Should We Become a
Common Core
Standards Based District?
Created by :
ISBE/SSoS
CAS Data and Assessment
Do you want…
A greater focus on learning standards?
Better communication with students and
families on academic performance?
Increased student engagement in learning?
If you do…
You are a perfect candidate to become a
Standards-Based Reporting District!
How do we begin?
Shift to a Standards Based Report Card
Establish a Standards Based Reporting Committee
consisting of a cadre of teachers and administrators
How do we begin?
 Do your research
Read about the differences with SBR
Hold discussions with other districts who have made the
transition
 Be brave and jump in
It won’t be perfect, nothing is
Where do we begin?
Let’s take a quick look at some of the steps
suggested by Thomas Guskey and Jane Bailey in
their book:
Developing Standards-Based Report Cards
Define the Purpose
for your Report Card
Is it to inform student achievement to parents and others?
Is it to for student self evaluation?
Is it to select students for certain educational paths?
PRINT THIS ON YOUR REPORT CARD
Define the Purpose
for your Report Card
Key Question: Who is your primary audience?
Make certain the information on the card is appropriately
worded for your audience and reflects its purpose
Develop the Reporting Standards
Consider separating the 3 Types of
Learning Goals:
1. Product
2. Process
3. Progress
Here is a
possible
example of a
High School
report card that
reports
Learning Goals
separately.
Address Some Essential Steps in
SBR Development
1. What is the purpose of the report card?
2. How often will report cards be sent home?
3. Will a specific report card be developed for each grade
level, or will a more general report card be used across
several grade levels?
4. What product, process, and progress standards should
be reported?
Moving Forward
Establish Performance Indicators
Develop the Reporting Form
Pilot and Revise
Considerations
Costs
Initial and ongoing training of staff
Creation of forms
Educating the community on the transition
Structural and organizational changes
Considerations
How will you educate your staff on the
standards based philosophy?
Is your district educated on the CCSS?
How will you respond to opposition?
Where will you begin, report card, common
assessments, or professional development?
Summing Up
Become educated on SBR
Set a timeline and stick to it
Provide ongoing support and education
Be flexible
Keep the your purpose in mind
References
Great Lakes West Comprehensive Center. (2011). Summary of survey findings on
standards-based assessment and grading. Unpublished raw data, .
Guskey, T. R. (2013). Essential questions about standards, assessments, grading and
reporting. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A Sage Company.
O’Connor, K. (2002). How to grade for learning. (3rd ed.). United States: Corwin, A Sage
Company.
O'Shea, M. (2005). From standards to success. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Reeves, D. (2004). Making standards work. (3rd ed.). Englewood, CO: Advanced Learning
Press.
Guskey, T. (2009). Practical solutions for serious problems in standards-based grading.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, A Sage Company.
Standards Based Grading Committee
Contact information can be found on the Illinois Standards-Based Website
Contact Information
For further information regarding this presentation
contact:
Sue Mainville
Data and Assessment Specialist
ISBE/Illinois Center for School Improvement
smainville@illinoiscsi.org