Jul 10, 2025
Wondering if standards-based grading is right for your school or district?
This guide breaks down what it is, why it matters, and how it works, along with practical tips for implementation. Whether you’re leading districtwide change or piloting a new grading system in a single classroom, you’ll walk away with the clarity and resources you need to move forward.
Traditional grades don’t always tell you the full story. Standards-based grading does.
Unfortunately, letter grades can mask what a student truly knows.
One student might ace tests but never complete homework. Another might struggle with participation but shows mastery over time. In a traditional system, both might receive the same final grade (or wildly different ones) depending on the teacher.
Standards-based grading (SBG) offers a clearer, fairer way to measure student progress. Instead of a single, averaged score, SBG evaluates students on their mastery of specific learning standards over time.
Let’s dive into how it works, why it matters, and what it takes to implement it well.
What exactly is standards-based grading?
SBG is a method of assessing student learning based on how well students demonstrate mastery of specific academic standards, not by collecting points or percentages. These standards can be national, state-level, or even created by your own school or district to reflect local priorities.
The concept of tracking mastery through learning objectives isn’t new; it’s been around since the 1980s. However, SBG didn’t gain broader traction until the 2000s with the rise of standards-aligned instruction and increased emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Fast forward to today, where thousands of schools across the U.S. have adopted some form of SBG, particularly in elementary and middle schools.
SBG uses a proficiency scale instead of a traditional 0-100 grading system.
Students receive marks like:
- Beginning
- Developing
- Proficient
- Mastering
This communicates what they know and where they still need support, with much more clarity than a letter grade ever could.
While there isn’t national data on exactly how many schools use SBG, a recent statewide survey in Wyoming found that 10% of middle schools and 5% of high schools had fully implemented the approach, while over half of middle schools and nearly a third of high schools had begun implementing it. The approach is especially common in pockets of the country like New Hampshire, Maine, and Wisconsin, with more recent adoption in states like Connecticut, New Mexico, and Oregon.
How does standards-based grading actually work? Understanding standards, power standards, and substandards
To make the most of SBG, it helps to understand how academic standards are structured.
- Standards are the learning goals that define what students should know and be able to do. These are often adopted at the state or national level but can also be customized locally.
- Power standards are the most essential standards; the ones students must master to progress to the next level. These are prioritized for instructional time, assessment, and reporting.
- Substandards (or supporting standards) break down a power standard into more specific, teachable skills.
Examples of standards structure:
- Power standard: Geometry
- Substandards: Drawing angles, identifying types of polygons, and calculating the area of triangles.
Understanding this structure helps teachers break down big concepts into manageable chunks and helps students build confidence as they master each step.
How does standards-based grading compare to traditional grading?
Let’s be honest. Traditional grading has been around forever, but that doesn’t mean it’s working for everyone. Points and percentages may be familiar, but they don’t always reflect what students have actually learned. Standards-based grading flips the script by focusing on mastery, not averages.
Here’s a quick side-by-side look:
Traditional Grading |
Standards-Based Grading |
| Based on points, percentages, and averages | Based on mastery of specific standards |
| Includes behavior, effort, and extra credit | Focuses only on academic achievement |
| One overall grade per subject | Multiple scores tied to specific skills |
| Can vary widely by teacher | Promotes consistency across classrooms |
| Harder for families to interpret | Easier to understand strengths and needs |
Why is standards-based grading important?
Traditional grading systems are losing fans amongst educators. According to an EdWeek survey, only about 1 in 6 educators see A-F or numeric grades as a truly effective way to give students feedback.
To put it simply, educators know that students deserve more than a vague letter grade. Many teachers believe standards-based instruction and grading helps them better understand their students' needs, customize instruction, and create a more supportive classroom culture. Students are less likely to compare grades competitively and more likely to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process.
Here’s why educators are turning to SBG:
- It promotes equity. SBG ensures grades reflect learning, not behavior, attendance, or extra credit.
- It supports growth. Students are evaluated on their most recent and consistent performance, not early struggles.
- It informs instruction. Teachers can adjust lessons and interventions based on real-time insights, not end-of-term surprises.
SBG isn’t just about changing the report card. It’s about changing mindsets around learning – and that should excite you.
How does standards-based grading help students?
When done well, SBG motivates students to take ownership of their learning. It helps them:
- Understand what they’re learning and why it matters
- Track their own progress toward mastering skills
- Focus on improvement instead of chasing points
In classrooms using SBG, it’s common to see students self-assessing with rubrics, reflecting on feedback, and setting learning goals. And those behaviors stick.
How does standards-based grading support teachers?
SBG offers clarity and consistency in grading practices. It helps teachers:
- Make grading more objective and transparent
- Pinpoint gaps in student understanding more efficiently
- Collaborate across classrooms with common language and expectations
In professional learning communities (PLCs), teachers often review student mastery data together and share instructional strategies based on where students are struggling. This leads to more targeted teaching and faster interventions.
How does standards-based grading support administrators?
School leaders need real-time, accurate data to drive decision-making. SBG helps administrators:
- Monitor student progress across classrooms and grade levels
- Support teacher collaboration and grading consistency
- Align academic data with MTSS, RTI, and other frameworks
Instead of waiting for benchmark scores, leaders can use SBG data to identify trends, adjust programming, and direct resources to the students and standards that need attention most.
What school leaders need to know about standards-based grading
Implementing SBG isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Like any worthwhile initiative, it takes time, planning, and – perhaps most importantly – meaningful collaboration.
Here are three things that make a world of difference:
- Start with your people. Get feedback from teachers early and often. Invite them into the process through PLCs, pilot programs, and leadership committees. As author Patrick Lencioni put it, “If people don’t weigh in, they can’t buy in.”
- Start small. Begin with a handful of teachers or a single grade level. Track what works. Learn from what doesn’t. Grow from there.
- Support your teachers. SBG changes how teachers plan, assess, and communicate. Provide the tools, training, and time they need to get it right.
What teachers need to know about standards-based grading
SBG can feel like a big shift because it is a big shift.
Here are three things that help:
- Get clear on your standards. Start by prioritizing power standards. Less is more, especially early on. Focus on what matters most.
- Communicate early and often. Explain the new grading system to your students. Use visuals, practice activities, and rubrics. Just like with teachers and families, when students understand the “why” behind the change, they’re more likely to buy in.
- Keep families in the loop. Send a letter home. Hold a family info night. Share sample report cards. Empathy and transparency go a long way.
What families need to know about standards-based grading
We get it. SBG report cards look really different. But here’s what families should know:
This isn’t about giving fewer As or Bs. It’s about giving better information.
Instead of a B+, families can see that their child is “developing” in citing evidence in writing and “mastering” main idea identification. That opens the door to clearer conversations and better support at home.
How can schools track standards-based grading data and student progress?
Moving to SBG is a big undertaking, so you don’t want to rely on spreadsheets, patchwork platforms, or disconnected tools. Schools need a system that makes it easy to assess, track, and report progress toward learning standards while supporting targeted instruction and student growth.
Otus is a K–12 assessment, data, and insights solution designed for standards-based grading. It helps schools and districts make grading more transparent, instruction more informed, and communication more consistent.
With Otus, you can:
- Customize your gradebooks to match district standards and proficiency scales
- Use standards-aligned assessments to track mastery with precision
- Analyze every learning moment, from observations, paper-based work, and other informal evidence of learning right alongside digital assessments and third-party data.
- Monitor growth in real time at the student, class, and district levels
- Give timely, actionable feedback. Help students improve by giving clear feedback on what they’ve mastered and what still needs work.
- Keep families informed with clear, standards-aligned report cards and daily insights
Why standards-based grading is worth the shift
SBG is so much more than just a different way to report grades; it’s a better way to support learning.
Whether you’re just starting the conversation or leading a full rollout, standards-based grading can help your school focus on what matters most: student growth.
Request a demo!
See exactly how Otus can help your school accelerate student growth and improve student outcomes – all while saving educators time.
