1. Building strong family communication through standards-based grading.
“Standards-based grading is about what students learn, not what they earn.”
Susan Brookhart

2. Proficiency levels based on the achievement of standards.
What is standards-based grading?
Proficiency levels based on the achievement of standards.
Identify the Standard
Measure Achievement
Assign Proficiency Level

3. Why are we implementing standards-based grading?
Strong Family Communication
Feedback Specific to Content Standards
Consistency in Expectations
Allows a teacher to communicate accurately a student’s individual progress toward meeting content standards at a specific point in the school year.
Provides consistency in terms of what is expected of students.

4. What are the benefits of standards-based grading?
Clear Feedback to Student and Parent
Accurate Reflection of Strengths and Needs
Separate Focus on Academics and Social Readiness
Students are offered multiple opportunities and ways in which to demonstrate proficiency.
Instruction meets the needs of all students.
All students can achieve their highest potential.
Students are able to identify their own academic progress.
Parents can see exactly what their students know and are able to do.
Parents know their students strengths and needs.
Specific feedback on student progress is given.
Academic achievement growth and social readiness skills are separate.
Give definition of social readiness.

5. What are the benefits of standards-based grading?
Students...
can show what they know in multiple ways.
are given several opportunities to master skills.
are able to identify their own academic progress.
Parents...
can see exactly what their child knows.
receive specific feedback on strengths and needs.
can see progress on social readiness behaviors and academic skills separately.

6. What are the proficiency levels?
The student consistently demonstrates full knowledge and application of the skill, exceeding what is expected at that grade level.
4 - Distinguished
The student demonstrates and applies full knowledge of the skill independently.
3 - Mastered
The student independently shares basic knowledge.
2 - Developing
With help, the student shares basic knowledge.
1 - Beginning

7. What does the standards- based report card look like?
Language Arts
Qtr 1
Qtr 2
Qtr 3
Qtr 4
Names upper and lowercase letters 2
Names letter sounds
Recognizes and produces rhyming words 3
Segments words
Blends sounds
Reads sight words 1
Reads with purpose and understanding
Describes characters, settings, and main ideas of a story
Prints all upper and lowercase letters
Writes a simple sentence using a capital letter and punctuation 2 
Uses drawing, dictating, and writing to express ideas
Spells simple words phonetically
Kindergarten Grade Level Standards
Some standards are not reported on each quarter. It is not that they aren’t working on it each quarter, but it is not reported each quarter.
Check on shaded standard areas – will it work with Campus?
This is a sample, it may not look like this.
Science and Social Studies will be using M, P, N at grades K-2???? Grades 3-5 will use 1-4 for Science and Social Studies
Spelling and handwriting could be included in Language Arts.

8. What social readiness skills are being assessed?
Social readiness skills are social and behavioral skills that help learners succeed.
Social Readiness
Qtr 1
Qtr 2
Qtr 3
Qtr 4
Completes work independently M
Demonstrates self-control
Follows directions P
Obeys school and classroom rules
Stays on task
Special classes will use M, P, N.
No “plusses” or “minuses”
Meets expectations= M
Progressing toward expectations= P
Needs more time= N

9. Parent Information Save the Date Special classes will use M, P, N.
Special classes will use M, P, N.
No “plusses” or “minuses”

10. For more information, visit the Aberdeen School District Education Services Department web page at