Portfolio Problems are an optional graded portion of math courses in grades 6 - 12. These problems are puzzling, complex, and often application-based problems that accompany each Math Unit. They are scored on a 0-2 scale, with half-point increments possible. In cases where a student completes multiple Portfolio Problems within a unit, we recommend that the teacher enter the highest score the student received as their score for that unit in order to honor the best work that the student completed.
The following rubric is used to score a Portfolio Problem.
The corresponding percent scores for each of the rubric scores are 0% to 200%. Earning a score of 2 on a Portfolio Problem is an intentionally high bar, as the Level 2 rubric language shows. Portfolio Problems provide an opportunity for students to go above and beyond, demonstrate superior understanding, and be rewarded for that in their grade.
How much are Portfolio Problems worth in a course?
The default setting is that Portfolio Problems are worth 10% of the math grade, schools have the option of changing the default setting within a range of 0% and 10%
The first two portfolio problems will be graded by averaging against the number of problems the student has completed and, after completing three or more, the two lowest scores will be dropped and the grade will be the average of the highest scores.
Since the Portfolio Problem rubric weights a score of 2 as 200%, it is possible for a student to have a score that is greater than 100% for their average Portfolio Problem score. In this case the student will only receive up to the full weighted percent for the Portfolio Problems portion of the final grade. For example, a student who has a Portfolio Problem average of 130% will have 100% averaged into their final grade for Portfolio Problems. If Portfolio Problems are a graded component of the course, if a student does not receive a Portfolio Problem Score within one of their Math Units, and they have not been marked “exempt,” they will have an “Off Track.”