materials)) packet)1:))copy)of)the)powerpoint)slides

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Grading, Report Cards and the Common Core Lora Wolff, Western Illinois University Re;red Iowa Superintendent

Materials §  Packet 1: Copy of the PowerPoint slides (Bonus

slides in back on grading) §  Packet 2: Copies of standards-‐based electronic report

cards §  Kindergarten, third grade, fiNh grade §  Specials (elementary art, music, PE) §  Literacy, Title I §  8th grade technology literacy

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ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS •  How can we accurately measure and

report student mastery of standards? •  How can grading systems more

accurately reflect what students know and can do?

•  How can we integrate grading, standards (including the common core standards), and repor;ng?

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Grading is….

…the elephant in the room.

Standards and Repor;ng • Which standards?

•  Common core? •  State? •  ALL

•  Which content areas? •  Literacy (reading, wri0ng, speaking, listening) •  Math •  Science, Social Studies •  The Arts •  Physical Educa;on, Health •  Technology, Family Consumer Science, Business, Industrial Technology, Agriculture

•  Modern Languages •  ALL 5 6

What purpose should grades serve? •  Communicate the achievement status of students to parents, students, and others.

•  Provide informa;on that students can use for self-‐evalua;on.

•  Select, iden;fy, or group students for certain educa;onal paths or programs.

•  Provide incen;ves to learn.

•  Evaluate the effec;veness of instruc;onal programs.

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The primary purpose of grades–

“…should be to communicate with students and parents about their achievement of learning goals….”

Secondary purposes… • Providing teachers with informa;on for instruc;onal planning. • Providing teachers, administrators, parents, and students with informa;on for placement of students.

Bailey & McTighe. “Repor;ng Achievement…” 8

Grades are not about what students earn; they are about what students learn.

•  Thomas R. Guskey • Ken O’Connor • Doug Reeves • Rick Wormeli • Alfie Kohn • Robert Marzano • Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey • Carol Ann Tomlinson

What do the experts say?

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Perspec;ves on Grading 1.   Grading is NOT essen;al for learning. 2.   Grading is complicated. 3.   Grading is subjec;ve and emo;onal. 4.   Grading is inescapable. 5.   There is not much “pure” research on

grading prac;ces. 6.   There is no single best grading prac;ce. 7.   Faulty grading damages students-‐-‐-‐and

teachers. Tom Guskey and Ken O’Connor

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Grading Prac;ces that Inhibit Learning 1.   Inconsistent grading scales 2.   WORSHIPPING AVERAGES 3.   USING ZEROS 4.   Following the pajern of assign, test, grade & teach 5.   Failing to match tes;ng/assessment to teaching 6.   Ambushing students 7.   Sugges;on that success is unlikely 8.   Prac;cing “gotcha” teaching 9.   Grading first efforts 10.   Penalizing students for taking risks 11.   Falling to recognize measurement error 12.   Establishing inconsistent grading criteria

Adapted from R.L. Canady, P.R. Hotchkiss, Ken O’Connor, Tom Guskey

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Median/Middle

89% = B+

Which grade is a better representation of what the student knows/is able to do?

Worshipping Averages: Averaging All Scores

Student Scores (10) 89 89 89 20 89 89 89 20 89 89

Total 752/1000

Mean/Average

75.2% = C Mode (Most

Frequent)

89%=B+

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Averaging All Scores-‐-‐Spelling Test

Student Scores Monday 20 Wednesday 60 Friday 90

Total 170/300

Mean/Average

57% = F

Most Recent Evidence

90% = A-‐

Which is a better representation of what the student knows/is able to do/has learned? All the evidence or the most recent evidence?

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The Effects of Averaging (Ken O’Connor)

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The Effects of Averaging (Sumner WA Schools)

Consider the effects of averaging AND using zeroes…. A “mean” example of temperature readings—85, 87, 88, 84, 0 (missed reading). The mean/average = 68.8 degrees. Is this really representa;ve of what was going on with the weather? (Dropping the “0” = 86 degrees)

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“Whenever I hear sta;s;cs being quoted I am reminded of the sta;s;cian who drowned while wading across a river with an average depth of three feet.”

In other words, using averages does not accurately reflect learning. From Ken O’Connor: Gordon McMann, Campbell River, B.C., Lejer to the Editor, Toronto Globe and Mail, October 15, 2003

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Ques0onable Grading Prac0ce: The Use of Zeroes

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades “Assigning a score of zero to work

that is late, missed, or neglected does not accurately depict students’ learning. Is the teacher certain the student has learned absolutely nothing, or is the zero assigned to punish students for not displaying appropriate responsibility?”

Thomas Guskey. Communica;ng Student Learning

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades “Most state standards in mathema;cs require that fiNh-‐grade students understand the principles of ra;os-‐-‐for example, A is to B as 4 is to 3: D is to F as 1 is to zero. Yet the persistence of the zero on the 100-‐point scale indicates that many people with advanced degrees…have not applied the ra;o standard to their own professional prac;ce.”

D.B. Reeves. “The Case Against the Zero,” Kappan. December 2004.

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades Tradi;onal Grading Scale

A 90-‐100; B 80-‐89; C 70-‐79; D 60-‐69; F <60 “The interval between grades through A-‐D is 10 points, yet

the poten;al interval from D to F is 60 points. The result is…the ‘0’ grade has a dispropor;onate impact on the average grade. If educators must use a numerical scale then the lowest possible number on the scale should be one grade value lower than a ‘D.’”

Equal Interval Grading Scale A 90-‐100; B 80-‐89; C 70-‐79: D 60-‐69; F 50

Adapted from D.B. Reeves. “Standards are Not Enough,” NASSP Bulle;n. December 2000.

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades Example

Final Assessments

Look at student #2…how difficult will it be for “Ash” to do something about his grade even though on the final assessments he proved he knows the material? What about students #4 and #5?

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades

Student #2 “was fed up…fed up with acing exams, but getting C’s at the end of the trimester because he refused to do the worksheets assigned in order to help students study so they could ace the tests.”

Student #2 proved he learned the content and didn’t need to do the study guide.

Thomas Guskey, Communicating Student Learning, ASCD 22

The Effect of Not Using Zeroes on Grades

Using 0’s

A

F

C+

D

D

F

No 0’s

Using zeroes is a mathematical problem and a significant motivational problem (no chance of success)!

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The Effect of Zeroes on Grades

Educators are to be the “merchants of hope. We are selling hope for students’ future.”

Zeroes are the killers of hope.

Grading Ques;ons 1.   What do grades represent in each of your

teachers’ classrooms? 2.   Is proficiency reflected in your district’s

grading? 3.   Do the grades given in your district reflect the

student’s achievement on high stakes tes;ng?

4.  What is the role of measuring standards in your district’s grading system?

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REPORTING GRADES REPORTING STANDARDS REPORTING LEARNING

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Look

familiar…..

What do we really know about what this student has learned?

Why standards-‐based grading and repor;ng?

1.   Mandate to report 2.   Support learning 3.   Improve communica;on

about learning

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Mickey Mantle’s Baseball Card

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•  What if the back of Mickey Mantle’s baseball card just said “A”? Would we know why he was an “A”?

•  Baseball cards include much more-‐-‐;mes at bat, runs, hits, homeruns. That detail tells us why he was an “A” player.

•  Why would we give students just one grade?

A

Standards-‐based Grading vs Tradi;onal Grading (Sumner Washington School District)

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Standards-‐Based Tradi;onal

1 Directly related to standards Usually related to assessment measures

2 Criterion-‐referenced ONen norm-‐referenced or a mix of norm-‐ and criterion-‐referenced

3 Public criteria & targets Criteria unclear or assumed to be known

4 Achievement only Uncertain mix of achievement, aytude, effort, and behavior

5 Individual ONen includes group marks

6 From summa;ve assessments only From forma;ve and summa;ve assessments

7 More recent informa;on only Everything marked is included

8 Reassessment without penalty Mul;ple assessments recorded as average

9 Limited and careful “number crunching”

Many formulas and calcula;ons

10 Use of median/mode Always uses mean (average)

11 All aspects discussed with and understood by students

Teacher decides and announces 30

To be truly standards-‐based in grading one MUST…

•  Separate achievement from behaviors.

• Not include forma;ve assessment.

•  Emphasize most recent achievement.

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 1.   Begin educa;ng teachers, principals, and board

members about grading issues and standards-‐based grading

2.   Determine which standards to be reported 3.   Determine a scoring scheme for standards 4.   Determine a standards-‐iden;fica;on scheme 5.   Import standards into student informa;on system 6.   Develop repor;ng system (report cards) 7.   Train principals and teachers in standards-‐based

grading implementa;on 8.   Train the parents and students (Sumner

Washington Schools have good materials on informing parents.)

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 1.   Begin educa;ng teachers, principals,

and board members about grading issues and standards-‐based grading a.   Book studies/ar;cle reviews b.   Professional development for

teachers in grading issues (Slide 10) c.   Work with teachers and principals

to begin altering grading prac;ces

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 2.   Determine which standards to be

reported a.   Common core only? (No) b.   All content areas? (Yes) c.   All standards? (No) d.   Selected standards? (Yes) e.   Which grade levels? (All)

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 3.   (Research and) Determine a scoring

scheme for standards a.   3-‐2-‐1 b.   4-‐3-‐2-‐1 c.   5-‐4-‐3-‐2-‐1 d.   + or -‐

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 4.   Determine a standards-‐iden;fica;on scheme

•  M.K.1.3.b = Counts out loud to 100 (See p. 3 of packet 2 of the sample kindergarten report card)

•  M=Math •  K=Kindergarten •  1=Math Standard 1 •  3=3rd benchmark under Standard 1 •  b=2nd grade level indicator/expecta;on

under the 3rd benchmark

•  Document created in Excel (for import in SIS) •  Distributed to teachers (red curriculum

notebook) •  Used in unit development (e.g. UbD) 36

Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 5.   Import standards into student

informa;on system a.   Import using Excel b.   Numerous other cells that have to

thought through (List parent, highest score, most recent score, average score, calcula;on parent)

c.   Standards (benchmarks) to be scored need to be ajached to the specific course where the standards are to be scored

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Example of Standards in SIS (Art)

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Detailed Standards Info in SIS

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Standards in Student Info Systems

Standards for course are listed across the top. Standard score are entered either manually or “ajached” an assignment. 40

Assignments and Standards (SIS)

The “S” indicates that the teacher created an assignment and ajached standards to that assignment.

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 6.   Develop repor;ng system (report cards)

a.   Which standards to be reported b.   Training for person developing the

reports (internal will allow you to modify the report cards rather than con;nually pay a “company”; consider training two people)

c.   See sample report cards (2nd handout) 1)  Elementary Regular 2)  Elementary Specials 3)  Elementary Literacy/Title 4)  8th Grade Technology Literacy 42

Sample Report Cards (See 2nd packet) • First Grade Report Card

• Subjects—Grade (E-‐S-‐D) • Standards—3-‐2-‐1 • STAR Reading Scores (can pull other standardized test scores-‐-‐import or input into SIS)

• Social and Classroom Behavior • Separate from academics

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Sample Report Cards (See 2nd packet)

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 7.   Train principals and teachers (and possibly

secretaries) in implemen;ng standards-‐based grading a.   How to “score” or “mark” standards b.   How marking translates on the report card c.   How to process/print report cards d.   How to conference with parents with the new

standards-‐based report cards e.   Bonus: Can develop “transcript labels” so

teachers/secretaries don’t have to put grades on cum or perm folders

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Steps to Standards-‐based Grading 8.   Train the parents and students (Sumner

Washington Schools have good materials on informing parents.)

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Resources/References Sumner School District (Washington)—Excellent list of readings on this topic Canady, and Hotchkiss, “It’s a Good Score: Just a Bad Grade,” Kappan, Sept. ‘89, 68-‐71. Guskey & Bailey, Developing Grading and Repor;ng Systems for Student Learning, Corwin, 2001. Kagan. “Group Grades Miss the Mark,” Educa;onal Leadership, May, ‘95, 68-‐71. Kohn. “Grading: The Issue is not How but Why,” Educa;onal Leadership, Oct. ‘94, 38-‐41. Marzano. Transforming Classroom Grading, ASCD, 2000. O’Connor. “Guidelines for Grading that Support Learning & Student Success,” NASSP Bulle;n, May ‘95, 91-‐101. O’Connor. How to Grade for Learning. Linking Grades to Standards, 2nd edi0on, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, CA, 2002. S;ggins. Student-‐Involved Classroom Assessment, 3rd Edi;on, Merrill, New York, 2001, 409-‐450. Wiggins. “Honesty & Fairnfess: Toward Bejer Grading and Repor;ng” in Guskey, T. R. (editor), Communica;ng Student Learning, ASCD, 1996, 141-‐177. Willis. “Are Lejer Grades Obsolete?” ASCD Update, Sept. 1993, 1-‐4. Wright. “Success for All: The Median is the Key,” Kappan, May 1994, 723-‐725.

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Guskey, Thomas. Developing Grading and Repor0ng Systems for Student Learning (2000), Prac0cal Solu0ons for Serious Problems in Standards-‐based Report Cards (2008) and Developing Standards-‐based Report Cards (2009) Marzano, Robert. Transforming Classroom Grading (2000), Grading and Assessment Prac0ces That Work (2006) and Forma0ve Assessment and Standards-‐based Grading: Classroom Strategies That Work (2009) O’Connor, Ken. How to Grade For Learning (2009) and A Repair Kit for Grading: Fi_een Fixes for Broken Grades (2010). Reeves, Douglas. Elements of Effec0ve Grading (2010) S;ggins, Rick. Classroom Assessment for Student Learning: Doing It Right-‐Using It Well (2009) Wormeli, Rick. Fair is not Always Equal (2006) Chappuis, Jan. “Helping Students Understand Assessment.” Educa0onal Leadership November, 2005. 48

Clymer, Jacqueline B., and Dylan Wiliam. “Improving the way we grade science.” Educa0onal Leadership. December 2006 / January 2007. O’Connor, Ken. “Reforming Grading Prac;ces in Secondary Schools.” Principal’s Research Review. Vol 4, issue 1, January 2009. Reeves, Doug. “Effec;ve Grading.” Educa;onal Leadership, February 2008. Scriffiny, Patricia. “Seven Reasons for Standards-‐based Grading.” Educa;onal Leadership, October 2008. S;ggins, Rick. “Assessment Through The Student’s Eyes.” Educa;onal Leadership, May 2007. Winger, Tony. “Grading to Communicate.” Educa;onal Leadership, November 2005.

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Ques0ons…

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BONUS SLIDES

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Grading: Most Recent & Summa0ve Valued

(Total Pts Using a 5 pt scale [0-1-2-3-4] for homework)

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Ques0onable Grading Prac0ces Six grading prac;ces that deserve ajen;on because of their poten;ally

harmful effects are:

1.   Not making grading prac;ces clear (e.g. weigh;ng scores through a complicated formula that is not transparent)

2.   Averaging all scores to determine a grade 3.   The use of zeroes 4.   Taking credit away from students or lowering their grade because of

behavioral infrac;ons (separa;ng achievement from behavior). 5.   Homework and Grading 6.   Infla;ng grades through extra credit (especially extra credit not

related to student learning)

Adapted from Guskey and Bailey. Developing Grading and Repor;ng Systems for Student Learning.

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Separa0ng Achievement and Behavior/Actude

“…some teachers consider grades or repor;ng forms their ‘weapon of last resort.’ In their view, students who do not comply with their requests suffer the consequences of the greatest punishment a teacher a bestow: a failing [or lower] grade. Such prac;ces have no educa;onal value and, in the long run, adversely effect students, teachers, and the rela;onship they share.”

Thomas Guskey, Communica;ng Student Learning

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“No studies support the use of low grades or marks as punishments. Instead of promp;ng greater efforts, low grades more oNen cause students to withdraw from learning.”

Guskey and Bailey, Developing Grading and Repor;ng

Systems for Student Learning

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“Reports on student progress and achievement should contain informa;on that indicates academic progress and achievement for each course or subject area…

…separate from… …punctuality, aytude, behavior, effort, ajendance, and work habits.”

Manitoba Educa;on and Training, Repor;ng on Student Progress and Achievement

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Punctuality-‐-‐Actude-‐-‐Behavior-‐-‐Effort Adendance-‐-‐Work Habits-‐-‐Par0cipa0on

These need to be reported on, but should not be reflected in the final grade. The final grade should communicate students’ achievement toward learning goals.

Manitoba Educa;on and Training, Repor;ng on Student Progress and Achievement

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Par0cipa0on, for example… •  When this appears in the gradebook what does this mean? •  Do the students know what it means? Have we taught it?

Does it mean the same thing in different classrooms? •  How is par0cipa0on measured? When is it measured? How

o_en is it measured? Is there a rubric or guidelines? •  Is the par0cipa0on grade ever affected by what happened

prior to the class (e.g. a nasty call from a parent? An lesson that bombed in the previous class? An email?)

•  Do you keep records of how you award par0cipa0on points? Can you defend with documenta0on your awarding of par0cipa0on points?

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Ques0onable Grading Prac0ces Six grading prac;ces that deserve ajen;on because of their

poten;ally harmful effects are:


2.   Averaging all scores to determine a grade 3.   The use of zeroes 4.   Taking credit away from students or lowering their grade

because of behavioral infrac;ons (separa;ng achievement from behavior).

5.   Homework and Grading 6.   Infla;ng grades through extra credit (especially extra

credit not related to student learning)


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Grading and Homework Homework as Incen0ve

What if homework counted as an incen;ve rather than a punishment? Thomas Guskey recommends adding a % to the unit test/project for comple;on of

homework.

Pts added for homework completion

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Grading and Homework Homework as Incen0ve

•  No missing homework assignments: +5% on the exam* •  1 missing homework assignment: +4% on the exam •  2 missing homework assignments: +3% on the exam •  3 missing homework assignments: +2% on the exam •  4 missing homework assignments: +1% on the exam

•  Homework must be completed BEFORE, not aNer, the exam!

•  *Major Exam, Project, paper, etc.

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Ques0onable Grading Prac0ces Six grading prac;ces that deserve ajen;on because of their poten;ally

harmful effects are:


2.   Averaging all scores to determine a grade 3.   The use of zeroes 4.   Taking credit away from students or lowering their grade because of

behavioral infrac;ons (separa;ng achievement from behavior). 5.   Homework and Grading 6.   Infla;ng grades through extra credit (especially extra credit not

related to student learning)


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Grading and Extra Credit Lejer to the Editor (Harrisburg, PA Patriot News)

Recently, it was “Dress Like an Egyp;an Day” at my school. If we dressed like an Egyp;an we got extra credit. When we didn‘t (which the majority of the kids didn’t’t), our teacher was disappointed with us because we just ‘didn’t make the effort. One of the most frustra;ng things in my mind is that we get graded on something that has no educa;onal value. I would very much like to discon;nue these childish dress-‐up days.” Jennifer Starsinic, HS student From Ken O’Connor

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Grading and Extra Credit Some other examples…

Bringing in food from a country being studied (Can all students afford to buy extra credit? Do all students have the means to get to a store to get the food?)

Bringing in electrical tape (see above) Having students get extra credit for parent signatures

or ajending conferences (students should not be penalized because of parents’ ac;ons/inac;ons)

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Extra Credit Part 1: Briefly jot down your own answers to the following

ques;ons-‐-‐ 1.   What types of extra credit have I given before? How has this

impacted students’ grades? 2.   What rela;onship is there in the extra credit I give to

students’ behavior (including ajendance, par;cipa;on, work habits)? How does this type of extra credit inflate achievement of learning goals?

3.   Does the extra credit I give allow a student to “buy” a grade if they have the means?

4.   What types of extra credit might be suppor;ve of achievement of learning goals?

Part 2: At your table discuss each of the ques;ons. Choose a

reporter and 1 ques;on to report out on

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Grading Scenarios

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Grading Issues Numerical Representa;ons-‐-‐Grades in my

class are based on… Percents (all assignments worth 100) Total Points (all of the same value) Total Points (of varying values in order

to weight assignments) Integers (4-‐3-‐2-‐1-‐0) rather than

percentages

…because….

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Grading Issues Weigh;ng in my class will be done…

Using formulas in PowerGrade Using varying values of individual

assignments

…because….

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Grading Issues Zeroes-‐-‐Grades in my class are based

on… Zeroes are not used in my class. A

value of ____ will be entered rather than a zero.

Zeroes are used in my class for ___________________________

…because….

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Grading Issues Extra Credit-‐-‐Grades in my class are based on…

Extra credit will not be used in my class Students can earn extra credit by comple;ng

all assignments and homework Extra credit will be used sparingly in my

classroom and be ;ed to academic performance rather than behavior, ajendance, ……

…because….

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Grading Issues Averaging-‐-‐In my class I am…

Going to move away from averaging all scores by placing more value on summa;ve assessments than homework

Going to move away from averaging all scores by looking at the median scores rather than the mode

Placing more emphasis on the more recent evidence of learning

Going to con;nue to use averages …because….

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Weigh0ng Using Gradebook So_ware (secret) vs Making Weigh0ng Visible (points)

There has been some misconcep;on that “weigh;ng” is evil. It is educa;onally sound prac;ce to value/weight different assignments differently. However, it is evil to make the weigh;ng a mystery and to make it so complicated that teachers, administrators, parents and students need to have a B.A. in math to figure out the grade.

1.   Weigh;ng using the PG formulas makes it difficult to “see” what the grade is

2.   Weigh;ng by assigning point values to individual assignments makes it much easier to “see” the grade

If we choose to use formulas in PG, then it is impera;ve that students, parents, and administrators know and understand the formula being used.

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Weigh;ng Using Formulas Assignment Pts

Possible Pts Earned

HW: Worksheet 1 100 70

HW: Vocabulary 100 0

HW: Pre-writing 100 0

HW: Rough Draft 100 50

Quiz 1 100 90

Test 1 100 100

Final Draft 100 95

Total 700 405

Weighting: HW=50% Q/T=25% FD=25 What grade would the student get? Scale A=90-100 B=80-89 C=70-79 D=60-60 F=0-59

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Weigh;ng Using Point Values Assignment Pts

Possible Pts Earned

HW: Worksheet 1

50 35

HW: Vocabulary 50 0

HW: Pre-writing 50 0

HW: Rough Draft

50 25

Quiz 1 25 22.5

Test 1 25 25

Final Draft 50 47.5

Total 300 155

Weigh;ng Formula: HW=50% Q/T=25% FD=25 What grade would the student get? Scale A=90-‐100 B=80-‐89 C=70-‐79 D=60-‐60 F=0-‐59

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Weigh0ng Discussion Part 1: Briefly jot down your own answers to the following

ques;ons-‐-‐ 1.   If weigh;ng is used in a formula in PowerGrade, can “we” do the

math (probably) and are we willing to do the math for each student for each grade? If we can’t do the math or would be unwilling to manually calculate the grades, should a weigh;ng system be used?

2.   Will students and parents know what’s being valued? Will parents and students to understand the “grade” and how it was obtained?

3.   How will I weight/value assignments? Part 2: At your table discuss each of the ques;ons. Choose a reporter

and 1 ques;on to report out on.

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materials)) packet)1:))copy)of)the)powerpoint)slides

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