FAQs

In a Professional Learning Community (PLC) model, standards-based grading (SBG) is a system that uses teacher collaboration to assess students' mastery of specific, agreed-upon learning standards rather than a traditional letter-grade average. This approach, which focuses on student achievement and is supported by ongoing collaboration between teachers, clarifies learning expectations for both students and parents. 

How it works in a PLC

• Consistent Standards: Teachers within the PLC work together to select and define priority standards, ensuring that all students in a grade level or subject area are learning and assessed on the same core skills and knowledge. 
• Collaborative Assessment: PLCs use these consistent standards to collectively analyze student work and data. This allows teachers to share best practices and interventions for students who are struggling with a particular standard. 
• Student-Focused Feedback: Instead of a single grade, students receive a proficiency score for each standard, which clarifies what they have mastered and what they still need to improve on. This provides specific feedback for both students and their families. 
• Instructional Improvement: Teachers use the data from SBG to inform their instruction. They can identify which standards are challenging for the majority of students and provide real time intervention or extension to improve outcomes for all. 
• Learning Over Points: Assignments are seen as practice opportunities for students to demonstrate mastery, not as a way to accumulate points. This shifts the focus from earning a grade to achieving a deeper understanding of the standards.
   

Standards-based grading evaluates learning of specific content and skills students are expected to know, rather than grading based on points earned on individual assignments and assessments. Grading is not based on behavior or how long it takes to demonstrate learning. The grade is based on how close your student is to meeting the learning goals.

There are many benefits to using SBG, including:

• Families and students receive feedback on current learning and ways to progress. 
• Students can be assessed again if they have not mastered a standard. If they perform better, the new grade replaces the previous one.
• Students are not penalized for having a bad day that causes them to do poorly on a task or test. They will have other opportunities to show they have met the standard, such as a chance to re-do the assignment or more time to complete it.
• Standards-based grading helps students see themselves as learners who can learn more and improve if they don't understand something at first. Students discover how they learn best and are empowered and motivated to learn. They are better able to identify and use their strengths.
   

In a standards-based gradebook, academic progress is separated from other non-academic behaviors such as participation and work completion. The final grade is not about behavior, work completion or attendance. Students still receive feedback and reflect on these areas, but the gradebook and report card only measure proficiency to learning standards.

No, it does not lower expectations. Our common proficiency levels and definitions will consistently hold students to high levels of rigor in all courses. Grades should not be dependent on a student’s teacher, but rather their learning. We are expecting students to engage and show what they have learned in all classes. 

Even though we do not average the grades of all assignments, we expect students to complete all assignments because that is how they learn, grow and ultimately master standards.

Continuing to work towards standards at home is still an important part of learning. In a standards-based approach, the focus is less on completing individual assignments and more on building the knowledge and skills to demonstrate mastery of standards. 

Students will still come home with work to complete. As their family, you can support them by asking which standards they are working toward. Instead of asking, “Did you do your homework?,” you could ask, “What learning did you work on today?” You can look at the standard proficiency scales to know specific learning targets your child needs to work on.
 

A proficiency scale is a tool that displays a collection of related learning targets and scores for determining a student’s current level of performance. A proficiency scale defines a learning progression or set of learning goals for a specific topic, relative to a given standard (Herlebower et al., 2019).  This is a tool that shows teachers, students and others what proficiency looks like, what knowledge and skills must be attained for mastery, and how students might go beyond what the standard requires.  A proficiency scale is first and foremost a tool for teachers and students, but it also serves parents.  For teachers, the scale provides information regarding instruction, assessment and feedback to the learner. For students, the proficiency scale is the primary source of information about what they need to know and be able to do in relation to a priority standard or set of standards. Finally, a proficiency scale can serve as a source of information for parents to help them better understand the instructional focus of a specific content area. 

Our secondary report cards convert the scores in the gradebook into a letter grade. This allows college admissions officers to easily compare our students with those in districts with traditional grading systems. 

College admissions officers have reported that students coming from standards-based schools tend to be more successful in college because their K-12 experience has focused on their attainment of key skills and knowledge.

Standards-based grading helps students take ownership over their learning and build a growth mindset that helps them be successful in the future.
 

Here are many ways families, parents and guardians can support students with their learning. 

• Focus on Learning: Standards-based grading helps families and students focus on learning instead of focusing on task completion. 
• Ask Questions: We have suggestions for questions you may consider asking students about school. Consider asking students one of these questions that reinforce learning with SBG:
  • What standard are you learning?
  • What do you need to know and be able to do to meet the standard? 
  • Where are you on the rubric and where do you want to improve?
  • How did you demonstrate your learning?
  • What work or study habits will help you demonstrate your understanding of a standard? 
  • How can I support you?
     

Students who qualify for an IEP will continue to receive communication regarding their IEP goals and how teachers may modify instruction and provide accommodations to support student learning. The modified grading scale will only be used for students that have this identified in their IEP. 

Students who are learning English aren't just working towards learning standards; they are also acquiring the skills to read, write, and speak a new language. Teachers will communicate to you about what to expect for mastering standards and how to support your student’s learning.