Practical Solutions for Serious Problems in Standards-Based Grading

As schools increasingly focus on standards-based educational requirements, many educators face significant issues about equitable grading policies for diverse student populations. This edited volume distinguishes critical concerns around standards-based grading from those less consequential and describes the research base for each issue as it relates to grading and reporting. Relating the research to implications for better practice, the contributors offer specific suggestions for improving grading policies and practices at the school and classroom levels. Their insightful essays offer practical responses for serious questions such as:

• Why is grading inconsistent across states and districts?
• Why do students' report card grades and classroom performance vary?
• How can teachers assign fair and accurate grades to students with special learning needs?
• How can educators assign fair and accurate grades to English Language Learners and effectively communicate the meaning of those grades to parents or guardians?
• What are the legal issues that influence grading and reporting policies in an era of high-stakes accountability?

As schools increasingly focus on standards-based educational requirements, many educators face significant issues about equitable grading policies for diverse student populations. This edited volume distinguishes critical concerns around standards-based grading from those less consequential and describes the research base for each issue as it relates to grading and reporting. Relating the research to implications for better practice, the contributors offer specific suggestions for improving grading policies and practices at the school and classroom levels. Their insightful essays offer practical responses for serious questions such as:

• Why is grading inconsistent across states and districts?
• Why do students' report card grades and classroom performance vary?
• How can teachers assign fair and accurate grades to students with special learning needs?
• How can educators assign fair and accurate grades to English Language Learners and effectively communicate the meaning of those grades to parents or guardians?
• What are the legal issues that influence grading and reporting policies in an era of high-stakes accountability?

Thomas R. Guskey is Distinguished Service Professor of Educational Measurement and Evaluation at Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. He has been a teacher at all levels, served as an administrator in Chicago public schools, and has worked in the area of professional development for more than 20 years. Guskey has written widely and is a regular presenter at the annual conference of the National Staff Development Council.