Marking student work as excused
Excused means a submission or objective rating should not count against the student the way Not Yet or a low proficiency level would. Mark work as excused when absence, accommodation, or syllabus-defined exceptions apply.
When to mark work as excused
Use excused in these situations:
- Student was absent during a hands-on activity (lab, performance, discussion) and the work was not completed.
- Medical or personal emergency made it impossible to participate.
- Documented accommodation (IEP, 504 plan, university disability services) temporarily waives an objective.
- Religious observance conflicts with an assignment date.
- Scheduled athletics or field trip authorized by the school.
- Your syllabus defines other exceptions (e.g., jury duty, military deployment).
What excused means in your grade book
When you mark an objective Excused:
- The objective is omitted from grade calculations (it doesn't count toward the student's proficiency counts or grade distinction).
- The student is not penalized for missing or incomplete work in that area at that time.
- The objective may need to be reassessed later (e.g., through a makeup assignment).
Excused is NOT "automatic proficiency"
Marking work excused does not automatically award high proficiency. It simply removes the penalty. If students must demonstrate the objective later, say so in your feedback and create a makeup opportunity.
How to mark work as excused in TeachFront
- Open the student's submission in the grading workspace.
- Locate the objective rating area.
- Select Excused (or similar option) instead of a proficiency level.
- Add a brief note explaining why (optional but recommended for clarity).
- Save or Publish.
The objective now shows as Excused in the gradebook and does not factor into grade calculations.
Define excused expectations in your syllabus
To use excused consistently, document in your syllabus:
- Situations that qualify for excused (list specific categories).
- Who initiates the mark (you, the student, registrar, parent request).
- What happens next (e.g., makeup assignment within two weeks, no make-up required, alternative assessment).
- How many excused marks are allowed (if any limit exists).
Example syllabus language
"If you have a documented absence (illness, family emergency, school-sanctioned event), you may request an Excused mark for that day's objectives. Please email me within 24 hours with documentation. For each excused mark, you'll have one week to complete a makeup assignment covering the same objectives. More than three excused marks in a grading period may result in a conversation about learning needs or schedule adjustments."
Verify grade calculations after marking excused
After marking several objectives excused, check the Grade Calculations preview:
- Open the student's Grade Calculations detail page (from the gradebook).
- Confirm that:
- Excused objectives don't appear in the proficiency-level counts.
- The student's grade distinction is still accurate given the remaining objectives.
- Benchmarks still have enough ratings to calculate a meaningful distinction.
If excused marks significantly impact the grade (e.g., the student no longer has enough rated objectives), you may need to adjust thresholds or add makeup opportunities.
Excused vs. low proficiency
| Situation | Mark as... | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Student missed lab due to illness | Excused | Absence; not a fair measure of understanding |
| Student submitted a weak essay on time | Developing or Proficient | The work shows evidence of learning; rate it accurately |
| Student never submitted; no reason provided | Not Yet (or lowest level) | Missing work counts; follow your late-work policy |
| Student completed assignment with accommodation (extra time, scribe) | Proficient or Developing | Rate based on the work submitted; accommodations enable fair access, not grade inflation |
Communicating excused marks to families
When writing feedback on an excused mark, be specific:
"Your student was excused from today's Fraction Division rating due to the school field trip. They will have a makeup opportunity on [date] to demonstrate this skill. In the meantime, I've included a practice worksheet to keep them on track with their peers."
This clarifies the reason and sets an expectation for makeup work.