Gel Pen Learning

Let’s talk about grades.

They’re one of the most common stress-points for New York homeschoolers. Right behind, “How to write an IHIP” and “why does my district keep asking for shot records?”

Here’s the truth: grading is flexible. You’re not being graded. Your child’s not being ranked. You’re documenting progress. The regulation literally says your quarterly report must include “an evaluation of the child’s progress.” That’s it.

It doesn’t say how.

Which means you get to decide the method that makes sense for your homeschool.

Letter Grades

Old school but the most familiar.

A simple A-F scale works beautifully if you have structured curriculum with tests, quizzes, and clear right/wrong answers.

Here’s the classic breakdown that most parents stick to:

• A= Excellent (90-100%)
• B= Good (80-89%)
• C= Satisfactory (70-79%)
• D= Needs Improvement (65-69%)
• F= Insufficient Progress (below 65%)

It’s neat, traditional, and looks clean on transcripts later.

The same scale can be applied to Percentage Grades (you just leave off the letter).

The downside? It doesn’t always reflect effort or growth, which is kind of the point of education, public or homeschooling.

Benchmark Scales

This is the most flexible standard. Instead of ranking kids by numbers, you assess where they are in mastering a skill.

Common wording looks like this:

• Emerging- Beginning to understand
• Developing- Improving with Support
• Proficient- Demonstrating understanding independently
• Mastery- Consistent and confident application

You can use this for subjects like reading, writing, art, music, PE, Health…anywhere growth matters more than test scores.

Hybrid Approach

I mix and match on my quarterly reports.

Math, Grammar, Science, History get letter grades.

Writing, Reading, Art, Music, PE, Health, all get benchmark grade.

The balance gives me measurable data and room for real-world growth.

The Only Rule

Since you are the one who decides how to measure progress, the only real rule is to stay consistent throughout the year. Don’t start the year assigning letters, then going to a benchmark, and then opting to pass/fail by Quarter 4.

You can switch methods depending on curriculum next year.

Keep it Simple

Don’t overcomplicate this. Grades aren’t a trap. They’re not a scorecard. You’re not writing an academic dissertation. You are just showing the school district that education is happening and that your child is progressing.

Progress is the goal. Everything else is just formatting.