Leading the Change to Standards- Based Grading: Essential Understandings and Strategies for School and District Leaders School Administrators of Iowa School Administrators of Iowa Clive, IA March 24, 2015 Tim Westerberg, Activator

What’s wrong With This Picture? “The State Board of Education (NC) voted in October to begin the 10-point grading scale – in which scores between 90 and 100 earn an A – with the school year’s freshmen class. But the State Board will discuss Wednesday whether to start it this fall for all high school students. Critics argued it was unfair to keep existing students on the seven-point scale – in which scores between 93 and 100 earn an A.” Charlotte Observer, 1/4/15.

What the…? Turn to someone(s) near you and list at least three reason why this is the wrong conversation to be having.

Intended Outcomes Participants will: Demonstrate an understanding of the basic tenants of standards-based instruction and assessment, Demonstrate an understanding of the basic tenants of standards-based instruction and assessment, Evaluate current status in their schools/districts regarding those tenants, Evaluate current status in their schools/districts regarding those tenants, Develop next steps in moving their schools/districts toward SBE, Develop next steps in moving their schools/districts toward SBE, Identify supports and resources needed from building and district leadership to be successful, and Identify supports and resources needed from building and district leadership to be successful, and Identify and develop education and communication strategies for engaging the larger school community in the assessment, grading, and reporting conversation. Identify and develop education and communication strategies for engaging the larger school community in the assessment, grading, and reporting conversation.

We can increase the accuracy and fairness of classroom assessment and grading and improve student achievement dramatically by moving toward SBE

Accuracy (# 11) Students who receive As and Bs are prepared to be successful Students who receive As and Bs are prepared to be successful at the next level, at the next level, without remediation without remediation

#s 1 & 3

Highly Questionable Practices (#s 16-17, 6) 1. The practice of giving zeros (in the 100-point system) for work not turned in.

Doug Reeves. Principals’ Partnership. San Antonio, 7/17/07

A highly discussed policy that eliminated “zeroes” on in-class assignments arrived in Metro Nashville Public Schools this year in a move that made 50 percent the new low.that eliminated “zeroes” on in-class assignments Now, that grade scale will extend to the application of scores received on end-of- course state-administered exams by Nashville high school students. Joey Garrison. The Tennessean. May 30, hville-schools-eliminate-zeroes-final-exams-match-new-grade- scale/ /

Grading Scales Comparisons 1.A+, A+, A+, 0 2.C, 0, C, C 3.C, A-, 0, B, B, C 4.D, D, D, D, 0, D, D

100-98A A A B B B C C C D D2 70D-1 < 69F0

Grading Scales Comparisons 100 PT.0-12 A+, A+, A+, 0D+ (75)B+ (9) C, 0, C, CF (60)C- (3.75) C, A-, 0, B, B, CD (72)C+ (6) D, D, D, D, 0, D, DF (62)D (1.7)

Research About and Alternatives to the Zero tech-assistance/reference- desk/ a tech-assistance/reference- desk/ a Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia

HQPs (# 14) 2. The practice of giving extra credit.

Reassessment (# s 8 & 9)

Reassessment Conditions 1. The student produces evidence of having done something to learn the material missed on the previous assessment. 2. The student completes the reassessment opportunity within established time limits.

EducreationsEducreations lets you create easy-to-follow tutorials, which you can couple with audio and video, to help students review material before an assessment or to provide additional assistance to struggling students. Educreations

HQPs (# 5) 3. The practice combining academic performance with citizenship and work habits.

Evaluating Assessments for Validity and Reliability Validity Does my assessment measure what it was supposed to measure? Reliability Will my assessment always get the same results?

Evaluating Assessments for Validity and Reliability Validity Ask a colleague to look at your assessments and learning goals. Can they match the assessment questions with the goals you are targeting? Reliability Have a colleague who teaches the same class score several of your assessments to see if the results are the same as when you scored

Measure What You Mean to Measure If you want to determine a student’s ability to demonstrate the relationship between the theme and a character’s actions, results shouldn’t be clouded by: –Lack of proficiency in writing in English –A missing name on a paper –Difficulty following directions –Rewards for unused bathroom passes Tomlinson, 2008

HQPs (# 5 & 7) 4. The practice of averaging.

Power Law (Trend Scores)

Topic Scores for 3 Students

Student Student Student Average Trend Score Averages and Trend Scores

Topic Scores for 3 Students M M M

HQP (# 15, 3 & 4) 5. Policies that discourage the completion of late/missing work.

“U.S. teachers lead the charge in making homework a high-stakes event, with nearly 70% selecting to grade homework, compared with 6% in Germany, 14% in Japan, and 28% in Canada, despite research suggesting that grading students on outside work encourages them to limit their focus, cheat, strive for the minimally set standards for success, and produces undue stress on family dynamics.” (p. 53) Dorothy Suskind. “What students would do if they did not do their homework.” Phi Delta Kappan 94, N 1 (September 2012): pp

HQPs 6. The illusion of objectivity

Guskey, T. (2009). Practical solutions for serious problems in standards-based grading. P. 17. Major exams or compositions Class quizzes Reports or projects Student portfolios Exhibits of students’ work Laboratory projects Students’ notebooks or journals Classroom observations Oral presentations Homework completion Homework quality Class participation Work habits & neatness EffortAttendance Punctuality of Assignments Class behavior or attitude Progress made

C. Item Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught Total for section= A. Items 1-10 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. Total /100

Total for section= /40 /20 /40 A. Items 1-10 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. C. Item Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught

+ + Total for section= All correct Two correct None correct A. Items 1-10 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. C. Item Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught Total /100 /40 /20 /40

Total / Total for section= 40/40 20/40 0/20 All correct Two correct None correct A. Items 1-10 Ten items that require recall of important but simpler content that was explicitly taught B. Items Four items that ask for application of complex content that was explicitly taught AND in situations similar to what was taught. C. Item Two items that asks for application in novel situations that go beyond what was explicitly taught 60

“Overall, the large number of grade categories in the percentage grading scale and the fine discrimination required in determining the differences among categories allow for the greater influence of subjectivity, more error, and diminished reliability. The increased precision of percentage grades is truly far more imaginary than real….Percentage grading systems that attempt to identify 100 distinct levels of performance distort the precision, objectivity, and reliability of grades.” (pp. 70 & 72) Thomas Guskey. “The Case Against Percentage Grades.” Educational Leadership 71, NO 1 (September 2013): pp

Problems With the Point System (O’Connor) Misplaced emphasis Illusion of objectivity Reduction of teacher judgment and responsibility Cumulative point totals and cumulative errors Fallacies of ‘standard’ percentage categories

HQP: Affirmations & Gaps? 1. The practice of giving zeros for work not turned in. 2. The practice of giving extra credit. 3. The practice of combining academic performance with citizenship and work habits. 4. The practice of averaging. 5. The “semester killer” 6. Policies that discourage the completion of late/missing work. 7. The illusion of objectivity.

It’s about more than just changing the report card “…changing classroom assessment is the beginning of a revolution—a revolution in classroom practices of all kinds….Getting classroom assessment right is not a simplistic, either-or situation. It is a complex mix of challenging personal beliefs, rethinking instruction, and learning new ways to assess for different purposes.” (pp ) Earl, L. M. (2003). Assessment as learning: Using classroom assessment to maximize student learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Standards-Based Assessment and Grading Strategies that Can Make a Difference for Students