No Points, No Grades

Using Standards-Based Scoring in the DI Classroom

Presented by:

Terie Engelbrecht
Marengo Community High School District #154

engelbrechtt@mchs154.org
mrsebiology@gmail.com
IntroductionWho Am I?
Have taught High School Science for
14 years
Currently at Marengo High School in
Marengo, IL
Science Division Chair
Teacher Coach
Adjunct Professor for Aurora
University
A REPORT CARD FROM 1945-1946
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjern/2150874047/
A REPORT CARD FROM 2008
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loufcd/3131159403/
Why are we
still using the same
grading system when
philosophies about
student learning,
assessment, and
instruction have
radically changed?

There are some
aspects of
teaching that we
keep in cages in
hopes they will
never escape.

-Rick Wormeli, Fair Isnt
Always Equal (2006)
One of the biggest caged
beasts: Grading
Every teacher is required to give
grades
Every teacher has a different
philosophy
Every teacher factors different criteria
into their final letter grades


But what do the traditional
grades teachers give mean?
So you get an 85% (B) in a
class.
This might mean. . .
You didnt understand 15% of the course
content
Which 15%?
You were absent too many times.
You didnt turn in some assignments.
You had poor participation in class.
You didnt put in enough effort.
The teacher hated you for no good reason.

What it means depends on too many
different factors!

Grades have been
contaminated
As we have been using them, grades are NOT useful
for:
Informing students about their understanding
Helping students see where they need improvement
Helping students see HOW to improve

Grades have been contaminated with too many factors that
have nothing to do with student learning.

Grades SHOULD be used to:
Inform students about what they have mastered, and the
extent of that mastery
Guide students in improving their learning
Give students feedback about their performance

There needs to be a
new way to
accurately report
student learning.
STANDARDS-BASED
GRADING/SCORING
What is it?
Why do it?
Implementation
Challenges
Advice
What is Standards-Based
Scoring? (SBG)
Determining and assigning students
scores that tell students how well they
have mastered the standard(s) being
assessed.

Standards or objectives are listed in
the gradebook, not tasks

Which tells a student more about
their learning?
QuizSection 5.2
78%

OR

I can develop a hypothesis
that answers a scientific
question: 7/10
Basic Principles of SBG
OConnor, K. (2009). How to Grade for Learning, K-12, 3
rd
ed.
Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
Relates grading policies to learning goals
Meanings of grades should come from
clear descriptions of performance
standards
If they hit the target, they get the grade
Grades are only based on achievement
Only include information from summative
assessments in final grades
Use the most recent/consistent evidence
of learning in grades
Use median or mode, not the mean
Why use SBG?
Places the focus on LEARNING rather
than on grades
Pushes your Point racker-uppers higher
Pulls up the bottom that traditionally get lower
scores because of non-learning-related
factors

Makes scores a means by which to
make learning clear, and increase
student achievement
Students know what they need to know
They know how they are to go about knowing
it


Students are accustomed to
receiving an A for lower-
order thinking skills.

Standards-Based Scoring
raises the bar for all students.
Implementing SBG: Before the
SBG Magic Begins
Before you dive into SBG. . .
Read as much as you can about how to
the experts say it should be done
Marzano, Guskey, OConnor, Wormeli, Reeves

Get approval and support from needed
administrators & offices

Consider the realities of GPA & Class
Rank
Implementing SBG: Step #1
Determine the standards you will be
assessing
Can be specific classroom objectives
I can predict what will happen when plant and
animal cells are placed in various solutions.
Can be strands (i.e., Number Sense, Cell
Biology)
Implementing SBG: Step #2
Determine what your scores will look
like
0,1,2,3,4
A,B,C,D,F
Label your scores
Minimal, Partial, Proficient, Advanced
Below, Approaching, At standard, Above
standard
No evidence, Beginning, Progressing,
Proficient, Advanced
Determine the criteria for each of your
scores (see handout)

A word about communication.
. .
Communicate your system to students
and parents.
Get feedback from students and
parents.
Revise, if necessary, to fit your
districts & communitys culture,
values, and beliefs.
Then, communicate it again.
Then, do it again. And again. Repeat
x Infinity + one.

Why all this communication?
This is outside of students and parents realm
of experience with scoring
Its DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT (unfortunately) is often perceived as
BAD.

They will try to apply the traditional method of
grading to your system, with a lot of cognitive
dissonance.

The best thing you can do is get feedback,
revise, and reiterate that your focus is on
LEARNING.
Implementing SBG: Step #3
For each standard or strand, determine the
specific criteria students must know,
understand, or be able to do for EACH
score
Put in rubric format

Score Criteria
4 More complex skills & content
3 Skills & content required to master the
standard/objective/strand
2 Simple skills & content
1 With help, can do some of 2 or 3
0 Even with help, cannot do any of 2 or 3
SOURCE: Adapted from: Marzano, R.J. (2010). Formative Assessment
and Standards-Based Grading. Bloomington: Marzano Reasearch
Laboratory.
Implementing SBG: Step #3
(cont)
Write meets
standards criteria
FIRST
Meets = 3
Then identify simple
to more complex
content
Objective: I can
identify different
ways traits are
inherited in humans.

Score Criteria
4 Students will be able to discuss
how the events of meiosis are
connected to different patterns
of inheritance.
3 Students can recognize
patterns of inheritance from
case studies.
2 Students will be able to
differentiate true and false
statements about the patterns
of inheritance.
1 With help, can do some of 2 or
3
0 Even with help, cannot do any
of 2 or 3
Implementing SBG: Step #3
(cont)
We have chosen to write out criteria
geared to exactly what students have
to do to get the scores
So they know what their learning looks
like on the assessments
Our formative assessments are practice for the
summative assessments
See handout example

Implementing SBG: Step #4
Write your criteria in simpler, student-
friendly terms
Target your age level
You can do this, or review with your students
and truly put it in their own words
To create ownership and buy-in, have your students
help you put it into simpler terms

Do this after students have been
acquainted with the material in some
way
When exactly? Depends on your students. .
.
Implementing SBG: Step #5
Design assessments from rubrics

Formatively assess students throughout
Scores do not go in gradebook
Used for student feedback along with rubric
to show where students need are and need
improvement
Give students a chance to re-assess

Summatively assess
Scores are entered in gradebook
Use most recent or most consistent evidence
of knowledge
A word about entering &
reporting scores. . .
Scores will change when student
understanding changes
Can be adjusted up or down
Multiple assessments of standards is essential

Consider the limitations of overall average
scores.
Use median or mode to determine overall scores
for standards
MarzanoOK to average for one standard

Read the Case Studies and decide what
score you would give them.
Challenges
Again, be prepared for parent and
student cognitive dissonance with this
system
My student got all the multiple choice
right; he/she should get a 4.
If they can recall all the material, they
should get a 4.

Youve changed the rules of the game
for students who are good at
accumulating points





Advice from the Trenches. . .

It will take months to refocus most students on
learning rather than on letter grades and points

Create buy-in through communication

Dont be afraid to change whatever needs
changing
Respond to your students needs

Dont do it alone.

Be prepared for the times when you just want to
put your head down on your desk and let them
memorize to their hearts content, because its
easier than trying to sell them on your scoring
system.

However,
DONT GIVE UP.

If there is no struggle, there is no
progress. Frederick Douglass

Eventually, you will see their mindset shifting

Can you show me an example of a level 3
difference?
You just memorized that definition; thats a level
1.
I havent made any connections on my own; Im
still at a 2.
For Further Information. . .
Cornally, Shawn. Think Thank Thunk (blog)
http://101studiostreet.com/wordpress/?p=3
Guskey, T.R., ed. (2009). Practical solutions for
serious problems in standards-based grading.
Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
Marzano, R.J. (2010). Formative assessment &
standards-based grading. Bloomington:
Marzano Research Laboratory.
OConnor, K. (2009). How to grade for learning.
Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
Reeves, D. (2011). Elements of Grading.
Bloomington: Solution Tree Press.
Wormeli, R. (2006). Fair isnt always equal:
Assessing & grading in the differentiated
classroom. Portland: Stenhouse Publishers