Introduction to Standards Based Grading
Introduction
Assessment, grading, and record keeping are among the most important tasks a classroom teacher performs. These processes help teachers determine what and how well students have learned and serve as a vehicle for providing feedback about student learning to parents and students. Standards-based learning, or SBL, calls for a clear identification of what students should know and be able to do. Increased clarity in terms of student learning goals quite naturally calls for increased accuracy in terms of assessment, grading and record keeping.
Assessment, grading, and record keeping are among the most important tasks a classroom teacher performs. These processes help teachers determine what and how well students have learned and serve as a vehicle for providing feedback about student learning to parents and students. Standards-based learning, or SBL, calls for a clear identification of what students should know and be able to do. Increased clarity in terms of student learning goals quite naturally calls for increased accuracy in terms of assessment, grading and record keeping.
Standards Based Grading Focuses on student's proficiencies.Standards-based grading focuses on measuring students’ proficiency on a specific set of outcomes. These outcomes are shared with students at the outset of the course, along with a learning scale, or rubric, that explains the essential outcome in detail. A student’s progress toward proficiency is tracked by performance on learning tasks that align to the outcome, which encourages student ownership of the learning and allows the teacher to provide accurate feedback to the student. The goal of a standards-based approach is to clearly communicate to students and parents what is expected of the students and how to help them be successful in their educational journey.
The purpose of this document is to introduce you to Tucson Country Day School’s implementation of standards-based learning including our rationale, goals, expectations, and technical details. This handbook is applicable to my students in 7th-8th, and Algebra 1 and is yours to use – write in it, add to it, and make it a resource that is useful to you. Implementation Standards-Based Learning (SLB) is dependent upon a valid set of outcomes and common outcome assessments for each course. Tucson Country Day School completed both of these items for mathematics in 2017. As we continue to develop and validate other subject area outcomes and assessments, we will utilize SBL and grading practices for these courses in subsequent years. |
Rationale “Why would anyone want to change current grading practices? Rationale “Why would anyone want to change current grading practices? The answer is quite simple: Grades are so imprecise that they are almost meaningless.” - Robert Marzano At TCDS 1, our goal is that student grades be consistent, accurate, meaningful, and supportive of each student’s learning. When teachers using a traditional grading system are asked to brainstorm factors that may be included in a student’s grade, they list everything from assessments, homework, effort, and behavior. This huge range of factors led us to ask how we could possibly meet our goal using our current assessment and grading practices. Standards-based learning is being implemented in an effort to reach our goal of providing consistent, accurate, and meaningful feedback that supports student’s learning. In addition, SBL addresses the four criteria required of a uniform grading system under accreditation guidelines. The four criteria are: Accuracy: Basing a student’s grade on assessments of learning, allows the teacher to create a clear picture of what the student has learned without the influence of other, non-academic factors. These other factors, such as effort and behavior, are still essential, but are not part of the student’s academic grade and are communicated separately. Consistency: For each outcome, the teacher provides a learning scale, or rubric that describes exactly what the student should know or be able to do. The rubrics identify criterion for proficiency and are used consistently throughout the unit and semester. Meaningful: A meaningful grade is one that clearly communicates the learning that has taken place. In a standards-based classroom, scores are recorded by the learning outcomes rather than by categories, such as tests or homework. This makes it easier to identify areas of strength and areas of growth. Supportive of Learning: SBL supports student learning by focusing on demonstrated proficiency and providing enrichment and intervention as needed. The reassessment policy supports student learning by allowing new levels of learning to replace old when a student demonstrates improvement on an assessment. |
How does standards-based learning affect my classroom instruction?Standards-based grading and reporting has little direct impact on classroom instruction – quality teaching is quality teaching regardless of the grading system being used. What SBL will impact is the focus of classroom instruction and the feedback students receive. By specifying the essential knowledge and skills the students must master, teachers select tasks and activities that will have the most impact on student learning. Each learning task has criterion for mastery that is shared with students in order to pinpoint information about what learning has and has not been demonstrated. What does the number scale (4, 3.5, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.5, 1, .5 and 0) on the rubric mean?
The scores on the scale represent a learning continuum and are NOT equated to grade point average. Each of the levels builds on the others and explains the learning students have to demonstrate in order to earn that score. Students must demonstrate proficiency as they move up the scale. For example a student may not earn a 3 until they demonstrate proficiency of the level 2 concepts or skills. The scale designations are as follows: 4 – The student demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the material by completing advanced applications of the material. 3.5 – In addition to a 3.0 score, the student demonstrates in-depth inferences and applications with partial success. 3 – The student demonstrates proficiency on the complex, targeted knowledge and skills for the class. 2.5 – In addition to a 2.0 score, the student demonstrates partial knowledge of 3.0 elements. 2 – The student understands the foundational material, but is still working to master application of the concepts and skills 1.5 – The student demonstrates understanding of all 2.0 elements with help and independent understanding of some 2 elements. 1 – The student is able to demonstrate an understanding of all of the foundational material with support 0.5 – The student demonstrates understanding of some 2.0 elements. 0 – Even with assistance from the teacher, the student shows no understanding of the material. |