Important: excused work is now calculated differently
Excused work no longer counts as full credit. It’s now left out of the grade. This change isn’t retroactive, so anything you excused before this update still counts as full credit. Excuses can’t be undone.
For everything else in the Gradebook, see The Kira Gradebook.
In this article
1. What’s changed
Before this update: excused work counted as full credit. A student got the points for an excused question as if they’d answered it correctly.
Now: excused work is left out of the grade. A student’s grade is based only on the work they actually completed. This includes work that’s already been graded: any points the student earned for it are removed from the grade.
2. How excused work is calculated
A question: the question is left out, and the remaining questions are scaled so the assignment keeps its original point total.
A lesson, resource or unit: it’s left out of the student’s grade. The rest of the grade isn’t scaled.
Example: A student takes a 10-question quiz worth 10 points. You excuse 2 questions, and the student gets 4 of the remaining 8 right.
| How the 2 excused questions count | Grade |
Before | Full credit (2 points) | 6 / 10 |
Now | Left out; the 8 remaining questions are scaled to 10 points | 5 / 10 |
3. What excusing doesn’t change
Work excused before this update. It keeps the old behavior and still counts as full credit. If you’d like it updated to the new behavior, contact your Customer Success Manager. These requests are handled case by case.
Standards and skills mastery. Excusing a question doesn’t affect a student’s mastery.
Excuses can’t be undone. Once you excuse something, you can’t reverse it. Double-check before you confirm.
4. What you can excuse
a single question
a lesson or resource
a unit
work across several students at once
You can excuse work whatever its status, including work whose grades are already released. You can add an optional reason to any excuse, which other teachers and admins can see.
The Gradebook keeps a record of who excused it, when, and why.
In the Gradebook, excused work shows a dash and the ⊘ icon in place of a score. In exports, it’s marked EX.
5. How to excuse work
A question for one student
Select the student’s score for that lesson, then click the → that appears in the cell.
In the panel that opens, expand the question and click Excuse question.
A whole lesson for one student
Click the student’s score for that lesson.
In the panel that opens, click Excuse lesson for [student name].
A lesson, resource or unit for one or more students
Click the ⋯ next to the lesson or unit name.
Select Excuse.
Under Excuse for, choose the student or students.
Add a reason (optional). Other teachers and admins can see it.
Check I understand this is permanent.
Click Excuse.
Excusing can’t be undone. The excused work is permanently left out of the score, including any points the student already earned. The Excuse button stays greyed out until you check I understand this is permanent.
6. FAQ
Why did a student’s grade change after I excused something?
Excused work is now left out of the grade instead of counting as full credit, so the grade is based only on what the student completed. For a question, the remaining questions are scaled to the assignment’s original point total.
Why does a grade look different from what it would have been before?
Before this update, excused work added full credit. Now it doesn’t, so a grade that includes excused work can look different than it would have under the old behavior.
What happens to points a student already earned on work I excuse?
They’re removed. Excused work is left out of the grade entirely, including any points already given.
Can I undo an excuse?
No. Once you excuse something, it can’t be undone.
Can I excuse work after I’ve released the grade?
Yes. You can excuse work whatever its status.
Can I excuse assessments?
Not yet. For now, you can excuse questions, lessons, resources and units.
Can I excuse work for several students at once?
Yes. Click the ⋯ next to a lesson or unit name, select Excuse, and choose all the students you want under Excuse for.
Who can see the reason I add?
Other teachers and admins.
Will work I excused before the update change?
No. It keeps the old behavior. Contact your Customer Success Manager if you’d like it updated.
Does excusing affect standards and skills mastery?
No. Excusing a question doesn’t affect a student’s mastery.
How does excused work appear in exports?
It’s marked EX in both Summary and Detailed exports.