The movement toward standards-based learning has been in motion for over 30 years, yet there is still widespread confusion about why this model is so valuable.
Watch this roundtable webinar to hear from a panel of K-12 leaders as they tackle the most pressing questions about standards-based learning and grading and share how you can prepare to address them in the new school year.
The panel discusses:
- The value grading provides to students and the practices proven to improve student learning.
- Aligning curriculum, instruction, and assessment for maximum impact.
- Effectively communicating learning expectations and grades with students and families.
- Addressing equity to ensure all students have the resources and support they need to achieve standards.
Three Strategies School Leaders Can Use to Enhance Standards-Based Grading
Gaining Clearer Insight into Student Learning Through Standards-Based Grading
Standards-based grading (SBG) provides a more accurate and meaningful picture of student learning compared to traditional grading methods. By focusing on students’ mastery of specific standards, SBG ensures that grades reflect actual understanding and progress, rather than factors like participation or effort. This approach allows educators and parents to clearly see where students are excelling and where they may need additional support.
“A parent came into my office and asked me why his son couldn’t score higher than a 19 on the ACT, yet he had a 4.3 GPA. He was there every day, got extra credit, and did everything teachers asked of him. But when he took a summative assessment, he didn’t score very well. That got me looking at standards-based grading – focusing on those priority standards, staying away from effort and extra credit so we really know where kids are and what they can and can’t do.”
Bringing Together Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
For students to truly succeed, it’s important that curriculum, instruction, and assessment all work together. When these pieces are aligned, it creates a seamless learning experience where what’s taught in the classroom directly ties to how students are assessed. This ensures that evaluations are not only accurate but also genuinely reflective of each student’s progress.
“Last year, we started to meet as grade levels and go through all our standards, find the ones we thought were most important, and align our assessments and build a report card from that. We’re very excited because, before, it didn’t match what we were teaching and what we were looking for in their growth. It will one-hundred percent help with parents and answer a lot of questions upfront, showing what their child has mastered and what their child is still struggling at, instead of this obscure report card that they were getting before.”
Open Communication With Students and Families
Clear and open communication is key to successfully implementing standards-based grading. Ensuring that both students and parents understand how grades are determined and what they represent fosters transparency and builds trust. Engaging parents early on and maintaining ongoing dialogue throughout the process helps everyone stay aligned. This ongoing communication supports students in reaching their full potential by ensuring that parents and students have a clear understanding of expectations and how to meet them.
“We held town hall-type meetings for parents, both in person and virtually. We were sending home flyers, both paper and through social media. And then at parent-teacher conferences and school events, we had a short video that gave the highlights of standards-based grading. We were communicating whenever we could. We found a way to get that message out there.”