Charting a Course to Standards-Based Grading: What to Stop, What to Start, and Why It Matters

by Tim Westerberg

What's the best way to ensure that grading policies are fair, accurate, and consistent across classrooms? How can schools transition to a grading system that better reflects what students are actually learning? Tim R. Westerberg makes this journey easier by offering a continuum of options, with four "destinations" on the road to improved grading and assessment. Destination 1 critically examines such popular grading mechanisms as the zero, extra credit, the "semester killer" project, averaging, mixing academic performance with work ethic, and refusing to accept late work, and explains how they undermine objectivity and instead result in widely divergent grades for comparable work—with major consequences for students. Destination 2 invites educators to put assessment and grading into the larger context of a districtwide guaranteed and viable curriculum and lays out the organizational conditions and necessary steps to accomplish this goal. Destination 3 brings parents and others on board with a multiyear implementation plan and community engagement strategies for introducing report cards that indicate student achievement by standards rather than—or in addition to—letter grades. Destination 4 , competency-based education, involves a total rethinking of the nature and structure of school, leading to individualized education for all students. However far they choose to go, administrators and teacher leaders can turn to Charting a Course to Standards-Based Grading for the quick wins and long-term support and guidance they need to make the trip well worth the effort.

Genres: Teaching, Nonfiction

165 pages, Paperback

Published August 24, 2016

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be a good all-school read for staff who are beginning to explore competency-based education. The book is short, and it provides a brief overview of many CBE topics but does not provide in-depth points for any of these topics. That’s a good thing for those who are just learning about CBE. It might be a frustrating read (or perhaps a good reminder/review) for those who have read other books on the subject and already have a deeper knowledge base. I like the way the book is organized; the reader takes a journey step by step in an order that makes sense. The author doesn’t seem to be sharing his unique perspectives, but rather he offers highlights of others’ work and ideas. As I said, there is nothing wrong with that because this book is a good stepping stone to bigger conversations about the topics, and the author provides concrete steps and examples to explain theories. I’ve attended enough workshops and conferences lately, that I appreciate those specific steps and points for how to go about making this change.

• Five levels to change to CBE
Establish a safe and collaborative culture (PLC, common values, beliefs, standards, grading, conduct a school climate survey)
Ensure effective teaching in every class (same expectations and standards for same course taught by different teachers)
Create a guaranteed and viable curriculum (based on research, standards, competencies)
Create valid assessment to measure the stated/taught curriculum (organized by measurement and topic, not weighted)
Establish leadership and support (need time, technical assistance, software, outreach to all stakeholders, a process to evaluate effectiveness and gather feedback, and accountability)
• Curriculum and Assessment
Use trend scoring (no averaging)
Eliminate using zeroes
Eliminate bonus points
Eliminate weighted grades
Assess on the standard/competency (not the time invested in completing the task)
Define purpose of homework and provide a homework policy that is not punitive (10 minutes per grade level)
Ensure teachers who teach the same course adhere to same expectations and grading, use same performance assignments

From trend scoring and no zeroes or weighted grades to the purpose of homework and five step/level plan to implementing CBE, the book prompts the reader to reflect and ponder these changes and to question long held (and I will just say it - wrong!) beliefs about education, particularly when it comes to grading.

[Jess Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in one sitting and took a lot of notes: things to question and things to remember. I was very conflicted with this book. On the one hand, I feel very strongly about the necessity of a work ethic, and I was intrigued with Westerberg’s ideas about providing both work ethic and academic grades. He also made me think long and hard about homework. I have steadily been laying off on homework that could be deemed “busy work,” but I always believed being penalized for not doing it was fine. Westerberg defends students who have good grades on assessments by asking why they even need to do the homework if they have demonstrated that skill. A very valid point worth mulling over. There were also a lot of ideas that contrast my beliefs...

[Katy Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charting a Course to Standards Based Grading is like a manual for those looking to move towards SB education. The book gives a continuum of start to "end" of the process and it was nice to see where our school and department fall in the author's mind. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to move towards SBG or SB education.

[Jens Hieber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The earlier chapters were helpful for rationale, this has a lot of useful language on the topic, and provides a few very good resources. It's not entirely what I was looking for, as it seems geared towards administrators looking to make the switch. So it's a good book, but less immediately applicable to me and my classroom.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, easy, approachable read about SBG. I really enjoyed the read and am inspired to move more towards that system. Only wish he would have given a little more practicality to how to input grades in a grade book. I recommend it!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone starting the conversation on Standards-Based Grading.

[Marc Daly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guide to the process of creating a standards-based grading system for schools. Provides a basis for standards-based grading and examples of how the system would work.

[Diana Sarao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice framework- tough topic to tackle.