Proficiency-Based Grading Adam Williams

Proficiency-based Grading: Introduction DEFINITIONS: DEFINITIONS: Proficient: well advanced in a branch of knowledge. giving students grades based on their ability to demonstrate sufficient advancement in a particular topic. The intent is that student grades are tied more closely to what the student knows; achievement more closely matches ability. Proficiency based grading:

Proficiency-based Grading: Introduction What does it look like? What does it look like? Students receive grades and feedback on a skill by skill basis. Progress is promoted through clear expectations and multiple opportunities. Students endeavor to demonstrate proficiency in a specific set of skills. Departure from points and averages

Proficiency-based Grading: Introduction Example Report Card: Example Report Card:

Proficiency-based Grading: Introduction History: History: Time-Based: Time-Spent = Credit Carnegie Units Proficiency-Based: What Student Knows = Credit “You gotta know to grow.”

Proficiency-based Grading: Introduction Models: Models: Out of Class: Students learn topics that might not otherwise be taught in school. Prior Knowledge: Students come with prior knowledge, demonstrate proficiency and get credit. In Class:

6 Steps to Using Proficiency- based Grading Image: Francesco Marino / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Step #1 STANDARDS

Know your standards Know your standards Identify the standards for which students will need to show proficiency Unpacking Unpacking More specific learning targets for students to focus on. Skills, outcomes, targets? “Kid Language” “Kid Language”

Step #1 STANDARDS Oregon language: Oregon language: “Factor quadratic expressions limited to factoring common monomial terms, perfect- square trinomials, differences of squares, and quadratics of the form x^2 + bx + c that factor over the integers.” “Factor quadratic expressions limited to factoring common monomial terms, perfect- square trinomials, differences of squares, and quadratics of the form x^2 + bx + c that factor over the integers.” Kid Language: Kid Language: “I can factor quadratic expressions completely, including common factors.” “I can factor quadratic expressions completely, including common factors.”

Step #2 LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY What is proficiency in your course, at your level? What is proficiency in your course, at your level? What should students be able to do in order for you to say they're proficient in each standard? How many levels on your proficiency scale? How many levels on your proficiency scale?

Step #2 LEVELS OF PROFICIENCY Examples of Proficiency Scales: Examples of Proficiency Scales: “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. “ - Einstein Keep in mind different learner levels Keep in mind different learner levels

Step #3 SCORING GUIDES and SCALES

Relate scales to levels of proficiency Relate scales to levels of proficiency For each skill: What demonstrates “Nearly”? “Proficient”? “Exceeds”? Numeric Scale Numeric Scale Whole points / half points?

Step #3 SCORING GUIDES and SCALES Example Generic Scoring Scale: Example Generic Scoring Scale: Adapted from: “Classroom Assessment and Grading That Work”, Marzano 2006.

Step #3 SCORING GUIDES and SCALES Scoring Scale with Levels:

Step #4 ASSESSMENTS

Scoring-scale alignment Scoring-scale alignment Assignment Rubrics All scores should be possible an each assessment Differentiation Differentiation Scoring-scale alignment Scoring-scale alignment

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY Levels for differentiation Levels for differentiation What level(s) are tasks assessing? What level(s) are tasks assessing? What about the higher levels? What about the higher levels? Which levels demonstrate proficiency? Which levels demonstrate proficiency? Which levels are used in your standards? Which levels are used in your standards?

ASSESSMENT ISSUES Common assessments? Common assessments? Who'll develop? Sufficiency Sufficiency What will reflect the standards the course covers? Volume and level How much information/data is enough? Make-ups, Retakes, Retrys Make-ups, Retakes, Retrys Absences, “bombs”, progress

Step #5 GRADING SYSTEM How many standards per term, credit, etc How many standards per term, credit, etc 12 – 16 Per Credit (1 year) 6 – 8 per half-credit 3 – 4 per quarter-credit Percentages and grade scales Percentages and grade scales Percentages can be ambiguous, Scales carry meaning Scores, not points. Extra Credit.....

Step #5 GRADING SYSTEM What about “learner skills”? What about “learner skills”? Behavior, attendance, homework, subject specific skills. Do these count toward class grade? Homework Homework All standards = “Proficiency Based Grading”, “Proficiency Referenced Grading”.... Scores, not points. Latework Latework How many standards are students required to be proficient in to earn credit? How many standards are students required to be proficient in to earn credit?

Step #5 GRADING SYSTEM Using 0's Using 0's On most scales “Not Proficient” = 0 Does a missed assessment = “Not Proficient” Use “0” only when evidence supports it What if a student misses an assessment Let them make it up Learner skills portion What if they don't make it up?

Step #6 TEACHING PATTERN Pre-assess Pre-assess Teach content at appropriate levels Teach content at appropriate levels Make standards available and obvious Make standards available and obvious “Today we're continuing to work on....” Match to your work with standards and scales Bloom's Taxonomy

Step #6 TEACHING PATTERN Frequent, quality feedback Frequent, quality feedback Multiple Opportunities Multiple Opportunities Provide Exemplars Provide Exemplars Allow students to demonstrate progress Identify Errors Require Students to Correct Errors Provide Correct Responses Areas of strength, areas of weakness (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock, 2001)

Overview Steps 1-5: Prepare Steps 1-5: Prepare – 1. Identify key standards and skills – 2. Identify levels of proficiency – 3. Develop your scoring guide/scale – 4. Plan for assessments – 5. Grading System Step 6: Teach your students

GRADING CONSIDERATIONS The power law of learning The power law of learning The “Learning Curve”

Imagine Sally learns according to the typical learning curve and has completed three assessments. Imagine Sally learns according to the typical learning curve and has completed three assessments. GRADING CONSIDERATIONS Strict Average and the Progressing Student:

GRADING CONSIDERATIONS If Sally scored nothing but 3.5's into the future, how long until her average reaches the 3.0 level? Strict average doesn't truly reflect student progress because it weights every attempt equally. If a student scores a 0, it takes three 4.0's to move the average up to 3.0

GRADING CONSIDERATIONS Power law regression is a better summary of student progress (Marzano, 2006) Includes time as a variable. Earliest attempts are given less weight than more recent attempts. If a student scores a 0, it only takes one 4.0 to move the summary up...to 4.0

GRADING CONSIDERATIONS What if students don't fit “the curve” perfectly? Power-law regression finds the closest fitting curve to summarize student proficiency. Examples....

“CALCULATING” PROFICIENCY Per standard: Strict Average, Power Law... Per standard: Strict Average, Power Law... Taking student's most recent score isn't always best. Sometimes Power Law is better, sometimes average. Multiple Opportunities Multiple Opportunities

“CALCULATING” PROFICIENCY Final/Class grade calculation Final/Class grade calculation Composite score of proficiency levels Weighted average of summaries – more important skills are weighted more heavily. Weighted average is turned into a letter grade.

“CALCULATING” PROFICIENCY My Final Grade Scale: My Final Grade Scale: 0.0 – 1.75 = F 1.76 – 2.25 = D 2.26 – 2.75 = C 2.76 – 3.25 = B 3.26 – 4.00 = A Marzano Suggests: Marzano Suggests: 0.0 – 1.50 = F 1.51 – 2.00 = D 2.01 – 2.50 = C 2.51 – 3.00 = B 3.01 – 4.00 = A

“CALCULATING” PROFICIENCY Reporting Student Progress Reporting Student Progress Progress reports should show standards with all results, and proficiency summary Graphical Reports

PROGRESS REPORTS

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Proficiency-based, online grade book solution Proficiency-based, online grade book solution Standards Standards Power law/Average Power law/Average Reports Reports Communication Communication Free Free

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Standards Entry and Weighting: Standards Entry and Weighting:

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Importing State Standards Importing State Standards

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Progress Reports Progress Reports

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Graphical Progress Reports Graphical Progress Reports

PROGRADEBOOK.COM Student and Parent Online Access Student and Parent Online Access

CONCLUSION Adam Williams Adam Williams Power point presentation available at: Power point presentation available at: pt pt

References Marzano, R. J. (2006). Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Marzano, R. J. (2006). Classroom Assessment and Grading that Work. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. Marzano, R., Pickering, D., & Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. O'Connor, K. (2007). A repair kit for grading: 15 fixes for broken grades. Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service. O'Connor, K. (2007). A repair kit for grading: 15 fixes for broken grades. Portland, OR: Educational Testing Service.