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Academic Integrity Policy

Our Mission Statement and Beliefs:

The mission of the Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools is to motivate students to discover knowledge, create a better world, and serve in a way that respects others.

Our mission statement reflects the academic and interpersonal goals we have for all students and staff. We strive as educators at Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools - Elementary to teach and integrate the learners' profiles into the daily lives of our students. This policy outlines our expectations and procedures for maintaining academic honesty in line with the International Baccalaureate (IB) philosophy, with specific reference to the enhanced Primary Years Programme (PYP). The academic Integrity Policy forms from an agreement among all school stakeholders that we will promote, teach, discuss, and model what it means to be academically honest. By the end of the PYP, it is the goal of TMSE that students will be able to reference and provide a list of sources (e.g. websites and books) at the end of an assessment task.


Principles of Academic Integrity:


Honesty: Being truthful in all academic work and interactions.
Trust: Building a reliable academic community.
Fairness: Ensuring equitable treatment and evaluation.
Respect: Acknowledging the contributions of others.
Responsibility: Taking ownership of one’s actions and learning.


IB Learner Profile: 
Our policy is aligned with the IB learner profile attributes, encouraging students to be:

 

Principled
Reflective
Inquirers
Thinkers
Communicators
Knowledgeable
Open-minded
Caring
Risk-takers
Balanced

 

Skills: 

Self-Management Skills:  having integrity and possessing confidence in one’s own work; willing to work independently; learning self-reflection and self-evaluation skills; meeting deadlines; having a determination to achieve one’s learning goals and potential
Social Skills: working collaboratively; communicating effectively; possessing an ability to contribute positively to a group or team; acknowledging work by other group or team members; learning to critique or evaluate others’ work objectively and constructively
Research Skills:  knowing how and when to acknowledge others’ ideas, work, physical skills, and techniques; knowing which sources of information should be formally acknowledged and what constitutes plagiarism; learning how to reference sources 

Key Terms:

Academic integrity: A guiding principle in education and a choice to act in a responsible way that allows for the individual to be trusted.
Examples: Completing work independently, restating information when necessary, solving problems without the assistance of calculators, citing sources properly, and upholding collaborative responsibilities when completing group projects.

Academic misconduct: Dishonest behavior when it relates to schoolwork.
Examples: Copying another person’s work, using unauthorized help from a third party (parent, guardian, or computer), plagiarism, working together when not allowed, and lying about work.

Plagiarism: When you use someone else's work, ideas or words without giving credit.

Third Party: A person or group who is not directly involved.
Examples: Includes, but not limited to; Parent, guardian, computer, or any other person. 

Cheating: Using unauthorized materials, people, or devices during assessments or assignments. 

Consequences: Range of consequences for different levels of academic misconduct, from warnings to more severe penalties such as failing grades or suspension.

Reporting: Clear steps for reporting suspected cases of academic misconduct.

 

Rights & Responsibilities

School/Admin

Faculty/Staff/Library Media Specialist

Student

Parent/Guardian

Rights

  • A learning space that allows growth through mistakes.
  • Clear policies and training
  • Access to resources & tools 
  • Support from faculty and IB coordinator
  • Professional discretion 

Responsibilities

  • Model ethical behavior
  • Support the implementation and enforcement of the academic integrity policy.
  • Provide resources and training to staff and students.
  • Maintain records of academic misconduct and consequences.
  • Use supports provided by TCS such as Lightspeed, GoGuardian, and Adaxes 

Rights

  • A learning space that allows growth through mistakes.
  • Clear policies and training
  • Access to resources & tools 
  • Support from administration
  • Professional discretion 

Responsibilities

  • Educate students on the importance of academic integrity
  • Educate students on age appropriate academic integrity skills
  • Model ethical behavior
  • Provide students with resources & tools
  • Use supports provided by TCS such as Lightspeed, and Adaxes 

Rights

  • A learning space that allows growth through mistakes.
  • Fair process
  • An environment that encourages integrity

Responsibilities

  • Exhibit academic integrity
  • Submit work that is their own.
  • Report any observed instances of academic misconduct.

Rights

  • Adequate and ease of access to academic integrity policy
  • Proper education on expectations of students and families.

Responsibilities

  • Model ethical behavior
  • Encourage and support their children in maintaining academic integrity.
  • Understand the school's academic integrity policy and its importance.

 

Learning Spaces:

School personnel will create learning spaces in which students have the opportunity to make mistakes and to learn from their mistakes. Measures and supports will reflect the age and developmental needs of learners. Both physical and virtual learning environments will be supported by the teacher, faculty, or library media specialist. 
When planning lessons teachers will implement proper supports based on standards and grade level. For example, lower grade teachers will provide prompting and support when students are using their research skills. Upper grade teachers will outline self-management expectations for students while they are using their research skills. The learning space will be conducive to all students regardless of grade level.

Virtual learning spaces will abide by the stance outlined in the TCS Position Statement on AI.

Consequences of Academic Misconduct:

Per the Tuscaloosa City Schools Code of Conduct, consequences are outlined by severity and amount of infractions.

Procedures for Reporting, Recording and Monitoring Academic Misconduct: 

Any suspected academic misconduct either reported by a student or observed by a teacher, faculty member, or administrator will be recorded and monitored through the appropriate protocols with professional discretion in mind. It is the responsibility of the teacher, faculty member, or administrator to follow the TCS Code of Conduct as well as the schoolwide discipline plan as outlined in the Teacher Bill of Rights.

 

Acknowledgement of Academic Integrity Policy:

I, _______________________________________________________________, as a Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Elementary IB World School student, pledge to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy.

I, _______________________________________________________________, as a Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Elementary IB World School faculty/staff member, pledge to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy.

I, _______________________________________________________________, as a Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools – Elementary IB World School parent/guardian, pledge to uphold the Academic Integrity Policy.

Updated: 11/4/24
Reviewed 9/15/25