Phone Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
1-800-933-ASCD (2723)
Address 1703 North Beauregard St. Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
Complete Customer Service Details
November 2011 | Volume 69 | Number 3 Effective Grading Practices Pages 76-79
Douglas B. Reeves
Suggesting grading reform can be risky business. Here's how to keep the discussion productive and on track.
Grading policy is among the most emotional topics in education today. Indeed, Guskey and Bailey (2001) documented nearly a century of research on grading practices. We know, for example, that the average is the wrong measurement of student proficiency (O'Connor, 2007); that the zero on a 100-point scale is a math error (Reeves, 2004); and that the implementation of effective grading practices can have a positive effect on student achievement, discipline, and attendance (Reeves, 2008).
But knowing these things is not enough. Unless education leaders can engage teachers, parents, communities, and policymakers in a rational discussion about grading, progress will be as elusive now as it was a century ago. Here are some good ways to start the conversation.
Join the education organization for all educators.
Get full access, plus expert resources and solutions to support whole child education.
November 2011Effective Grading Practices
Subscribe to Educational Leadership magazine and save up to 51% OFF the cover price.
Tweets by ELmagazine