What is Standards Based Grading? SBG is the grading of assignments based on evidence of specific academic criteria directly linked to the learning standards. Do you believe that clear learning targets improve learning? If yes, how?

UBD Unit Planning 1.Part 1: Identify the learning outcomes (standards) – what do we want students to know and be able to do? 2.Part 2: Design the formative and summative assessments that will provide us with the evidence that students know, understand and are able to do the learning outcomes (standards). 3.Part 3: Design and provide teaching and learning activities and experiences that will enable students to know understand and be able to do.

What’s Wrong with the Traditional Grading Systems? “More than one third of American High School graduates who enter college are required to take remedial courses at the cost of over $2 billion annually. Nearly four of every five of those students had a high school grade point average of 3.0 or higher ….” (Dufour and Marzano, 2011) In other words, our current grading systems are not a true representation of what students know, understand and are able to do

Traditional Grading Systems Based on the accumulation of points using the percentage system

Traditional Grading Systems Academic achievement tainted by non- academic factors and some punitive practices Can you identify times when teachers used punitive grading to manipulate behavior? Is there another alternative?

Traditional Grading Systems The mean is the main measure as points for grades are “accumulated” and “calculated”

Do the Math 80% Test 1 90% Test 2 30% Test 3 70% Test 4 What is the final grade? How well does this final grade address true learning?

Traditional Grading Systems Criteria is often unclear or assumed to be known

SBG Grading

Criteria is clear and based on the achievement of specific learning criteria directly related to a standard

SBG Grading Only academic achievement is reported through formative and summative assessments that directly address the learning standards When would you give a formative and what is its purpose?

Example of SBG Unit Grade Standard & Score Assess #1 Assess #2 Assess #3 Assess #4 Assess #5 Final Assess Std #1234 Std #2233 Std # Std # Std #523434

Example of SBG Unit Grade Standard & Score Assess #1 Assess #2 Assess #3 Assess #4 Assess #5 Final Assess Std #12344 Std #22333 Std # Std # Std # = A

SBG Grading 5-point system: for achievement levels and, in some cases, letter grades A, B, C, D for final grades that relate to the 5-point system rather than a percentage

The Achievement Scale Achievement Level Achievement Descriptors 4Exemplary: In addition to a 3.0 performance the student provides evidence of deep understanding and fluent application of the target standards as well as the ability to apply and transfer learning to new situations 3Proficient: No major errors or omissions regarding any of the target standards 2Basic: No major errors or omissions regarding the simpler outcomes or processes of the target standards but errors or omissions regarding the complex processes 1Below Basic: The student is only beginning to address the simpler outcomes of the target standards 0No Evidence: No evidence of addressing the standards

Transition Steps Adopt or review the UbD framework for unit planning

Transition Steps Base all assessments on criteria directly related to unit standards Do your current assessments connect to standards and benchmarks?

Transition Steps Remove non academic considerations from grades What non academic practices could possibly be removed in your school environment?

Transition Steps Remove “punitive” grading practices that do not support true academic achievement Identify 3 “punitive” practices

Transition Steps Adopt a system of achievement levels (relative to standards) rather than the accumulation of points (i.e. use ) Can you think of any ways you could introduce this concept?

Transition Steps Introduce policies that both expect and support academic success Review an array of in-school supports that allow students to find academic success

Transition Steps Review UbD framework and its connection to SBG Base all assessments on criteria directly related to unit standards Remove non academic considerations from grades Remove “traditional” grading practices that do not support true academic achievement Adopt a system of achievement levels (relative to standards) rather than the accumulation of points (i.e. use ) Introduce policies that expect and support academic success