standards based grading information from: a repair kit for grading 15 fixes for broken grades by:...

Standards Based Standards Based GradingGrading

Information from:Information from:

A Repair Kit for GradingA Repair Kit for Grading

15 Fixes for Broken Grades15 Fixes for Broken Grades

By: Ken O’ConnorBy: Ken O’Connor

Goal:Goal:

For all students to meet standardsFor all students to meet standards To be competent or proficient in every To be competent or proficient in every

aspect of the curriculum. aspect of the curriculum. Evaluate every student’s achievement using Evaluate every student’s achievement using

similar criteria, consistently applied at all similar criteria, consistently applied at all levels.levels.

We want students to understand that school We want students to understand that school is about learning and that grades are is about learning and that grades are artifacts of that learning.artifacts of that learning.

Questions:Questions:

Do grades assigned to students Do grades assigned to students accurately reflect the school/district/state accurately reflect the school/district/state standards and learning outcomes?standards and learning outcomes?

Are grades accurate, meaningful, and do Are grades accurate, meaningful, and do they support learning?they support learning?

Students:Students:

““30 years from now it won’t matter what 30 years from now it won’t matter what grades you got. What will matter is what grades you got. What will matter is what you learned and how you used it.you learned and how you used it. Students need to be intrinsically motivated Students need to be intrinsically motivated

by the desire to achieve, improve and learn.by the desire to achieve, improve and learn.

The 15 Fixes:The 15 Fixes:

Fix # 1: Don’t include student behaviors Fix # 1: Don’t include student behaviors in grades, only include achievement\in grades, only include achievement\ Behaviors will be assessed using the Habits Behaviors will be assessed using the Habits

of Mind. These scores can be found in of Mind. These scores can be found in Citizenship in Infinite Campus.Citizenship in Infinite Campus.


Fix #2: Don’t reduce marks on “work” Fix #2: Don’t reduce marks on “work” submitted late: provide support for the submitted late: provide support for the learner.learner. ““Penalities for late work don’t change Penalities for late work don’t change

behavior – the same student who is late behavior – the same student who is late during week 2 is frequently late in weeks 18 during week 2 is frequently late in weeks 18 and 36.” and 36.”

If a brilliant writer always hands in If a brilliant writer always hands in assignments late, both aspects are hidden if assignments late, both aspects are hidden if she gets a C or a D.she gets a C or a D.


Fix #3: Don’t give points for extra credit Fix #3: Don’t give points for extra credit or use bonus points ; seek only evidence or use bonus points ; seek only evidence that more work has resulted in a higher that more work has resulted in a higher level of achievement.level of achievement. If students want to get higher grades, If students want to get higher grades,

teachers can require them to provide “extra” teachers can require them to provide “extra” evidence that demonstrates a higher level of evidence that demonstrates a higher level of achievement.achievement.


Fix # 6: Don’t include group scores in Fix # 6: Don’t include group scores in grades; use only individual achievement grades; use only individual achievement evidence.evidence. ““After a class has experienced a cooperative After a class has experienced a cooperative

learning activity, teachers can then assess learning activity, teachers can then assess students individually to find out what they students individually to find out what they know, understand, and can do as a result.”know, understand, and can do as a result.”


Fix # 13: Don’t use information from Fix # 13: Don’t use information from formative assessment and practice to formative assessment and practice to determine grades; use only summative determine grades; use only summative evidence.evidence. ““Everything students do should be Everything students do should be

assessed, but everything does not need a assessed, but everything does not need a score and every score need not be included score and every score need not be included in the grade. Some student work should be in the grade. Some student work should be for practice only.for practice only.


Fix # 13: Cont.Fix # 13: Cont. Formative: Assessment designed to provide Formative: Assessment designed to provide

direction for improvement and/or adjustment. direction for improvement and/or adjustment. Assessment for learning (class work, Assessment for learning (class work, homework).homework).

Summative: Assessment designed to provide Summative: Assessment designed to provide information to be use in making judgments information to be use in making judgments about a student’s achievement at the end of a about a student’s achievement at the end of a sequence of instruction (quizzes, tests, sequence of instruction (quizzes, tests, papers).papers).


Fix # 7: Don’t organize information in Fix # 7: Don’t organize information in grading records by assessment methods grading records by assessment methods or simply summarize into a single grade ; or simply summarize into a single grade ; organize and report evidence by organize and report evidence by standards/learning goalsstandards/learning goals Gradebook set upGradebook set up


Fix # 8: Don’t assign grades using Fix # 8: Don’t assign grades using inappropriate or unclear performance inappropriate or unclear performance standards ; provide clear descriptions of standards ; provide clear descriptions of achievement expectations.achievement expectations. ““When we deemphasize the percentage system, When we deemphasize the percentage system,

both our performance standards and the way we both our performance standards and the way we report students achievement will be clearer, more report students achievement will be clearer, more consistent, and richer in detail.consistent, and richer in detail.

4 -3- 2- 14 -3- 2- 1


Fix # 11: Don’t rely only on the mean ; consider Fix # 11: Don’t rely only on the mean ; consider other measures of central tendency and use other measures of central tendency and use professional judgement.professional judgement. ““The median (middle) or the mode (most frequent) The median (middle) or the mode (most frequent)

are generally more appropriate than the mean when are generally more appropriate than the mean when confronted with extreme scores.confronted with extreme scores.

Example: 91, 91, 91, 91, 70, 91, 91, 91 ,91 ,91Example: 91, 91, 91, 91, 70, 91, 91, 91 ,91 ,91 Total = 889 Mean = 88.9 Final Grade = BTotal = 889 Mean = 88.9 Final Grade = B


Fix # 12: Don’t include zeros in grade Fix # 12: Don’t include zeros in grade determination ; use alternative, such as determination ; use alternative, such as reassessing to determine real reassessing to determine real achievement.achievement. ““When combined with other evidence, the When combined with other evidence, the

resulting grades does not accurately reflect resulting grades does not accurately reflect student achievement.”student achievement.”

If a student ‘takes a zero’, they are not held If a student ‘takes a zero’, they are not held accountable for their learning.accountable for their learning.

standards based grading information from: a repair kit for grading 15 fixes for broken grades by:...

Documents