Standards-Based Grading in the Science Classroom

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Standards-Based Grading in the Science Classroom

• How do I make my grading support student
  learning?
• Ken Mattingly
• ken.mattingly_at_rockcastle.kyschools.us
• Julie Phillips
• julie.phillips_at_rockcastle.kyschools.us

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Standards-based Grading

• How do I make my grading
• Meaningful?
• Defensible?
• Student motivating?
• Teacher friendly?
• Infinite Campus compatible?
• Administration approved?

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Our Job

1. To show you how a standards-based grading system
   works.
2. To show you how standards-based grading can
   improve student motivation and performance

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We will do that by

1. Sharing examples of formative and summative
   assessments that focus on learning targets.
2. Presenting a method for using learning targets as
   the structure for a standards-based grading
   scale.
3. Sharing examples of student opportunities to
   demonstrate target mastery that allows them to
   take ownership of their learning.

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Rockcastle County Middle School

• 625 students grades 6-8
• 2 teams per grade level
• 70 Free and reduced lunch
• 2007 AI 95, 2008 AI 98, 2009 AI 105
• Science PD
• 2007 70
• 2008 73
• 2009 84

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Guidelines for Grading in Standards-Based Systems

• Relate grading procedures to learning goals
  (targets)
• Use criterion-referenced performance standards as
  references points to determine grades
• Limit the valued attributes included in grades to
  individual achievement
• Sample student performance do not include all
  scores in grades
• Grade in pencil keep records so they can be
  updated easily
• Crunch numbers carefully if at all
• Use quality assessments and properly recorded
  evidence of achievement
• Discuss and involve students in assessment,
  including grading, throughout the
  teaching/learning process
• Ken OConnor, How to Grade for Learning, p. 44

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Standards-based Grading in a Nutshell

• Focuses on whether students know what you want
  them to know
• Provides opportunities for variable learning
  paces
• Rewards students who continue to try mastering
  the information/concepts
• Gives a clear indication of what students know
  and dont know
• Gives a clear picture of where your instruction
  is being effective/ineffective

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The Backbone of a Good Standards-based system?

• Learning Targets that are
• Clear to all stakeholders
• Communicated to students
• Measured regularly
• Adjustments to learning made

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Student Friendly Learning Target Example

• Standard SC-07-4.6.2 Students will
• describe the transfer and/or transformations of
  energy which occur in examples that involve
  several different forms of energy (e.g., heat,
  electrical, light, motion of objects and
  chemical).
• Explain, qualitatively or quantitatively, that
  heat lost by hot object equals the heat gained by
  cold object.

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Student Friendly Learning Target Example

1. I can give examples of energy.
2. I can give examples of energy transfer. That
   means when energy is moved from one object to
   another.
3. I can give examples of energy transformations.
   That means when energy is changed from one form
   to another form.
4. I can describe the exchange of energy between hot
   objects and cold objects.

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Clear, Student-friendly Targets

• Turn knowledge, skill, reasoning, and product
  pieces into I can target statements.
• Targets should use student-friendly language.
• Targets should be attainable.
• Provide clear, stationary targets for students to
  aim at and they will hit them.
• Give students a copy of learning targets for the
  unit.

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• Students who can identify what they are learning
  significantly outscore those who cannot.
• Robert Marzano

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Assessment

• Formative
• Tied to how student is doing on a particular
  target
• Use to identify growth areas and show how to
  close the mastery gap
• Generally not included in grading of target
  mastery
• Summative
• Includes assessment items for all targets in a
  unit
• Diagnoses strengths and weaknesses of student
• Provides road map for attaining target mastery
• Determines current performance on targets

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Using Targets for Post-Assessment Development

• Matching the assessment method to the type of
  target.
• Determining adequate sampling size.
• Assessment format considerations open response
  vs. multiple-choice, time constraints
• Quality of questions, information value of
  incorrect answers

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Summative Feedback

• Before using targets score 65
• Student knows what questions they got right/wrong
• Kept the score and went on, maybe reviewed, but
  still went on
• No diagnosis of problems and ways to address them
  perhaps taking a test again but no plan as to
  what to focus on
• No idea on student or teachers part of strengths
  and weaknesses

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Summative Feedback

• After using targets score 65
• Get results broken out by target
• Students know what they do well and what they
  need to work on
• Students have opportunities to work on identified
  targets and gain understanding before trying
  again to show mastery
• Diagnostic tool to show strengths and weaknesses
  by student and class

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Re-testing

• Students have received summative assessment
  results by target
• Identify targets needing improvement
• Work on target practice in preparation for
  re-testing
• Re-test only over identified targets
• Evaluate results, rinse, and repeat!

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Our Grading Format

• All assessments, formative and summative, are
  based on learning targets
• Students grades are based on how well they show
  mastery of learning targets
• Behaviors are not factored into grade unless the
  behavior is an identified and communicated
  learning target
• Students are aware of targets being assessed
• Students are given multiple opportunities to
  demonstrate mastery of targets

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No Grades for

• Homework
• Activities
• Class work
• Behavior
• Quizzes
• Formative assessments

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Learning Target Performance Criterion

• Student performance is divided into three
  categories
• Basic
• Developing
• Mastery
• Students receive a score of 1, 2, or 3 for each
  target depending on their performance

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Summative Assessment

• Provides itemized feedback on performance per
  learning target

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Why Do We Need a Grade?

• They will be around for a while
• Parents expect and understand them
• Students need something to compare their learning
  to
• Communities are not ready for no grades
• Administrators are not ready for no grades ?

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So Wheres the Grade?

• Total points possible for each target is 3
• Total points for unit is number of targets times
  3
• Students total points earned divided by total
  unit points gives percentage
• All 2s (developing) 67 D
• ½ 2s and ½ 3s 83 low B
• All 3s (mastery) 100 A

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Re-testing

• Opportunities for re-teaching
• Reviewing test results
• Learning target practice
• Classroom time
• Re-test by target
• Targets receiving 1s must be worked on
• Targets receiving 2s can be worked on
• Results on re-test provide information for
  further narrowing of mastery gap

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Infinite Campus

• Targets are entered as different assignments
• Assignment is given a name Ecosystem Learning
  Target 1
• Assignment description contains the target
  statement
• Each assignment is worth a maximum of 3 points

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Infinite Campus Information

• Section Summary report gives a great deal of
  information
• Reading across a student line tells how the
  student is doing on each target
• Reading down the learning target column tells how
  the class is doing per target

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Todays Take Home Message on Standards-Based
Grading

• Students are graded on their mastery of standards
  (learning targets)
• There are communicable levels of performance
  leading to mastery
• Only mastery of standards is included on grade
  calculation
• Students receive multiple opportunities to show
  mastery of standards
• Standards-based grading gives students the chance
  to take ownership of their performance