Changing the Grade: A Step-by-Step Guide to Grading for Student Growth

Many educators agree that the 100-point grading model is not always a reliable way to evaluate student learning. But is there another way to more accurately and equitably grade students and provide high-quality information to parents while fostering student learning? If so, why haven’t school districts across the country changed their practices?

In Changing the Grade, author and educator Jonathan Cornue presents a detailed model for developing a more reliable, standards-based grading system-including 30 steps to guide you through the process. In addition to identifying and addressing the barriers to change-such as concerns about how colleges and employers will interpret an alternative grading model-Cornue offers a concrete structure for changing the grading system, providing guidance on:

Thinking in a new way about why grades are given and the purpose of a report card grade. Identifying what needs to be changed and what actions must be taken to facilitate the change. Building a team of stakeholders-including teachers, principals, and guidance counselors-to lead the change process. Developing the new standards-based grading structure. Designing standards-based assignments and assessments that align with a new grading structure. Avoiding grade inflation. Getting buy-in from teachers and other staff members, principals, administrators, the board of education, and the community by demonstrating that the change process is intentional, research-based, student-focused, and permanent.

The book also includes helpful samples of standards-based gradebooks, homework assignments, rubrics, and report cards.

If you are interested in making a systemic and systematic shift to a high-quality grading structure that is far less subjective than many commonly found in schools, consider Changing the Grade.