Today’s session will cover:
• what standards are and the purpose of standards-based assessment and reporting;
• why standards-based assessment and reporting improves student learning;
• what standards-based looks like;
• how you can best support your children at home.

A World Leader in Education
Cultivating Exceptional
Thinkers
Prepared for the Future

“You can enhance or destroy students desire to succeed in school more quickly and permanently through your use of assessment than with any other tools you have at your disposal.”

Average
Grade
Delete
Lowest
Grade
Academic
Performance
Behavior
Late
Work
Extra Credit
Median Grade
Following
Instructions
Weighted Grade
Homework Participation
Effort
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

A process where a student’s performance is assessed against a criteria or learning target within a specific subject.
The standards-based report card communicates progress toward mastery of learning standards.

• SAS has PS-12 standards articulated for each curriculum content area.
• Each course has standards and within those standards are grade level expectations.
• The standards describe what students should know and be able to do.
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

Science 8: Students understand the principles of heredity and its related concepts.
Social Studies 7: Understands location, physical and cultural characteristics of places and how these are represented spatially
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

Reading Language Arts 6: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Math 7: Solve real-life and mathematical problems using numerical and algebraic expressions and equations.
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

1. Students are aware of the criteria for success.
In other words, students know what they have to do in order to be successful. It’s not a mystery.
2. Teachers provide students with feedback regarding their progress against the criteria.
In other words, students know how well they are performing.

3. Students receive feedback about how to improve, so that they can work towards meeting the criteria.
In other words, students know what they need to work on to improve.
4. There are opportunities for students to show improvement regarding the criteria.
In other words, students get a chance to show improvement throughout the reporting term.

How might Standards-based reporting change the way you talk to your children about their grades?

Standards-based assessment and reporting seeks to provide more consistency in grading practices.
• Feedback and grades are tied to standards.
• Common “Levels of Performance” rubric.
• Collaboration in teaching teams and discussing what a “meeting standard” means.
• Common assessments, rubrics, check-lists.
• Calibration of assessments.

Performance
Standard
Exemplary
Meeting
Expectation
Approaching
Expectation
Below
Expectation
Failure
Insufficient
Evidence
Descriptor
Student exhibits significant understanding of targeted concepts and successfully completes tasks that have high cognitive demands and are complex. In addition to consistently meeting grade or course level expectations, student demonstrates flexible application of targeted concepts and skills and is able to transfer learning to new situations.
Student exhibits understanding of targeted concepts and successfully completes complex tasks requiring reasoning. Student consistently meets grade or course level expectations.
Student exhibits partial understanding of targeted concepts and skills. Student is successful in tasks using simpler knowledge and skills, but struggles with the more complex ideas and processes. Student inconsistently meets grade or course level expectations.
Student exhibits limited understanding of targeted concepts and skills. Student has minimal success in using the concepts and skills, both simple and compli.e. Student seldom meets grade or course level expectations.
Even with help, student demonstrates minimal understanding of targeted concepts or skills. Student is not successful in simple tasks using the knowledge and skills
Student has not submitted enough evidence for performance to be judged.

Consistently Frequently Occasionally Rarely

Success Success
What people pretend it looks like.
What it really looks like.
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

1. Learning occurs when there is an opportunity to correct.
2. We are natural explorers and problem solvers.
3. We learn best in a positive environment.
4. We improve with multiple attempts.
5. Effort and preparation are the keys to success.
6.
We don’t pay attention to boring things.
7. People are wired differently.
8.
Stressed brains don’t learn the same way.
John Medina, Brain Rules

Mindset with Carol Dweck
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

Give me a grade!
Give me feedback!

Think of a time when you were in a Fixed
Mindset and how it kept you from overcoming obstacles to success?
Think of a time when you were in a Growth
Mindset and how it helped you overcome obstacles on the way to success.

• Have honest conversations with your child about their progress.
• Praise their effort not their intelligence or talent
• Let them take ownership and responsibility.
• Encourage metacognition and self-reflection.
• Look at their Google calendar with them.
• Communicate that “meeting standard” is tough. It takes time, persistence, motivation, and a positive attitude.
• Attitudes are contagious and it is important that adults convey to the child that learning is a process.

FAQ #1
Is our grading policy consistent with the rest of the school?

FAQ #2
Students at SAS are internationally mobile.
What does this mean when we need to transfer to another school?

Thomas Guskey: Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Kentucky; publications include 18 books, 36 book chapters, and over 200 journal articles and professional papers. His most recent books include Developing Standards-Based Report Cards (Corwin, 2010), Practical
Solutions for Serious Problems in Standards-Based Grading (Corwin, 2009), The Principal as
Assessment Leader (Solution Tree, 2009),The Teacher as Assessment Leader (Solution Tree,
2009)
Robert Marzano: Cofounder and CEO of Marzano Research Laboratory; author of more than
30 books and 150 articles on topics such as instruction, assessment, writing and implementing standards, cognition, effective leadership, and school intervention
Jay McTighe: Educational consultant; author of 22 books and articles on curriculum and instruction, assessment, differentiation and school design; co-author of the Understanding By
Design series; presents on over 20 topics including standards, assessment, curriculum planning, effective instruction, and schooling by design
Ken O’Connor: Independent educational consultant who specializes in issues related to the communication of student achievement, especially grading and reporting; primary consultant for
Pearson’s PowerTeacher Gradebook; author of 7 books related to grading practices for the 21st century and numerous articles and chapters on assessment and reporting practices
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future

Douglas Reeves: Founder of The Leadership and Learning Center; author of 30 books and many articles on leadership and organizational effectiveness, Dr. Reeves has twice been named to the Harvard University Distinguished Authors Series
Rick Stiggins: Founder of the Assessment Training Institute; author of numerous books, articles and papers on assessment practices in the classroom and its impact on students and student success
Grant Wiggins: President of Authentic Education; widely known for his work in assessment reform; best known for co- authoring the Understanding By Design framework ; presents on over 20 topics including assessment, assessment reform, curriculum planning, questioning techniques and re-designing report cards
Rick Wormeli: Columnist for the National Middle School Association's Middle Ground magazine; author of the award-winning book, Meet Me in the Middle, as well as the bestselling books, Day One and Beyond, Fair Isn't Always Equal: Assessment and Grading in the
Differentiated Classroom, Differentiation: From Planning to Practice, Grades 6-12, Metaphors
& Analogies: Power Tools for Teaching any Subject
A World Leader in Education Cultivating Exceptional Thinkers Prepared for the Future