If you have any questions about standards-based grading or what your child’s report card means, please continue reading below! This post will be at the top of the classroom website for about 2 weeks.
What is Standards
Based Grading
Standards based grading is a way of grading that focuses
specifically on the learning a student has achieved that is tied to a state or
national standard. If a student has achieved a large amount of learning, the student’s
score is higher. If the student needs to improve or work harder to gain more learning,
the student’s score is lower. The main difference between standards based
grading and traditional, letter grades, is that only learning is assessed based on the standard, and that a student’s
score is not averaged. Rather, their score reflects the level of learning
they have achieved up to this point of the school year.
What do these
scores mean?
I split my assessments into two categories. These
categories are skills (which I will talk about later), and Learning Outcomes. I
use the table below to generalize scores for each learning outcome, and show
the level of learning skills the student is using (based on Bloom’s Taxonomy).
7-8: Student exceeds expectations. Supporting, Defending,
Evaluating
5-6: Student meets expectations. Comparing, Contrasting
3-4: Student partially meets expectations. Describing,
Explaining
1-2: Student does not meet expectations yet. Stating,
Listing
0: This learning outcome was not assessed (student did
not finish or turn it in).
Each assessment has more in-depth explanation as to what
score a student earned, and how they can improve. If you would like more
information about why a student earned a certain score on an assessment, you
may ask the student for their rubric, or ask me for more information!
So…What is my
child’s grade?
Students in my class don’t get traditional letter grades.
Please ignore them completely! The only reason they are included is because
right now, the way our report card system is set up, they must have some sort
of letter grade. Instead of focusing on the letter, focus on the learning outcomes
the student has, and how they can improve!
My child has a low
score. Are they failing?
The only way a student can fail in my class is if they
have not turned in any assessments so far. At this point, in the first quarter,
if a student has a score of a 1 or 2, that is a great starting point! Right
now, we are identifying where a student needs to be challenged, and where a
student needs to be supported. If a student has a low score, that is okay. Both
myself and the student will work hard to increase their learning in that area.
Once that happens, the score will increase as well. Please try to refrain from
thinking of these scores as a percentage. It is a different system of grading,
which means it requires a different perspective from which to view.
You mentioned
skills before. What are those?
Skills are tasks that each student needs to know how to do. These might include using a microscope in
science, using different Google applications for turning in assignments online,
or understanding how to identify a reliable source for researching online.
Skills are tracked in the grade book, but do not affect a student’s learning
outcome grade. The table below shows what each student’s skill score means.
5: Student can consistently accomplish the skill
independently.
4: Student can accomplish the skill independently.
3: Student can accomplish the skill with support.
2: Student can accomplish the skill with mistakes.
1: Student cannot accomplish the skill.
0: Student has not attempted to accomplish the skill.
At the end of the year, all students should have a 5 for
each skill. For many of the skills, students will have a 5 by the end of the
first or second quarter. Note that skills are included in progress reports and
online grade reports, but are only mentioned in the report card if a student
currently has a 3 or lower in that skill.
What about
homework or daily work? Where is that graded?
Homework and daily work is a type of assessment called
formative assessment. This type of assessment is similar to the practice a
sports team does before a game. It is important, but it is just practice. It’s
okay to make mistakes in practice, and to learn from them. Because of this, I
do not grade daily work or homework in the gradebook. Instead, I return those
assignments to the students with feedback, so the students can continue to
improve their learning.
I don’t get it, I
am still confused.
You are not alone! It is possible that you, like me, have
gone through your years of school with traditional letter grades. Understanding
standards based grading will take time. However, the benefits of this grading
structure outweigh any confusion that it may cause. If you have any questions
or concerns, please feel free to contact me here.
Thank you for visiting and taking the time to be engaged
with your child’s education!
