Making Grades Matter: Standards-Based Grading in a Secondary PLC at Work®(A practical guide for PLCs and standards-based grading at the secondary education level)

by Matt Townsley, Nathan L. Wear

Overview

Maximize learning by making grades more meaningful and motivating to students. With the support of this practical guide, professional learning communities (PLCs) will discover a clear road map for implementing a standards-based grading system at the secondary level. The authors provide all of the actionable ideas and tools needed to not only transition to this improved system but to achieve the greatest possible success with it.

Use this resource to help students feel engaged with their learning and increase their classroom performance:

• Study the foundational theories behind the standards-based grading system and how it interacts with and is supported by the PLC process.
• Learn how to use grades to effectively communicate students' mastery of learning standards.
• See what makes ungraded homework and independent practice a better tool to improve learning and enhance students' motivation to study.
• Understand the value of allowing students multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning when taking assessments.
• Gain valuable insights for administrators and leaders into the multiyear journey of implementing standards-based grading.

Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Standards-Based Grading in a Professional Learning Community
Chapter 2: How Grades Communicate Current Levels of Learning
Chapter 3: How Homework Serves as Ungraded Practice
Chapter 4: How to Provide Students With Multiple Opportunities to Demonstrate Their Learning
Chapter 5: Criteria for Administrators and Leaders Implementing Standards-Based Grading
Conclusion
Appendix

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781949539653
Publisher:	Solution Tree Press
Publication date:	03/13/2020
Pages:	248
Sales rank:	1,024,705
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

About the Authors ix

Introduction 1

What This Book Is About 3

Who This Book Is For 4

How This Book Is Organized 4

A Journey Worth Pursuing 5

1 Standards-Based Grading in a Professional Learning Community 7

A Definition of Standards-Based Grading 8

The Three Big Ideas of a PLC 12

Standards-Based Grading Principles and the Four Critical Questions of a PLC 14

Assessment Tools for Your Journey 17

2 How Grades Communicate Current Levels of Learning 21

Four Criteria for Communicating Students' Current Learning 23

PLC Connection 33

Common Pitfalls When Communicating Current Levels of Learning 37

Assessment Tools for Your Journey 41

3 How Homework Serves as Ungraded Practice 47

Four Criteria for Implementing Homework as Ungraded Practice 49

PLC Connection 59

Common Pitfalls When Using Homework as Ungraded Practice 64

Assessment Tools for Your Journey 66

4 How to Provide Students With Multiple Opportunities to Demonstrate Their Learning 71

Six Criteria for Giving Students Multiple Opportunities to Demonstrate Their Learning 72

PLC Connection 88

Common Pitfalls When Providing Students Multiple Opportunities to Demonstrate Their Learning 91

Assessment Tools for Your Journey 99

5 Criteria for Administrators and Leaders Implementing Standards-Based Grading 103

Creating an Implementation Team 104

Establishing a Common Purpose of Grading 105

Creating a Multiyear Professional Learning Plan for Staff 110

Developing a Master Schedule That Allows for Remediation and Enrichment 118

Anticipating Common Standards-Based Grading Implementation Roadblocks 121

Assessment Tools for Your Journey 130

Conclusion 133

Appendix A Standards-Based Grading Implementation Continua and Action-Plan Templates 135

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 1-Individual Assessment 136

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 2-Individual Assessment 138

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 3-Individual Assessment 140

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 1-Team Assessment 142

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 2-Team Assessment 143

Continuum for Standards-Based Grading Principle 3-Team Assessment 144

Continuum for Implementing Standards-Based Grading Schoolwide or Districtwide 145

Action-Plan Template for Standards-Based Grading Principle 1 147

Action-Plan Template for Standards-Based Grading Principle 2 149

Action-Plan Template for Standards-Based Grading Principle 3 151

Action-Plan Template for Implementation of Standards-Based Grading Schoolwide or Districtwide 153

Appendix B Other Resources 155

Sample Parent-Communication Letter 155

Sampie Schoolwide and Districtwide Standards-Based Grading Guidelines 157

Sample Standards-Based Grading FAQ 159

References and Resources 161

Index 167

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Matt Townsley and Nathan L. Wear offer a compelling rationale, a step-by-step guide, and concrete tools that address the complexities of grading reform at the middle and high school levels. Most importantly, teacher empowerment is at the heart of their process and a key to their success. Their keen insights and deep respect for the daily life of secondary teachers make this a unique and valuable resource."

—Cathy Vatterott, author of Rethinking Homework and Rethinking Grading

"Educators have been struggling for years on how to best address grading practices in schools. Making Grades Matter not only gives us a clear blueprint to help understand why grading practices need to change, but it provides a step-by-step process, practical tools and examples, and in-depth resources to help educators move to a grading system that will bring more equitable learning for all students."

—Jimmy Casas, educator, author, speaker, and leadership coach