Secondary Standards-Based Grading and Reporting...

Spring 2011, Spokane Public Schools 1

Secondary Standards-

Based Grading and

Reporting Handbook

A Teacher’s

Guide to

Standards-Based

Grading and Reporting

Inside this document:

Section One: Why Standards-

Based Grading?

Section Two: The Purpose of

Grading and the Purpose of the

Report Card

Section Three: Grading

Principles: A Filter for the Work

in Spokane Public Schools

Section Four: The Negative

Impact of Zeros

Section Five: Homework

Section Six: Next Year’s Work


Section One

Introduction: Why Standards-Based Grading?

On learning and grading: our purpose and principles

The research and experts in the field have overwhelmingly asserted that

standards-based grading and reporting allows us to align our grading and reporting

practices to our standards-based instructional practices. When implemented,

standards-based grading and reporting (SBGR) allows us to more accurately and

consistently report student achievement to students and families as it relates to

state and local standards.

From the student’s perspective, grades need to be accurate and meaningful.

Students and families want an accurate picture of what has been learned and what

still needs to be learned. Grading and reporting around specific standards, while

using the accompanying strategy of formative assessment with feedback related to

progress toward standards, has been shown to significantly boost achievement

and motivation for students. Consider the research by Black and Wiliam (1998)

and Hattie (2009), high quality formative assessment and feedback have a

powerful impact on student learning, showing an effect size on standardized tests

of between 0.4 and 0.7, which is larger than most known educational

interventions. When a student makes progress they feel motivated and more

successful because enhancing perceived competence is motivating in and of itself.

Students begin to think about grades and other assessments which teachers use to

provide informational feedback as helpful toward their success.

R e f e r e n c e s

B l a c k , P . & W i l i a m , D . ( 1 9 9 8 ) . I n s i d e t h e b l a c k b o x : R a i s i n g s t a n d a r d s t h r o u g h c l a s s r o o m

a s s e s s m e n t . P h i D e l t a K a p p a , 8 0 ( 2 ) , 1 3 9 - 1 4 9 .

H a t t i e , J . ( 2 0 0 9 ) . V i s i b l e l e a r n i n g . N e w Y o r k : R o u t l e d g e .


Section Two

The Purpose of Grading and the Purpose of the Report Card

Purpose of Grading: The purpose of grading is to communicate, to all stakeholders, student achievement toward specific standards at a certain point in time to inspire future achievement and impact change. The Purpose of the Report Card is to communicate separately:

Student achievement toward academic standards.

Student progress related to attributes that promote secondary and post-secondary success.

R e f e r e n c e s

G u s k e y , T . & B a l e y , J . M . ( 2 0 0 1 ) . D e v e l o p i n g g r a d i n g a n d r e p o r t i n g s y s t e m s . T h o u s a n d O a k s ,

C A : C o r w i n P r e s s .

O ’ C o n n o r , K . ( 2 0 0 9 ) . H o w t o g r a d e f o r l e a r n i n g ( 3r d

e d . ) . T h o u s a n d O a k s , C A : C o r w i n P r e s s .

T o m l i n s o n , C . & M c T i g h e , J . ( 2 0 0 6 ) . I n t e g r a t i n g d i f f e r e n t i a t e d i n s t r u c t i o n & u n d e r s t a n d i n g

b y d e s i g n . A l e x a n d r i a , V A : A S C D .


Examples:

Section Three

Grading Principles: A Filter for the Work in Spokane Public

Schools

These grading principles inform the day-to-day grading practices of the

classroom teacher

Principle 1 – Grades and reports should be based on clearly specified learning goals and performance standards. Example: All 9th grade, 1st semester English students will be graded on the same standard/targets.

Principle 2 – Evidence used for grading should be valid.

Standards Extraneous Factors

Demonstrate effective word choice in writing Penmanship

Apply concept of density Low reading skills

Uses distributive property Turned in late

Creates a range of values in a pencil drawing No name on artwork

Demonstrate shooting a basketball Didn't suit up

Analyze causes of WWII Extra credit work

Accurate sight reading in band Good citizenship


Principle 3 – Grading should be based on established criteria, not on arbitrary norms. Example: Fitness and Health Clear Target: Improvement in cardiovascular fitness. Rubric: Baseline- Time in Zone Body Composition Recovery Time Meets Unique Circumstances of Learner: Students’ level of cardiovascular fitness is pre-assessed. Students then set improvement goals for themselves, monitor progress throughout the semester, and then post-assess level of improvement. Using a heart rate monitor to measure improvement in cardiovascular fitness, students are assessed utilizing a criterion-referenced scoring rubric, based on national standards to determine each student’s demonstrated level of proficiency.

Principle 4 – Not everything should be included in grades.

For example:

Student A

Formative: Example (Teacher 1)

Non-Example (Teacher 2)

Diagnostic 1* 1

Formative 1 2* 2

Formative 2 2* 2

Formative 3 4* 4

Summative 4 4

Grade 4 2.5

(average)

*Not included in grade

Early in an instruction cycle some

assignments should not be included

in the final grade, but used

formatively to inform both the

student and the teacher about

progress toward standard.


Principle 5 – Avoid grading based on (mean) averages. Example: *Evaluate the most recent evidence of student achievement. Example assessment scores over

grading period 1,1,1,1,2,2,3,4,4,4 Average (mean) = 2.3

Principle 6 – Focus on achievement, and report other factors separately. Example:

4 3 2 1

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Assessment Number

Ru

bri

c Sc

ore

Assessment of the Same Standard Over Time

4 3 2 1

Most Recent Using the most recent trend, a

more appropriate grade would be 4 versus 2.3. Any grade requires

sufficient evidence for a specific

standard.

Criteria Criteria

STANDARDS WORK HABITS and OTHER HABITS


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Section Four

The Negative Impact of Zeros

Think about this…

In most cases teachers will be using scores from multiple assessments to measure the learning of a

student. This practice provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate achievement toward

learning targets. Therefore teachers have no need to use zeros.

Think about this….

Zeros have such a powerfully negative impact on the average that they can have a debilitating effect on

student motivation (effort optimism). Including zeros also fails to accurately communicate what students

really know and can demonstrate.

The challenge of averaging a zero into a grade in a 100 point grading scale:

Do the Math

Consider this series of scores that Kalen received:

Assessment Measures Grade

60+0+70+100 /4 = 57% F

Then take out the zero

Assessment Measures Grade

60+70+100/3 = 77% C+

What do you think is going on in the mind of the student? Is this motivating? Is there hope that

increased effort will be beneficial to Kalen?

Think about this…

Does the use of zeros when averaging a grade tell us what a student has learned or can do?

Accurate grades are based on the most consistent evidence . . .

We look at the pattern of achievement, including trends, not the average of the data. This means

we focus on the mode and the most recent scores, not the mean (averages).


Q: Does this give an average of the temperature in a week?

Temperature readings in Spokane, Washington, for the week of June 21.

MON TUE WED THUR FRI

85 ° 85 ° 85 ° 85 ° ? °

Treating the unknown reading as a zero creates the following mean: 68 degrees. Really?

This is inaccurate for what really happened, and therefore, unusable.

Terms defined:

Mean (Average): The total of all of the scores divided by the number of assignments.

Mode: The score occurring most frequently in a series of observations or test data.

“A zero has an undeserved and devastating influence, so much so that no matter what the

student does, the grade distorts the final grade as a true indicator of mastery.”

-Rick Wormeli, 2006

This section was created by the following committee members and vetted out to you:

Sammy Anderson, Salk, Principal Assistant

Linda Bushinski, Ferris, Teacher Ivan Corley, Shadle, Assistant Principal

Steve Fisk, NC, Assistant Principal

Kevin Foster, Ferris, Principal Jennifer Grizzle, Bancroft, Teacher

Mike Nepean, CTE Coordinator Rob Reavis, Garry, Assistant Principal

Dave Ulman, Sac, Teacher

References

D e d d e h , H . , M a i n , E . , & R a t z l a f f F u l k e r s o n , S . ( 2 0 1 0 ) . E i g h t s t e p s t o m e a n i n g f u l g r a d e s . P h i

D e l t a K a p p a n , V 9 1 . N 7 , 5 3 - 5 8 .

G u s k e y , T . & B a l e y , J . M . ( 2 0 0 1 ) . D e v e l o p i n g G r a d i n g a n d R e p o r t i n g S y s t e m s . T h o u s a n d O a k s ,

C A : C o r w i n P r e s s .

G u s k e y , T . ( 2 0 0 0 ) . G r a d i n g p o l i c i e s t h a t w o r k a g a i n s t s t a n d a r d s . . . a n d h o w t o f i x t h e m .

N A S S P B u l l e t i n . 8 4 ( 6 2 0 ) , 2 0 - 2 7


M a r z a n o , R . ( 2 0 0 1 ) . C l a s s r o o m i n s t r u c t i o n t h a t w o r k s . A l e x a n d r i a , V A : A s s o c i a t i o n f o r

S u p e r v i s i o n a n d C u r r i c u l u m D e v e l o p m e n t .

O ' C o n n e r , K . ( 2 0 0 9 ) . H o w t o g r a d e f o r l e a r n i n g ( 3r d

e d . ) . T h o u s a n d O a k s , C A : C o r w i n P r e s s .

R e e v e s , D . ( 2 0 0 8 ) . E f f e c t i v e g r a d i n g p r a c t i c e s . E d u c a t i o n a l L e a d e r s h i p . 6 5 ( 5 ) . 8 5 - 8 7 .

R e e v e s , D . ( 2 0 0 4 ) . T h e c a s e a g a i n s t t h e Z e r o . P h i D e l t a K a p p a n . 8 6 ( 4 ) , 3 2 4 - 3 2 5 .

S c h m o k e r , M . ( 2 0 0 1 ) . R e s u l t s f i e l d b o o k : P r a c t i c a l s t r a t e g i e s f r o m d r a m a t i c a l l y i m p r o v e d

s c h o o l s . A l e x a n d r i a , V A : A s s o c i a t i o n f o r C u r r i c u l u m a n d D e v e l o p m e n t .

( 2 0 1 0 , F e b r u a r y 2 4 ) . S t a n d a r d s - B a s e d g r a d i n g r e v i s i t e d . E d u m a c a t i o n , R e t r i e v e d A p r i l 1 ,

2 0 1 1 , f r o m h t t p : / / t h e h u r t . w o r d p r e s s . c o m / 2 0 1 0 / 0 2 / 2 4 / s t a n d a r d s - b a s e d - g r a d i n g - r e v i s i t e d /

W a l k e r , K . R o l e o f z e r o i n g r a d i n g . P r i n c i p a l s ’ P a r t n e r s h i p . R e t r i e v e d A p r i l 2 5 , 2 0 1 1 , f r o m w w w . r o c k - h i l l . k 1 2 . s c . u s / a s s e s s m e n t a n d g r a d i n g / a r t i c l e s . a s p x ? f i l e _ i d = 1 5 6 4


Section Five

Homework

Homework involves “tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out

during non-school hours” (Cooper, 1989, p.7).

Homework can be a meaningful practice when it is generated by responding to the need of a specific

class or student. It may look different at different grade levels. Meaningful practice is short, frequent, and

accompanied by feedback related to specific standards. It aims to reinforce learning, not to construct

new learning.

Homework – although a useful tool for learning – should not have an impact on a student’s academic

grade within a Standards-Based Grading and Reporting system because it is practice aimed at increasing

the student’s capacity to meet standard.

FAQs

1. How can teachers encourage students to do homework if it is not part of their grade? Homework is best used as a means for students to practice so that students can apply what they

have learned in class. When this practice leads to greater understanding of standards and

success on concepts taught in classroom, students are more likely to see the value in homework.

It is important for teachers to intentionally make this connection for students.

2. Are teachers expected to provide feedback on all assigned homework? No, teachers will not be expected to provide feedback on ALL assigned homework. However, there may be those select homework assignments that a teacher will want to provide feedback for students that supports key concepts taught in class.

The Homework section was created by the following committee members and vetted out to you:

Mark Robbins, Lewis & Clark, Teacher

Lisa Bowen, Salk, Literacy Coach Jeanie Jones, Sacajawea, Teacher

Mark Lund, Lewis & Clark, Teacher

Tami McCracken, Rogers, Math Coach

Kim Powell, Parent

Shelly O’Rourke, Parent

Aaron Allen, Shaw, Teacher Daniela Thornton, Garry, Teacher

References

C o o p e r , H a r r i s . H o m e w o r k . W h i t e P l a i n s , N Y : L o n g m a n . 1 9 8 9 .

G u s k e y , T h o m a s . G r a d i n g P o l i c i e s t h a t W o r k A g a i n s t S t a n d a r d s . N A S S P B u l l e t i n . P r i n t .

O ’ C o n n o r , K e n . A R e p a i r K i t f o r G r a d i n g : F i f t e e n F i x e s f o r B r o k e n G r a d e s , A l l y n & B a c o n ,

A s s e s s m e n t T r a i n i n g I n s t i t u t e , I n c . , 2 0 1 0 .

M a r z a n o , R o b e r t . C l a s s r o o m A s s e s s m e n t & G r a d i n g t h a t W o r k , A l e x a n d r i a V i r g i n i a , A S C D ,

2 0 0 6 .


Section Six

Next Year’s Work:

• Power Standards rollout, including curriculum alignment and teacher training

• Initial drafting of secondary standards-based report card

NOTE: The Washington Administrative Code (WAC) requires that all high school

transcripts use the same format. Therefore, semester reporting will continue to

include the use of traditional letter grades.

• Piloting of products (report card and cut scores)

Piloting the new report card will be an important step in next year’s work. This

process will allow us to make necessary revisions prior to district-wide

implementation. We will be asking for volunteers from various schools, content

areas, and grade levels.

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