In 2021, 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.
Griffin, R., & Townsley, M. (2021). Points, points and more points: Grade inflation and deflation when homework and employability scores are incorporated. Journal of School Administration Research and Development, 6(1), 1-11. [Available online]
Dr. Griffin and I sought to determine the extent to which employability and homework scores within a traditional points-and percentages-weighted grading model inflates or deflates grades. In our analysis of 795 students’ semester math grades at an urban high school, we found 43.2% students had their grades inflated or deflated by 5% or more and 12.6% students had their grades inflated or deflated by 10% or more, which is equivalent to moving up or down a full letter grade.
Lang, C., & Townsley, M. (2021). Improving teacher evaluation: Walking the talk of standards-based grading. Journal of School Administration Research and Development, 6(2), 81-89. [Available online]
Teachers and school leaders frequently express a disconnect in the purpose and importance of teacher evaluation, particularly as it relates to educator growth. At the same time, some schools are beginning to communicate student growth through a standards-based grading philosophy. One way schools might “walk the talk” of their grading reform efforts designed to communicate student growth is through the use of proficiency scales to prioritize growth in teacher evaluation. In this paper, Dr. Lang and I describe implications of simultaneously utilizing a growth model for teacher evaluation and a student growth model via standards-based grading
Townsley, M. (2021). Grading in the midst of a pandemic. School Administrator, 78(5), 28-31. [Available online]
The benefits of ‘no zero’ and other modified practices ought to long outlast the learning challenges of the moment. In this article for AASA’s School Administrator, I highlighted schools in Connecticut, Colorado, and Iowa that reevaluated their grading practices during COVID-19. Finally, I suggested ways in which schools could more permanently overhaul their grading practices.
Townsley, M., & McNamara, S. (2021). “I thought I was supposed to get an A in PE!” Successes and challenges of teachers and administrators implementing standards-based grading in physical education. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70. Available online at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0191491X21000389
The purpose of this research was to understand the initial successes and challenges of physical educators’ implementation of standards-based grading (SBG) practices. Participants in our study expressed a “building the plane as we fly it” mindset towards the training and implementation so far, benefits included a better roadmap to improving instruction and assessment to enhance student motivation. Dr. McNamara and I provide implications for implementing standards-based grading in physical education.