1. Grading and Reporting Ally Thayer Danielle Edmunds Matt Tappon
Alpa Khandhar
Eric Morris
Rob Thomas
Ashley Youngman
Julie Whipple
Trish Annese
Beth Jackelen
Karen Hatch
Erin VanStrom
Carolyn Rabidoux
Mary Ann Walter
Debby Baker

2. Our Charge
Overall Goal: Review grading and report card systems and ensure that they are congruent K-12 and that grades are reflective of learning.
Subcommittee Activities for
Study research-based practices pertaining to grading.
Create a K-12 philosophy for grading which will ultimately guide all grading practices used throughout the district K-12.
Develop a long range implementation plan for involving all staff in examining and where necessary, modifying current grading and reporting practices.
Draft recommendations to be endorsed by Curriculum Council and subsequently BOE for incorporation into (and beyond) BOE goals.

3. Current State and What We Know
There is inconsistency in practice, but many grading practices in current use are aligned to what is considered best practice
Report cards at K-5 need to be revised
There are some teachers who have been dabbling in Standards Based Grading practices already
Transcripts at 9-12 will need to be taken into consideration
We recognize that “grading” is an personal topic for most teachers

4. Our Process Student input Lively discussions Debate Consensus building
Read many articles on:
Obstacles to grading reform
The law of averages
Impact of re-dos and retakes
Grading homework
The use of zeros in grading
Standards based grading practices and issues
Grades and motivation
Grading achievement vs non-achievement factors
MANY OTHERS!
Spoke to colleagues
Shared our own practices and experiences
Lively discussions
Debate
Consensus building

5. Big Ideas and Take Aways
Need to look at growth and standards --- Measure learning and measure it against a standard
Consider the role of grading in supporting the essential work of the classroom: the facilitation, support, and development of learning.
Shouldn't grade nonacademic behaviors (measures of compliance)
Shouldn't incorporate formative assessments in the final grade
Retakes/re-dos are part of life and should be part of classroom practice
Straight mathematical percentages are not an accurate/reliable way of scoring (65 ways to fail)
This is so much bigger than grading: standards, clear definition of objectives, ….. It can be overwhelming.
This will require us to shift the thinking about what the grades mean.
Mindset shift toward communicating about learning.
The grade can take on an inappropriate role in communicating information about a student, either decimating or inflating a student’s scores as a result of behavior that has little to do with what they know and are able to do. 
Grades are not to define who is smart and who isn't .
Students are frustrated by the inconsistency.
The emotion is around how the grade is derived and the system that is used.

6. The Result: K-12 Philosophy for Grading Practices
The purpose of grades is to provide high-quality information about student learning to students, parents, teachers, administrators, and other educators.  They should reflect achievement of intended learning outcomes and be set up to support student motivation to learn.  
To be high quality, grades must be:
Meaningful
Grades should reflect the measure of student learning against a defined set of standards. 
We believe that grades should clearly show the student's areas of strength and areas that need improvement.
Consistent
Grades should be derived consistently across classrooms in order to negate the impact of subjectivity.
Across grade level/courses, there will be an agreed upon set of non-negotiable standards/priorities (ie - we all agree on what we are teaching)
Common understanding of quality should be established through calibration within and across grade levels
Accurate
Grades should reflect academic achievement.  Nonacademic factors could be reported but not included in a measure of achievement.
Supportive of Learning
Grades should be supportive of learning and involve the student in the entire learning process.
We believe descriptive feedback correlated to identified standards is essential. Students will have opportunities to reflect on that feedback and revise their performance.
O'Conner & Cooper, 2008, p. 24

7. Recommendations
Adopt the philosophy as a Brighton Central School District Philosophy for Grading Practices.
Create a forum to capture student voices regarding grading experiences.
Create opportunities at each building to read specific articles related to grading.
At the K-12 level, use the adopted philosophy to implement at least one area in need of change to better align to philosophy.
Endorse a multiyear professional development plan to support the shift in grading practices among all staff.
Convene a committee to ensure that Schooltool functionality aligns with preferred grading practices.