Is equitable grading a fairer system?

Equitable grading means fair, meaningful grades to students, regardless of students' diverse backgrounds. It reflects students' mastery of knowledge and skills based on measurable and observable course objectives that promote learning.

What are the problems with equitable grading?

While most talk of equitable grading focuses on low-income students and children of color, including behavior and nonacademic criteria in grades tends to inflate the grades of students who have the most resources and are best able to accommodate, adhere to, and comply with a teacher's expected behaviors.

How is equitable grading different from traditional grading?

Equitable grading can take different forms, but it aims to measure how students understand the classroom material by the end of a term without penalties for behavior, The Wall Street Journal reported. This has resulted in more opportunities for students to complete tests and assignments.

Is the grading system fair?

Traditional grading is confusing and inaccurate

But my research has found that it's very rare that all teachers in a district, or even a school or a grade level, use the same grading policies and procedures. The variation among teachers' grading policies and practices causes confusion for students and their parents.

What is the purpose of grading for equity?

It's about giving every student second chances, and third chances, and more, to learn. It's about giving every student hope. This is equity-based grading—grading in a way that is fair and transparent to students, parents, teachers, everybody.

Equitable Grading: Schools using new system minimizing homework, deadlines | Morning in America

What does equitable grading look like?

Here are some examples of practices many schools have adopted in moving toward grading equity: Avoiding zeros on the 0-100-point scale and implementing a 50 in place as the minimum grade. Standards-based grading practices. Letting a student's most recent retake grades replace former grades as new evidence of learning.

What are the three pillars of equitable grading?

Pillars of Equitable Grading Defined

Feldman then introduced what he called the three pillars of equitable grading: accuracy, bias-resistance, and intrinsic motivation.

Should the grading system be abolished?

In addition to harming students' health, grades are also inefficient motivators for learning. External incentives and rewards, such as grades or paychecks, are less effective than intrinsic motivation, such as a natural curiosity or desire to learn, according to the American Psychological Association.

Is standards-based grading more equitable?

Standards-based grading systems that do not simply translate a B into a 3, but accurately capture student learning across concepts and skills, promote equity and fairness in schools.

Is standards-based grading equitable?

Standards-based grading is almost entirely based on assessments. Bolles explained, “The elimination of homework could be considered an equitable grading policy because not every student has the ability to go home and spend two or three hours doing homework.

What are the four pillars of equitable grading?

Equitable grading has three pillars: accuracy, bias-resistance, and intrinsic motivation. Grades must accurately reflect only a student's academic level of performance, exclude nonacademic criteria (such as behavior), and use mathematically sound calculations and scales, such as the 0–4 instead of the 0–100 scale.

Why is the traditional grading system better?

On the plus side, the traditional grading scale is well-established and understood by both students and educators. It is also easy to use and provides a clear way to compare student performance.

What are equitable grading practices in college?

Equitable grading practices separate the behavior from the assessment of knowledge. These practices emphasize the belief that all students can learn and meet learning targets.

Why 2 districts say moving to equitable grading gives students more hope?

A shift to a more equitable grading in Nothern California is reducing students' fear of failure and, proponent says, providing a clearer picture of the specific skills students have mastered.

How is grading on a curve fair or unfair?

Fairness in Varied Difficulty: As mentioned, some assessments might be more challenging than others. Grading on a curve prevents exceptionally difficult tests from unfairly penalizing all students. Accurate Reflection of Class Performance: Curve grading offers a more accurate portrayal of a class's overall performance.

What does an equitable math classroom look like?

What does equitable math instruction look like in the classroom? Equitable math instruction is the simple understanding that students and communities come from different backgrounds and may have different ways of being and thinking, even in math. Math problems, of course, have correct answers.

How do you make a grading equitable?

By contrast, more equitable grading practice looks like: Mathematical approach; instead of using a 100 point scale, using a 0-4 grading scale instead; avoid giving them a zero score. Recent student's grades should carry more weightage than averaging performance over time in the final grade in their report cards.

Is standard based grading harder?

So, standards-based grading is hurting not helping students overall. Because students have a much harder time getting a good grade in any of their classes to the point where it is affecting their mental health. Standards uses a grading scale from one to four and makes it a lot easier to get a bad grade.

Why is standards based grading better for students?

In SBG environments, better feedback accelerates learning. Instead of simply giving scores like 9/10 or 85%, teachers give feedback about the task performed and skills used. This helps students understand their current areas of improvement, and helps them reach the next level.

Do grades matter anymore?

Grades matter for college

Even for intended students, grades don't determine your worth, but they do matter. Grades help measure your progress toward your full potential. That motivation can set students on the path to grading success, even if their postsecondary goals don't involve academics.

Why should schools not get rid of grades?

Parents need to know how well their children are doing and whether or not grade level or course expectations are being met. Although grades should never be the only information about learning that students and parents receive, they can be a meaningful part of that information.

Why schools should abolish letter grades?

Ditching traditional letter grades reduces stress levels and competition among students, levels the playing field for less advantaged students, and encourages them to explore knowledge and take ownership of their own learning, Education Week reports.

What is an equitable curriculum?

Being equitable means acknowledging and addressing structural inequalities — historic and current — that advantage some and disadvantage others and providing access to resources for success. ( Source: UIowa) Inclusion is an outcome to ensure that students of diverse backgrounds are treated fairly and respectfully.

Who wrote grading for equity?

Book overview

"Joe Feldman shows us how we can use grading to help students become the leaders of their own learning and lift the veil on how to succeed. . . . This must-have book will help teachers learn to implement improved, equity-focused grading for impact."

What are bias resistant grades?

Principle II-Bias-Resistance: Grades should be based on valid evidence of a student's content knowledge, and not based on evidence that is likely to be corrupted by a teacher's implicit bias or reflect a student's environment.