“Our school grappled with grade politics . . . .

. . . .and lost.” -Anonymous

“I learned . . . that there are reasons,

historical reasons why grading exists.

But I also learned from history that there are no good reasons,

no sound educational ones, why they should continue to exist.”

-Anonymous

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“Letter grades have acquired

an almost cult like importance

in American schools.” -Conklin (2001)

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“Grades are not inherently bad.

It is their misuse and

misinterpretation that is bad.”

-Guskey (1993)

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Our Reporting System:

Does It Make the Grade?

Becky Brandl & Mitzi HobackSummer 2002

Workshop Goals are to . . .

• Explore the advantages and disadvantages of various grading practices and reporting systems

• Examine current grading practices• Review district options• Develop sound grading practices and

reporting systems

Reflection Time

• Grading is not essential for learning

• Grading is complicated

• Grading is subjective and emotional

• Grading is inescapable

Reflection Time

• Grading has a limited research base

• Grading has no single best practice

• Grading that is faulty damages students and teachers

Grading Issues

• Communicated to Whom?

• Communicate about What?

• Assess Achievement How? Using what Evidence?

• What Evidence of Achievement Should be Used?

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Is it TIME to change our

grading and reporting system?

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Developments That Make Change in Grading and Reporting Systems

Imperative

• The growing emphasis on standards and performance assessments makes current reporting practices inadequate

• Parents and community members are demanding more and better information about student learning progress

• Advances in technology allow for more efficient reporting of detailed information on student learning

Developments That Make Change in Grading and Reporting Systems

Imperative con’t.

• Grading and reporting are recognized as one of educators’ most important responsibilities

• There is growing awareness of the gap between our knowledge base and common practice in grading and reporting

What are the main purposes of grading and reporting?

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Critical Aspects in Determining Communication Purposes

• What information or message do we want to communicate?

• Who is the primary audience for that message?

• How would we like that information or message to be used?

Grading and Reporting Purposes

• To communicate the achievement status of students to parents and others

• To provide information that students can use for self-evaluation

• To select, identify, or group students for certain educational paths or programs

Grading and Reporting Purposescon’t.

• To provide incentives for students to learn

• To evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs

• To provide evidence of students’ lack of effort or inappropriate responsibility

What are report card grades based upon . . .

. . . in a traditional classroom?

Traditional Grading Practice Sources

• The policies and practices they experienced as students

• Their personal philosophies of teaching and learning

• District-, building-, department-, or grade-level policies on grading and reporting

• What they learned about grading and reporting in their undergraduate and teacher preparation programs

Typical Sources of Grading and Reporting Evidence

• Homework Completion

• Homework Quality• Class Participation• Work Habits and

Neatness• Effort

• Attendance• Punctuality of

Assignments• Class Behavior or

Attitude• Progress Made

Typical Sources of Grading and Reporting Evidence

• Major Exams or Compositions

• Class Quizzes• Reports or Projects• Student Portfolios

• Laboratory Projects• Students’ Notebooks or

Journals• Classroom Observations• Oral Presentations• Exhibits of Students’

Work

Grades are Communicated to Whom?

• In the elementary grades…

Parents Students Other teachers Administrators

• In middle and high school…

College admissions office

Scholarship decision makers

Potential employers

Juvenile authorities Insurance

companies

Reflecting on . . . Your Grading

Practices What are the principles on which your

grading practices are based? What are your actual grading practices? What were or are the main influences on

your grading principles and practices? How do your grading principles and

practices compare with those of other teachers in your school?

“How to Grade for Learning”

Chris Brown’s Grade Book Activity

Reflecting on . . .

Do the grades awarded fairly reflect the results from which they were derived for each student?

If you answered "yes," for which students? Why? If you answered "no," for which students? Why? What grading issues arise from this care study? What revisions to my grading practices do I need

to make? What points of uncertainty still exist?

Grades Communicate about What?

Achievement Class participation Effort Attitude Intelligence

Questions for Establishing Appropriate Grading Practices

Is it appropriate to factor the student's ...achievement

...intelligence

...level of effort or...level of attitude

when assigning a report card grade?

Establish Appropriate Grading Practices for Each Question Above

Consider arguments for and against each one

Create a balance scale reflecting a clear analysis of all factors

If all of these are factored into a grade all with different weights, how can we expect the reader

to factor all of those things out and understand what we meant?

If you think it’s possible,

you are living in a dream world.

-Stiggins

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Traditionally, Evidence of Achievement has been based on:

Test and quizzes

Homework assignments

Class participation

Teachers' intuition

What Evidence of Achievement Should be Used?

Test and quizzes (if they are of good quality, yes)

Performance assessments meeting standards of quality

Homework assignments (maybe) Class participation (maybe, what standards are

in place so that all students are treated the same?)

Teacher's intuition (maybe)

Q & A . . .

•Should grading be based on "growth over time"?

Q & A . . .

•Should you grade "on a

curve”?

Q & A . . .

•When is grading

counterproductive?

Q & A . . .

•How can “cooperative learning” be graded?

Q & A . . .

•How should “extra

credit” be handled?

Q & A . . .

• How does a teacher meet the needs of all students in

a class including ELL, SPED, Inclusion, HAL and Title I?

Q & A . . .

•How can you account for

“evaluation anxiety”?

How is the Traditional Classroom

different than a

Standards-Based

Classroom?

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Traditional Classroom

• Primary focus on teaching• Textbooks guide all classroom decisions• Instruction is textbook driven• Fuzzy curriculum• Feedback to students is letter grades

based on course requirements• Occasional talk about standards• Assessment for grades• Responsibility for learning is on the

teacher

Standards-Based Classroom

• Primary focus on learning• Standards guide all classroom decisions• Instruction based on standards• Clear learner outcomes• Expectation is ALL students will learn• Feedback is specific for each student• Assessments integrated into instruction• Students take ownership for learning

What are report card grades based upon . . .

. . . in a standards-based classroom?

Guidelines for Grading in Standards-Based Systems

• Relate grading procedures to learning goals (i.e. standards)

• Use criterion-referenced performance standards as reference points to determine grades

• Limit the valued attributes included in grades to individual achievement

• Sample student performance--do not include all scores in grades

Guidelines for Grading in Standards-Based Systems con’t.

• Grade in pencil--keep records so they can be updated easily

• Crunch numbers carefully--if at all• Use quality assessment(s) and properly

recorded evidence of achievement• Discuss and involve students in assessment,

including grading, throughout the teaching/learning process

Examine Sample Report Cards

Chart Strengths and Weaknesses

Grading and Reporting System Development

• The primary goal of grading and reporting is communication

• Grading and reporting are integral parts of the instructional process

• Good reporting is based on good evidence

• Changes in grading and reporting are best accomplished through the development of a comprehensive reporting system

Building an Effective Communication Timeline

What is your district currently doing to encourage effective communication?

Brainstorm additional ways to increase communication between home and school.

Multifaceted Reporting Systems may include . . .

• Open-House• Back-to-School Night• Newsletters to

Parents/Patrons• Personal Letters to

Parents • Report Cards• Notes Attached to

Report Cards

• Weekly/Monthly Progress

• Standardized Assessment Reports

• Phone Calls to Parents

• Newspaper Articles• Presentations for

Community Groups• Art Shows/Concerts• PTA/PTO

Multifaceted Reporting Systems may include . . .

• Evaluated Projects or Assignments• Portfolios or Exhibits of Students’ Work• Homework Assignments• School Web Pages• Parent-Teacher Conferences• Student-Teacher Conferences• Student Involved Conferences• Student-Led Conferences• Electronic Reporting Systems

Electronic PortfoliosNot Just an Electronic File Cabinet

• www.richerpicture.com• www.ideasconsulting.com• www.newtechhigh.org• www.glef.org/

classrooms.html• www.project-approach.com

Think about . . .

• What pieces are in place in your district?

• What do you need to add?

• Who are the audiences?

• Are they addressed by your current reporting system?

What Parents Want From a Reporting System

• More and better information

• More detailed information, but jargon free

• Practical suggestions about helping their child

Just Trying Hard Isn't Good Enough

• In a standards-driven system, teachers are responsible for maximizing students' success.

Sound Grading Practices

Students must:• Be clear about the achievement targets that have

been set•Content Knowledge

•Patterns of reasoning• Know what standards they are expected to meet• Understand the grading procedures that will be

used• Gather evidence over time• Translate evidence into a composite index• Begin instruction with a complete picture of the

grading process (share it up front, no surprises, no excuses)

Steps for Revising Grading and Reporting Systems

• Make decision to revise grading and reporting system

• Hold initial planning meeting & survey staff• Form committee(s)

– report card committee– reporting system committee– (see committee guidelines)– (consider parent/patron representation)

Steps for Revising Grading and Reporting Systems con’t.

• Study issues and view samples• Visit other schools if appropriate• Begin development of grading and

reporting system• Share draft with entire staff• Pilot the system• Modify and/or adopt system

Report Card Committee Ground Rules

• Meeting will begin and end on time

• Differences expressed in the meeting will not be carried beyond the walls of the meeting room

• All committee members will participate fully in the work of the group, including completing outside readings and assignments agreed upon

Report Card Committee Ground Rules

con’t.

• Every effort will be made to make decisions based on consensus of the group

• Each member serves as a representative and will take responsibility to fully represent the views of the constituents, to share the work of the committee with them, and to seek and share their feedback

Highly Recommended . . .

• How To Grade for Learning: Linking Grades to Standards (Second Edition) by Ken O’Connor

• Available online from Skylight at http://www.skylightedu.com or call 1.800.348.4474

Also Recommended . . .

• Classroom Assessment, Grading, and Record Keeping by Robert J. Marzano, Barbara Zeno, and Jane E. Pollock, 2000, McRel

• Designing Standards-Based District, Schools, and Classrooms by Robert J. Marzano and John S. Kendall, 1996, ASCD

Also Recommended . . .

• Report Card Grading: Strategies and Solutions (video), by Rick Stiggins, Assessment Training Institute

• Succeeding With Standards: Linking Curriculum, Assessment, and Action Planning by Judy F. Carr and Douglas E. Harris, 2001, ASCD

• Transforming Classroom Grading by Robert J. Marzano, 2000, ASCD

Report Card Grades

“Depend on so much . . .

So much depends on them!”

-Rick Stiggins