Standards-Based Grading FAQ
Who developed Standards-Based Grading (SBG)?
-Standards-Based Grading was developed by the Marzano Research
Laboratory, a nationally recognized educational research group
founded by Dr. Robert Marzano, who throughout his 40 years in the
field of education has become a speaker, trainer, and author of
more than thirty books and 150 articles on various educational
concepts.
Where is it used?
-Standards-Based Grading has been implemented by districts,
campuses, and teachers across the country. Locally, it is used in
Leander ISD, and is being implemented in other Round Rock ISD
schools and classrooms.
Who decided to use it here?
-The district grading committee is exploring SBG, and supports
its use at Ridgeview.
Is there research to support SBG?
-Many years of research went into developing SBG and research on
its implementation shows it is beneficial to student learning.
See links at the bottom of the page.
What are Learning Goals?
-Learning Goals are developed from the TEKS to give students
clarity in what they are expected to learn or do. For example,
the first learning goal in 8th Grade Science is “Structure of the
Atom: Students are expected to label and describe the parts of an
atom.”
What’s the difference between Summative and Formative Scores?
-Formative scores simply inform the teacher of what learning has
taken place thus far. Scores on assignments and assessments are
formative. When structured learning in the classroom is complete
for a learning goal, a summative final score is determined based
on the trend of a student’s formative scores, not the average.
For example, if a student had formative scores of 1.5, 2.0, 2.0,
2.5, 3.0, and 3.0 in a learning goal, their summative score would
be a 3.0.
Are all assessments tests or quizzes?
-Some assessments are formal, and some are informal. Many
assessments will be short tests or quizzes but some might be
longer if covering more than one learning goal. Also, teachers
may assess students based on observation or discussion.
Sometimes, assignments and projects will also be assessed.
Is Standards-Based Grading more subjective?
-Researches, and even simple experiments, show that Standards-
Based Grading is less subjective than traditional grading.
Why do some assessments have a maximum score less than a 4?
-Formative assessments can have different purposes. If the
purpose of an assessment is to determine mastery/proficiency,
then the highest score might be a 3.0. However, opportunities to
show an Advanced level of understanding would still be available,
and thus students may still receive a 4.0 for a summative score
even with lower formative scores.
When are student generated assessments or products possible?
-Sometimes, students might have the opportunity to come up with a
way to demonstrate their level of mastery. For instance, some
learning goals may have Open 4.0 Goal, meaning students are free
to suggest ways to show they have attained a level of
understanding beyond what was taught in class. Also, if classroom
instruction for a learning goal has passed and a student had not
shown proficiency, but later thinks he or she has achieved it,
they may suggest a way to prove it during tutorials.
Can scores be between whole numbers?
-Scores on assessments may be expressed by decimals when more
precision is appropriate. For example, if a student shows they
have a basic level attained and show partial success at 3.0 level
materials, they may receive a score on that assessment of a 2.5.
How do students track their progress?
-Students track their progress in different ways in different
classes, as they always have under any grading system.
How will grades appear on HAC?
-Summative scores for learning goals covered during a grading
period will be entered at the end of the grading period on the 4-
point scale. For interim grading report (progress reports), a
student’s current, but not final, score may be reported even
though it may rise due to future assessments in that learning
goal.
How will grades appear on progress reports and report cards?
-Grades on progress reports and report cards will appear as 100-
point scale grades. This is done by averaging summative scores
for goals completed during the six-weeks. The average is a
decimal between 0.00 and 4.00. Using a scale, the score is
translated to the 100-point scale.
How will inclusion in the Top 10% award, Honor Roll
with “Distinction”, NJHS, and other grade-based awards be
determined?
-This will be determined using the grades on students’ official
report cards.
Will the system be used later?
-While some teachers in high school may be using aspects of
Standards-Based Grading in their classrooms now, it is likely
that more will adopt it in the future, and it is possible the
district could move to it entirely in the next few years.