Standard-Based Grading Christi Donald & Stephanie Nugent OC7 EDL 274: School & Community

Calculating Grades The following grades demonstrate the scores students received on the Parachute Packing Test. 1 With a partner, calculate the grades for the following students.

Around the World? Which student would you want to pack your chute for today’s dive: Student A, B or C? Please stand in the designated corner of the room to indicate which one of students A, B, or C you would choose. 1.Which students passed? Failed? 2.Is there a discrepancy between answers 1 and 2? Why?

Parachute Packers

Standard Based Fix   Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning Guideline #4 Sample student performance– Do not include all scores in grades. Guideline #5 Grade in pencil— Keep records so they can be updated easily #2 Worshiping the Averages All of the math to calculate an average is used, even when “the average” is not consistent with what the teacher knows about the student’s learning.

Purpose of Grading Please get in groups based on the level you teach. Elementary (Pre-K to 5) Middle (6 to 9) High (10-12) In your group, create a ONE sentence statement about the purpose of grading?

Traditional Grading Communicate with parents and students (and other stakeholders) about achievement and effort Select and sort students Incentive for students to learn and behave 2

Survey Results

Standard Based Fix   Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning Guideline #1 Relate grading procedures to learning goals (i.e. standards) Guideline #3 Limit the valued attributes included in grades to individual achievement. #12 Establishing inconsistent grading criteria Criteria for grading in schools and classes often change from day to day, grading period to grading period, and class to class. This lack of consensus makes it difficult for students to understand the rules.

Standard Based Fix   Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning Guideline #6 Crunch numbers carefully—if at all. #1 Inconsistent grading scales The same performance results in different grades, in different schools or classes. #3 Using zeros indiscriminately Giving zeros for incomplete work has a devastating effect on averages and often zeros are not even related to learning or achievement but to nonacademic factors like behavior, respect, punctuality, etc.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Assessments in OrderKarenAlexJenniferStephen Assessment # Assessment # Assessment # Assessment# Assessment # Assessment # Assessment # Assessment # Assessment # Assessment # Total630 Grade Mean (Traditional Average)63% (D) Median90% (A-)63% (D)100% (A)63% (D) Mode90% (A-)63% (D)100% (A)?

Standard Based Fix   Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning Guideline #1 Relate grading procedures to learning goals (i.e. standards) Guideline #2 Use criterion-referenced performance standards as reference points to determine grades Guideline #6 Crunch numbers carefully—if at all. #7 Suggesting that success is unlikely Students are not likely to strive for targets that they already know are unattainable to them. There must be HOPE!

Standard Based Fix   Grading Practices that Inhibit Learning Guideline #4 Sample student performance– Do not include all scores in grades. Guideline #6 Crunch numbers carefully—if at all. #9 Grading first efforts Learning is not a “one- shot” deal. When the production of learning are complex and sophisticated, students need a lot of teaching, practices, and feedback before the product is evaluated.

Bibliography Boston, C. (2003, June). High School Report Cards. ERIC Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation. College Park, Maryland: University of Maryland. O'Connor, K. (2009). How to Grade for Learning K-12 (3rd Edition ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin. Robertson, P. (n.d.). Standards-Based Education and Student Report Cards. Retrieved May 2011, from U.S. Department of Education: hop\robertson\edlite-slide001.html Wormeli, R. (2010, Demember 14). Rick Wormeli: Redos, Retakes, and Do-Overs Part 1. (Stenhouse Publishers) Retrieved June 7, 2011, from YouTube: