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 I chose not to include any articles that I authored or co-authored, and will instead highlight those separately in the near future.
The following is a list of what I believe are the top four articles from 2022 (in alphabetical order by lead author’s last name) related to standards-based grading. Following each citation is the article abstract or my summary of the article.
- Chism, D., & Brookhart, S. (2025). Three principles for fairer, more relevant grading. Educational Leadership, 82(8). https://ascd.org/el/articles/three-principles-for-fairer-more-relevant-grading
Summary: The authors suggest educators can enact three key principles to make grades fairer and more relevant, one of which is implementing more equitable reporting. Practices that support this principle include reporting student performance in relation to state standards, using a distinct number of performance categories, reporting student academic performance separately from non-academics, and providing students with opportunities to redo and reassess. Readers familiar with the core ideas of standards-based grading may see parallels in this well-written practitioner-focused article. - Feldman, J. (2025). Is that grade accurate? Educational Leadership, 83(3). https://ascd.org/el/articles/is-that-grade-accurate
Summary: Feldman critiques the standard assess–score–report paradigm, asserting that it often produces misleading grades by neglecting teachers’ professional judgment. He argues that when grades are based on flawed assessments, they can misrepresent actual knowledge. Readers will appreciate a new four-step approach described in this article: assess, score, validate, and report. Through implementing these steps, Feldman suggests that grades become more accurate, elevate rigor and better serve students. - Link, L.J., Leeson, M., & Anthes, J. (2025). The problem with traditional grading systems. Educational Leadership, 82(8). https://ascd.org/el/articles/the-problem-with-traditional-grading-systems
Summary: Drawing upon their research, the authors suggest that in middle and high school settings, a significant portion of a student’s grade might derive from nonacademic factors like participation or citizenship. Link and colleagues propose separating academic achievement grades from behavioral assessments to create more valid and equitable grading practices for students. To enact these changes, districts need to invest in professional learning for teachers focused on rubric calibration and grading based upon distinct reporting categories. - Link, L. J., & Mitic, R. R. (2025). Examining grading purpose and practices: A multivariate analysis of secondary stakeholder perceptions. Assessment in Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 32(3), 336-354. https://doi.org/10.1080/0969594X.2025.2534813
Abstract: This study provides evidence of fundamental differences in how students, parents/guardians, teachers, and administrators understand and approach the purposes and practices of grading. Using census sampling, researchers analysed survey responses from 1,907 educational stakeholders in a medium-size Midwest US school district. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with post hoc analyses revealed significant disparities: parents/guardians and teachers viewed grades as communication tools and learning progress indicators, while students significantly favoured their role as sorting mechanisms and learning incentives. Students more strongly endorsed non-achievement factors and extra credit opportunities comparatively. Analysis of grading consistency perceptions revealed a striking implementation gap, with administrators reporting significantly lower perceived consistency than all other stakeholders. These findings highlight the need for assessment literacy programmes, policy reforms addressing non-achievement factors, and systematic approaches to establishing consistent grading practices. This research illuminates how divergent stakeholder perspectives may impede the implementation of research-based grading reforms in US secondary schools. - Morris, S. R., Parra-Martinez, A., Wal, J., & Maranto, R. (2025). The notorious SBG: Administrators’ perceptions of standards-based grading practices. Journal of School Leadership, 36(1), 160-184. https://doi.org/10.1177/10526846251382329
Abstract: This mixed-methods study synthesizes standards-based grading (SBG) literature, analyzes 249 Arkansas administrators’ survey responses using OLS regressions, and identifies themes through in-vivo coding of qualitative feedback. Results show more SBG support among liberal, elementary-level administrators in larger, economically diverse districts. Qualitative insights highlight structural barriers and mindsets against SBG, emphasizing its importance for mastery-focused assessment and grading alignment. These findings underscore the influence of principals’ beliefs on SBG support and suggest researching the contextual and ideological factors influencing SBG’s implementation.
What articles would you add to this list from 2025?
Note: For previous year “top” article lists, visit this page.