Why Standards-Based Grading Buck Evans Assistant Superintendent for Operations.

Why Standards-Based Grading

Buck EvansAssistant Superintendent for Operations

Do your grades have meaning?

What does each grade mean in relation to the standard(s) students have to meet?

90% - 100%

An A?

The student has completed proficient work in all learning objectives and advanced work on some of the learning targets.

80% - 90%

A - B

A-B means the student has completed proficient work on all the learning objectives.

A grading system should not be based on the inappropriate use of averages.

Using Averages

Using attendance Effort Being a good “kid”

the Student

What does each grade indicate in regard to student proficiency to:

the Parents the Teachers of later courses in sequence

Traditional Grade Book

Name Homework Average Quiz 1 Chapter 1 Test

John 90 65 70

Bill 50 75 78

Susan 110 50 62

Felicia 10 90 85

Amanda 95 100 90

Standards-Based Grade Book

NameObjective 1:

Write an alternate ending for a story

Objective 2: Identify the elements of a story

Objective 3: Compare and contrast two stories

John Partially proficient Proficient Partially Proficient

Bill Proficient Proficient Partially Proficient

Susan Partially Proficient Partially Proficient Partially Proficient

Felicia Advanced Proficient Proficient

Amanda Partially Proficient Advanced Proficient

Traditional Grade Book

Name Homework Average Quiz 1 Chapter 1 Test

John 90 65 70

Bill 50 75 78

Susan 110 50 62

Felicia 10 90 85

Amanda 95 100 90

It is critical that homework have direct correlation to the learning target(s).

Homework

Assigned problems, assignments, and activities should be directly linked to learning targets.

Students should be able to ask and answer:

Do I know this? Can I do this?

Assessment should take place when you are confident that a reasonable number of your students will score at the proficient level.

Assessing students (refereeing)

Struggling students should have the opportunity to retest.

What quality is.

Standards-Based Grading Teaches

Each subject has to have a concise set of standards.

With a precise definition of what meeting proficiency looks like.

No teacher can use standards-based grading without clear standards.

Understanding Standards-Based Grading