In episode 144 of The Grading Podcast, I was invited to share out our upcoming leadership-focused standards-based grading conference. Within this conversation, I suggest why grading reform is a second-order change that requires deep philosophical commitment from administrators, not just technical adjustments from teachers. One of the biggest takeaways: Isolated classroom innovation isn’t enough—lasting change […]
School districts across the country are increasingly reexamining or refining their grading and assessment practices. Whether the focus is on standards-based, standards-referenced, evidence-based, or proficiency-based grading, leaders may sense that grading practices across classrooms and schools are not fully aligned with district goals. It may time for a grading and assessment reboot: Teachers can interpret
When implementing new grading frameworks, such as standard-based grading, some teachers may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of reassessments. This manifests as students “gaming the system” for quick re-dos, teachers drowning in grading, and the process feeling like an endless loop rather than a genuine tool for learning. When this cycle accelerates, it is
I received an email from a school leader that raised a familiar and important question about grading. The discussion centered on whether work habits should be reported within standards-based grading/reporting. At the heart of the question was a tension that I believe many educators recognize: work habits clearly matter for student success, yet they are
A common question I hear from school and district leaders implementing standards-based grading is deceptively simple: Should we use a 3-point scale or a 4-point scale? Often, this question emerges after professional learning experiences or deeper conversations about grading philosophy. Educators that have already moved away (or will soon be moving away) from percentages begin
A couple of days ago, I was sitting in an optometrist’s office waiting for my annual eye exam when a woman rushed through the front door, clearly flustered. She approached the front desk and blurted out, “I am so sorry for being late! Here is my insurance card.” Just beneath the counter was a sign
In 2025, I published four new articles related to grading. The references and abstracts/summaries are below, and when possible, a link to the full article is also provided. The benefits of transitioning to alternative grading practices often take time to emerge. Morris, S. R., & Townsley, M. (2025). Traditional vs modern-grading practices: A comparative case
As 2025 comes to an end, it’s the perfect moment to look back and explore the most noteworthy literature published over the past year that aligns with standards-based grading ideas. Three of this year’s articles come from ASCD’s Educational Leadership magazine and two were published in peer-reviewed journals. Note to returning readers: Once again this year
In their 2021 Educational Leadership article, University of Pennsylvania professors Zachary Hermann and Pam Grossman argue: All too often, PD efforts ignore principles and research on adult learning for the sake of efficiency. Powerful professional development to support instruction takes time, attention to the demands of particular subject matters and grade levels, and differentiated support
Recently, on a social media forum for teachers, an English Language Arts teacher asked a simple but important question about transitioning to standards-based grading: How do you assess novels? It’s a great question—and one I hear often. My response was this: rather than making the novel itself the focus of the assessment, the priority should