Reporting Student Learning

Back in 2000, Robert Marzano pointed out the rationale for changing grading practices. "Grades," he wrote, "are so imprecise that they are almost meaningless" (p. 1). Eleven years later, despite advances in grading and reporting in many schools and districts, this imprecision and lack of meaning persist.

It's time to evolve our grading practices. We believe there are four primary characteristics of effective grading. Grades should be accurate, consistent, meaningful, and supportive of learning. Let's examine why these characteristics are so important and how we can achieve them.

Accurate

The Problem with Including Nonacademic Factors