Standard-Based Grading

Christi Donald & Stephanie NugentOC7 EDL 274: School & Community

Calculating Grades

• The following grades demonstrate the scores students received on the Parachute Packing Test.1

• With a partner, calculate the grades for the following students.

Around the World?

Which student would you want to pack your chute for today’s dive: Student A, B or C?

Please stand in the designated corner of the room to indicate which one of students A, B, or C you would choose.

1. Which students passed? Failed?

2. Is there a discrepancy between answers 1 and 2? Why?

Parachute Packers

Standard Based Fix

Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning

Guideline #4Sample student performance– Do

not include all scores in grades.

Guideline #5Grade in pencil—

Keep records so they can be

updated easily

#2 Worshiping the Averages

All of the math to calculate an average is used, even when “the average” is not consistent with what

the teacher knows about the student’s

learning.

Purpose of Grading

Please get in groups based on the level you teach.

Elementary (Pre-K to 5)Middle (6 to 9) High (10-12)

In your group, create a ONE sentence statement about the purpose of grading?

Traditional Grading

• Communicate with parents and students (and other stakeholders) about achievement and effort

• Select and sort students• Incentive for students to learn and

behave 2

Survey Results

Standard Based Fix

Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning

Guideline #1Relate grading

procedures to learning goals (i.e.

standards)

Guideline #3Limit the valued attributes included

in grades to individual

achievement.

#12 Establishing inconsistent grading

criteriaCriteria for grading in

schools and classes often change from day to day,

grading period to grading period, and class to class.

This lack of consensus makes it difficult for

students to understand the rules.

Standard Based Fix

Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning

Guideline #6Crunch numbers carefully—if at all.#1 Inconsistent grading scales

The same performance results in different grades,

in different schools or classes.

#3 Using zeros indiscriminately

Giving zeros for incomplete work has a devastating

effect on averages and often zeros are not even related to learning or achievement but to nonacademic factors like

behavior, respect, punctuality, etc.

10 2 3 40% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

3.52.51.50.5

Assessments in Order Karen Alex Jennifer StephenAssessment #1 0 63 0 0Assessment #2 0 63 10 0Assessment #3 0 63 10 62Assessment#4 90 63 10 62Assessment #5 90 63 100 63Assessment #6 90 63 100 63Assessment #7 90 63 100 90Assessment #8 90 63 100 90Assessment #9 90 63 100 100Assessment #10 90 63 100 100Total 630 630 630 630 GradeMean (Traditional Average) 63% (D) 63% (D) 63% (D) 63% (D)Median 90% (A-) 63% (D) 100% (A) 63% (D)Mode 90% (A-) 63% (D) 100% (A) ?

Standard Based Fix

Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning

Guideline #1Relate grading

procedures to learning goals (i.e. standards)

Guideline #2Use criterion-referenced

performance standards as

reference points to determine grades

Guideline #6Crunch numbers carefully—if at all.

#7 Suggesting that success is unlikely

Students are not likely to strive for targets

that they already know are unattainable to

them.

There must be HOPE!

Standard Based Fix

Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning

Guideline #4Sample student

performance– Do not include all scores in

grades.

Guideline #6Crunch numbers carefully—if at all.

#9 Grading first efforts

Learning is not a “one-shot” deal. When the production of learning

are complex and sophisticated, students need a lot of teaching,

practices, and feedback before the product is

evaluated.

Bibliography

BibliographyBoston, C. (2003, June). High School Report Cards. ERIC

Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation . College Park, Maryland: University of Maryland.

O'Connor, K. (2009). How to Grade for Learning K-12 (3rd Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Robertson, P. (n.d.). Standards-Based Education and Student Report Cards. Retrieved May 2011, from U.S. Department of Education: www.2.ed.gov\teachers\how\tools\initiative\summerworkshop\robertson\edlite-slide001.html

Wormeli, R. (2010, Demember 14). Rick Wormeli: Redos, Retakes, and Do-Overs Part 1. (Stenhouse Publishers) Retrieved June 7, 2011, from YouTube: www.youtube.com\watch?v=TM-3PFfIfvI