“My students spent two weeks on this project, so it should be worth a lot of points.”

“If Sammy had to take the test a second time, he must not have studied. He does not deserve full credit on a second attempt.”

“In the real world, there are no second chances.”

“Students won’t do the homework if we don’t grade it.”

These are phrases we have likely heard—or said—when discussing student grades. Such beliefs about grades as compensation have been the unquestioned norm for students, parents, and educators for well over a century. In more recent years, educators have begun emphasizing learning over earning when grading student work. This was Megan’s experience throughout her time as a secondary special education and English/language arts teacher. In her fledgling years, she viewed grades as compensation for hard work and high achievement. However, she eventually transitioned to a standards-based grading system that better communicated student learning. Standards-based grade books encompass three big shifts.

To read the rest of this ASCD Express article I co-authored with Megan Knight, click here.

Townsley, M., & Knight, M. (2020). Three big shifts for standards-based grades. ASCD Express, 16(2). Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/ascd-express/vol16/num02/3-big-shifts-for-standards-based-grades.aspx