tool name

close
tool goes here

Tacoma schools will put grades, assignments and records online

Tacoma Public Schools is launching a Web-based system that will allow students and parents to check grades, assignments, attendance records and other information.

Published: Sept. 28, 2012 at 7:49 p.m. PDTUpdated: Sept. 29, 2012 at 8:29 a.m. PDT
0 comments

Tacoma Public Schools is launching a Web-based system that will allow students and parents to check grades, assignments, attendance records and other information.

The district for several years has offered a system that made limited information available online. The new system, dubbed Home Access Center (HAC), promises more and is more user-friendly, according to district officials.

Families of high school students, for example, should be able to see a student’s daily schedule, daily assignments due, attendance, progress reports, report cards and transcripts. All students and parents in the district should be able to see test scores, grades, assignments and attendance records.

District director of instructional technology Michael Farmer said parents should see a link for HAC on the district’s home page, www.tacoma.k12.wa.us, beginning Monday. Each school will send parents a letter outlining the new system, along with a password and user name.

Wilson and Foss high schools helped pilot the program, Farmer said. Some schools will offer parents without home computer access a chance to use school computers to check on their child’s progress.

debbie.cafazzo@thenewstribune.com

JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here

We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.

CONTESTS

Similar stories

  • Tacoma teacher turns learning upside down

    Tacoma chemistry teacher Ken Richardson has turned instruction on its head. He gives his lessons to students outside the classroom and brings assignments that might otherwise be done as homework into class.

  • Stadium teacher resigns after deal with district

    A Stadium High School teacher resigned his job following allegations that he regularly hit students on the head and that he failed to account for all the money he collected from them for class materials.

  • Pasco School District looking for high-achieving students

    Pasco School District is in the process of identifying students who qualify for the Highly Capable Program.

    Students are nominated by teachers to participate in the program, which is for high-achieving students in grades 3-5.

    Parents are encouraged to contact teachers if they think their student is a good candidate for the program.

  • Some parents say body-fat measurements hurt children's self-esteem, pose other risks

    Like the other fourth-graders at King Lab, Jennifer Dreller's daughter was discreetly weighed during gym class as part of a routine fitness assessment at the Evanston, Ill., school. But the experience took a toll on the 10-year-old's self-esteem, her mother recently told a panel of health experts.

  • Computer-based testing in Mid-Columbia to be new standard

    About 10 versions of standardized tests are being given to Pasco School District's almost 16,000 students during 16 weeks, with testing season stretching from January to the end of May.

    "It ends up being quite a bit when you look at it," said Mark Garrett, the district's information systems and assessments director.

    School officials say testing is important. Results can help a district track a student's progress and identify if that student needs more help or can move on to more difficult material. Tests also can show whether the district's curriculum is properly teaching students.