Traditional Grading and Standards-Based Reporting

Problems with Traditional Grading Systems

Motivation is on Grades, Not Learning

• “How can I get my grade up?”

• “Why do better when I have already earned an A?”

• “If I do this assignment, my grade will go down.”

Traditional Report Cards are Undecipherable

• What does 75% mean?

• Do they not understand something?

• Did they turn something in late?

• Was something incomplete?

• Were they on a vacation and didn’t make up the work?

• Did they have a slow start, but improved?

Traditional Grading Doesn’t Separate Learning from Study

Skills

• What if they understand a concept, but are just unorganized?

• What if they understand a concept, but have test anxiety?

Traditional Grading is Very Subjective

Traditional Grading Doesn’t Account for the Growth of a Child

• Should students 1 and 4 earn the same grade as students 2 and 5?

Standards-Based Reporting

Motivation is on Learning, Not Grades

• “How can I show you I have learned this skill?”

• “How can I go beyond what was taught in class?”

Separating Learning from Study Skills More Accurately Reflects

Both

• Teacher can report that a student understands a concept, but has turned in the assignment a week late.

• Teacher can report that a child has turned in a beautiful project, but did not demonstrate a certain skill.

Standards-Based Reporting Allows a Child to Grow

• If a child continually grows in a skill throughout the trimester, we can report what they know at the end of the grading period.

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

• Student can determine importance in a text using text features (bold words, headings, sub-headings, italics, etc.)

• This is proficient.

• We call it a 3.

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

• Student can determine importance, but misses some important ideas.

• This is developing proficiency.

• We call it a 2.

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

3Student can determine importance in a text using text features (bold words, headings, sub-headings, italics, etc.)

2Student can determine importance, but misses some important ideas.

1With help, partial success at 2.0 content and 3.0 content.

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

Standards-Based Reporting Traditional

3Student can determine importance in a text using text features (bold words, headings, sub-headings, italics, etc.)

A 100%-92.5%

2Student can determine importance, but misses some important ideas.

B-C92.4% - 74.5%

1With help, partial success at 2.0 content and 3.0 content.

D74.3% - 64.5%

No Artificial Ceiling on Motivation

• We add a section on our scale for learning beyond what was taught in class.

• Encourages critical thinking, internal motivation, and self-reflection

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

4Student can determine importance in texts that do not use a proliferation of text features.

3Student can determine importance in a text using text features (bold words, headings, sub-headings, italics, etc.)

2Student can determine importance, but misses some important ideas.

1With help, partial success at 2.0 content and 3.0 content.

What Does Standards-Based Reporting Look Like?

Standards-Based Reporting Traditional

4Student can determine importance in texts that do not use a proliferation of text features. ?

3Student can determine importance in a text using text features (bold words, headings, sub-headings, italics, etc.)

A 100%-92.5%

2Student can determine importance, but misses some important ideas.

B-C92.4% - 74.5%

1With help, partial success at 2.0 content and 3.0 content.

D74.3% - 64.5%

Standards-Based Report Card

Reading T 1 T 2 T 3Reading for Main Ideas 2 2.5 3

Literary Analysis n/a 2 3

Reading Fluency 3 2.5 3

Study Skills T 1 T 2 T 3Participation 1 2.5 3

Work Completion 1 3 2

Behavior 3 3 1