Grades vs. Ratings

Subjective: a student can be given a grade based on their personality, effort, and/or whether or not the teacher and the student connect

One and Done: a student will often get a grade from one task. They are not able to try again if they learn more. Stigma-- you are a "C" student.

Lack of Transparency: a student may not even know how their work is being graded. If there are rubrics, they may not cover everything or even be shared with students.

Inconsistent meaning: a student gets an "A"in English. What does that mean? What skills did the student learn? What if we compare students across schools? Does the "A" mean the same?

Objective: a student's work will be rated on the continua. Everyone has the same information.

Revisions are learning: a student will be able to revise their work (all work) as needed.

Transparency: a student, a teacher, a parent, a community member can see what is being assessed for every student.

Personalized: a student can get personal help based off their ratings. They know where they are and what they are aiming for.

Non-judgmental: A student submits their work. They are where they are. But they also can see where they would like to be and work to get there.