Background of Standards-Based Grading

The incorporation of the Common Core State Standards, Next Generations Science Standards, Illinois Learning Standards for Social Studies, National Core Art Standards, and the SHAPE Standards have refocused our attention on how necessary it is to assess individual standards and to better help students meet grade level expectations. Knowing how a child is doing in each of the standards is the best way you can help him or her move from gaps to proficiency. Using standards-based grading will ensure consistency of expectations from teacher to teacher, help teachers and students focus on standards from the beginning of the year, and explain to parents exactly how their children are doing based on the standards.

Methods and procedures

2011-2012

Kindergarten, first, seventh, and eighth grade adopted a standards-based report card. No modifications were made in removing or adjusting letter grades from showing up on StandardsScore for parents viewing student progress. Parents were made aware of the change in grading through parent meetings and email.

2012-2013

Kindergarten through eighth grade adopted a standards-based report card and all grades used the same descriptors for the rubric grading scale. During the grading periods, the rubric grading scale was adjusted so that only the numeric grading scale appeared online. When generating the report card, the rubric grading scale was adjusted and the overall letter grade appeared on the report card.

In grades third, fourth. fifth, and sixth grade, teachers began the implementation of standards-based grading. Classroom teachers received professional development and collaborative team time to plan curriculum and discuss grading practices based on the standards. Teachers began using the school grading scale (4, 3, 2, 1) and creating formative and summative assessments with rubrics that support the Common Core State Standards.

Parents were made aware of the change in grading through open house, class parent meetings, parent/teacher conferences, school website, letter to parents, and ongoing discussions throughout the school year.

2013-2014

The rubric grading of the standards tells us what students should know and be able to do at each grade level and their progress in meeting the level of proficiency required according to the academic standards.

The purpose of standards-based grading is to accurately communicate achievement of the standards to students, parents, and teachers. Parents can see which standards students have mastered and which ones need re-teaching and relearning.

Letter grades were removed from showing as an overall grade. During the second semester of eighth grade, the overall letter grade is set to appear. This serves as a transition for our eighth grade students to high school.

2015-2016

This year was a focus on assessment design.