3+The+Experts+Say...


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PPPPP Teachers, parents, and students must understand the learning goals that are expected at each grade level (O'Connor, 2009). Teachers should use the state standards to guide their instruction and base their assessments and grading on; parents should know if their child is meeting grade-level expectations; and students should know what is expected of them so they can establish goals to meet the criteria.

PPPPP According to O'Connor (2009), there are numerous benefits to standards-based education. Standards provide clear expectations for what students should know and be able to do at specific grade levels. Education based on standards provides a common direction for all schools. Classroom instruction becomes more consistent. There is greater equity in learning goals for all students. Standards help ensure that there are not gaps within curriculum and learning targets are not overlapping year to year.

PPPPP Teachers are working hard to align their instruction with state standards, differentiate instruction for students that are struggling or advanced, and prepare authentic assessments. Reeves (2006) states, "...our focus on what matters most is incomplete without a discussion of grading practices" (p. 113). Reeves also believes that current grading practices do not reflect student achievement. O'Connor (2009) claims that current grading practices actually inhibits learning. Some of the grading practices that inhibit learning include: inconsistent grading scales, grading effort, attitude, and behavior, using zeros and averaging, and failure to align tests to the actual teaching and learning.

PPPPP According to McMillan (2008), the main reason for grading is to provide communication about the achievement of learning expectations and standards. McMillan also states that grades on assignments and tests are usually based on student performance, rather than proficiency. "More subjective factors are often considered, such as extra-credit, retesting, revising, participation, and improvement" (p. 145). When standards-based grading is implemented, grading focuses on levels of knowledge, understanding, and skills. McMillan also refers to this type of grading as criterion-referenced, mastery, or absolute grading.

PPPPP In //Developing Standards-Based Report Cards//, Guskey and Bailey (2010) describe many reasons why report cards need to change and many reasons that delay that change.

PPPPP Guskey and Bailey (2010) describe the following as reasons for changing the report card:

PPPPP 1. Many current grading practices and reporting forms are shamefully inadequate. PPPPP 2. Report cards are misaligned with current reforms in teaching and learning. PPPPP 3. Report card development often leads to a critical examination of standards, instructional goals, and PPPPPP assessments. (p. 5)

PPPPP Guskey and Bailey (2010) describe the following as reasons that delay the change of report cards:

PPPPP 1. Different groups want different things from the report card. PPPPP 2. Report cards are based on tradition. PPPPP 3. Educators have little formal training in grading and reporting. PPPPP 4. Current demands for change in curriculum, instruction, and assessments seem more pressing than report PPPPPP card change. (p. 4)

PPPPP The GreatSchools Staff (2006) interviewed Diane Mead, a teacher in California where standards-based report cards have been implemented for a few years. Mead believes that standards-based report cards benefit students by showing them specific areas to improve on. The teachers in Beverly Hills collaborate to find exemplar work that demonstrates proficiency for the standards. These expectations are shared with students so they know what to do on assignments. Hoover Liddell, assistant to the superintendent in the San Francisco School District, was also interviewed and stated standards-based report cards will close the achievement gap among students.

PPPPP O'Connor (2009) points out that report cards do not reflect our current advances in our knowledge of effective grading and reporting. Guskey and Bailey (2010) agree and state,

PPPPP The only significant change is that computers print report cards today while in years past, teachers filled them PPPPP out by hand. We continue using these forms not because they have proven effective but simply because PPPPP ‘we’ve always done it that way’ (p. 3).

School leaders and teachers need to move out of their comfort levels and truly look at best practice and effective grading and reporting.

References GreatSchools Staff. (2006). Rethinking report cards. //GreatSchools//. San Fransico, CA. Retreived from PPPPPP http://www.greatschools.org/students/academic-skills/rethinking-report-cards.gs?content=350&page=1

Guskey, T. R., & Bailey, J. M. (2010) //Developing standards-based report cards//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

McMillan, J. H. (2008) //Assessment essentials for standards-based education//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

O'Connor, K. B. (2009) //How to grade for learning, K-12//. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press

Reeves, D. B. (2006) //The learning leader: how to focus school improvement for better results//. Alexandria, VA: PPPPPP Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development