Below are the new features, system enhancements, and bug fixes for v8.3. As always, if you have any questions about a feature, please contact your Implementation Manager or Customer Support.
NOTE: If you are a client with both DnA and ISI: If you click on a document link within the Release Notes for an ISI feature, but you accessed the Release Notes via the DnA Help site, the link will NOT work. You must be in the proper help site (the one related to the feature being linked) to utilize the direct links in the Release Notes.
Next tentative release to Demo Site and Sandboxes: November 9, 2015
Next tentative release to Live Sites: November 12, 2015
*Release dates are subject to change pending development and testing timelines.
All Product: Enhancements
[Enhancement] Behavior- [CA CLIENTS] In accordance with 49079 in Ed Code, an alert will appear on the Student Demographic ribbon if a student has a documented violation in any subsection of 48900 (excluding "h") or 48915 within the last 3 academic years. Clicking the alert will take the user to the Student Behavior Details page.
[NON-CA CLIENTS] An alert for Student Behavior has been added to the Student Demographic ribbon. If a student has received a suspension within the last three years, a red "BHVR" alert will appear on the Student's information ribbon. Clicking the alert will take the user to the Student Behavior Details page. Clicking the alert will take the user to the Student Behavior Details page.
[Enhancement] Behavior- More meta data has been made available. Report until your heart is content people!
[Enhancement] What?! What?! Aeries Gradebook integration is now available!
Report Cards: Enhancement
[Enhancement] Report Cards- There is now a new Report Card calculation method, the Power law formula. This will only be applied to Rubric (beta) for Category Weight Aggregation Algorithm. The new calculation feature allows teachers to predict what the student’s next score based on scores already present.
The Power Law will only be available at the standard level. For GradeBooks with single standard assignments, direct Power Law calculation will be applied. For GradeBooks with multiple standard assignments, Power Law calculation will be applied first before the Max, Min, Mean and Median calculation based from the Power Law calculation result of each standard.
- MaxClusterPowerLawStandard
- MinClusterPowerLawStandard
- MeanClusterPowerLawStandard
- MedianClusterPowerLawStandard
Gradebook: Enhancements and Fixes
[Enhancement] Gradebook- Added a Filter Report Cards field that helps teachers to select a standard/field for linking an assignment to the Points-based GradeBooks (PBGBs) being filtered by Grading Periods (GPs). Previously, all Report Cards (RCs) on all available GPs were displayed in Link to Report Card field. Now, with proper use of filtering by GPs, only RCs that belong to the selected GPs will be displayed in Link to Report Card field. The current Grading Period is selected by default.
[Enhancement] Gradebook- The 'Also Save This To' field across all applicable GB pages got a new fresh look! No worries, it continues to work and behave as before. Teachers can save updates to one, multiple, or all GradeBooks of the same type. Unlike before though, the GradeBook list won’t show up until the field is clicked. But adding and removing GradeBooks is easier and faster than before.
[Enhancement] Gradebook- A GradeBook without students isn’t useful; that's why users see a banner that reminds them to assign their classes and students to it. Now the banner saves you several clicks! Go and update your GradeBook by clicking the link right on the red reminder. It brings you to edit screen in seconds.
Fixes
[Fix] Fixed an issue that was displaying two students out of order when sorted by last name in Blank Scoresheets downloads. Now, students should be sorted and printed correctly.
[Fix] Fixed an issue that prevented teachers from viewing the GradeBook's Assignment List page. Previously, when teachers viewed the Assignment List page of GradeBook with assessments linked as an extra credit assignment, an error occurred. Now, no error will occur when viewing GradeBook's Assignment List page.
[Fix] Some teachers encountered issues when trying a save a GradeBook update to multiple GradeBooks. We’ve fixed the issue.
[Fix] Teachers encountered an issue when they tried to update an assignment’s Possible Points. This has been fixed and teachers are now able to edit the Possible Points of an assignment in Point-Based GradeBooks.
DnA: Enhancements and Fixes
[Enhancement] Assessments-Constructed Response Grading for Online Testing- We FINALLY updated the way users grade constructed response items! You can now view responses at right while scoring them on the left, see the original question/rubric, add comments for students, and more!
For more information, see the help document, 'Grading Constructed Response Items (Online Testing Administration)'.
[Enhancement] Performance Bands- We updated the user interface for creating Performance Bands. Its now wayyyyyy easier to use folks, so create away!
For more information, see the help document, 'Create and Manage Performance Bands'.
[Enhancement] Student Timeline now has a key at the top of the page.
[Enhancement] Assessments- Users can now sort by assessment ID field on the List Assessments page now.
[Enhancement] ZeLibrary- Added a permission based ability to Delete Packages in ZeLibrary.
ISI: New Features and Enhancements
[New Feature] Secondary Report Cards- You can now add School Announcements to Secondary Report Cards, the forests are screaming in delight!
For more information on this feature, see the Help document, 'Add a School Announcement to a Secondary Report Card'.
[Enhancement] Mass Student Locators- We added the ability to show the Counselor's name on the Student Locators.
For more information, see the help document, 'Student Locators'.
[Enhancement] Search By Grade Report- Users can now search for students with specific grade marks during multiple Grading Periods. Hurrah!
For more information on running this repot, see the help document 'Search By Grade'.