Standards-Based Grading (SBG)

About Standards-Based Grading

Standards-based grading is a research-based method (Marzano, 2009; ASCD, 2008; Miller, 2013) of measuring students' mastery of specific standards, or skills, in the classroom. SBG relies on Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck's growth mindset philosophy, which says that anybody is capable of achieving proficiency in a skill if they work hard enough at it.

Standards-based grading allows students to take ownership of their own learning by assessing their own proficiency on standards and enables them to demonstrate proficiency repeatedly throughout the year. Students will have multiple opportunities to "re-assess" on any topic in which they are not deemed proficient. A student's final grade will be based solely on his or her achievement of the standards and performance on summative assessments. Classwork and homework are classified as "practice." So they are treated as a vehicle for achieving the standards and, thus, will not be counted in the quarter/ term grade.

As a parent, standards-based grading will help you to identify specific areas in which your child is successful, as well as areas in which your child needs some extra practice. It is our intention to be as transparent as possible with the standards in order to help students achieve the greatest success.

See my SBG frequently asked question for more info/ detail.