrate a level of learning that suggests course repetition is not required.
• The school administration and the course teacher will evaluate eligibility, considering factors such as attendance, engagement, effort to catch up on missed learning, and remaining learning outcomes.
• If it is determined that sufficient learning has not taken place, the student will be required to re-register in the course.
• Course recovery must be completed within the semester immediately following the unsuccessful course attempt.

Assessment and Evidence required for consideration

Evidence for waiving prerequisites or awarding retroactive credits may include:

• Results from challenge assessments or equivalent evaluations.
• Records of prior learning, including non-traditional or experiential learning.
• Documentation of exceptional circumstances (e.g., medical, personal hardship).

Application and Approval Process

• Students or guardians must submit a written request to the principal, providing evidence of learning or mitigating circumstances.
• The principal will review the request, consult relevant staff (e.g., teachers, LST, counsellors), and provide a decision within 14 calendar days.
• If a request is denied, students may submit an appeal to the Superintendent’s Office following Division dispute resolution procedures.

Documentation and Record-Keeping

• Approved waivers and retroactive credits must be documented in the student’s cumulative file and Student Information System (SIS).
• Records must include the rationale, evidence reviewed, and signatures of the approving principal and relevant staff.

Equity and Accountability

• The process for waiving prerequisites and awarding retroactive credits must be applied equitably, considering diverse student backgrounds and needs.
• The principal is responsible for ensuring adherence to school and provincial standards.