Recently in Standards Based Education Category

In a traditional grading system, teachers have been asked to reduce the complexities of learning to one single letter. In addition to a simplified representation of learning, many teachers have also included behaviors as part of the grade that represents student attitude or attendance. When parents see a letter grade on a report card, what they are really seeing is a combination of teacher values, varying expectations, student effort, student work ethic, and attendance. A Standards Based grading system attempts to hold expectations for students consistent and to separate reporting on student learning from the learner behaviors that impact learning. When parents see a letter grade, they are viewing a highly subjective, inconsistent, and simplified report on student learning. When parents view a performance level, they are viewing a much more accurate picture of what students know and can do.

If we didn’t believe that a standards based grading system was beneficial for students we wouldn’t be making the change! Students and parents are our customers in our educational system and as such, are the first people we consider when evaluating and changing practices.

The Roaring Fork School District leads the way in Colorado, and in the nation, in the implementation of standards based systems. Beginning with the adoption of state standards in 1997, work began across the country to redesign traditional systems to fit the criteria of standards based systems.

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Standards Based Systems	Traditional Systems
What students know and should be able to do is clearly defined for every content area and grade level.	What students are taught at each grade level depends on the textbooks chosen and the teacher delivering the instruction.
Learning is evaluated on a regular basis to allow teachers to individualize, and customize learning for every student.	Tests are given to arrive at a grade.
Pre-tests allow teachers to tailor instruction at the beginning, learning is monitored throughout instruction, and post tests determine the teacher?s next steps with students. Failure to learn becomes a teacher issue, not a student issue.	Students are testing at the end of a unit of instruction, grades are recorded, and the class moves on.
Prior to instruction, students know what they must be able to do to demonstrate learning. They know the ?essentials? of what must be learned.	Tests were created by teachers following instruction with little guidance from the teacher about what they were supposed to learn.
Teachers recognize that it is their responsibility to teach in a way that causes learning for all students.	I taught it, they just didn?t learn it.
Teachers are focused on best instructional practices based on research and results.	Teachers taught the way they were taught with little thought about making instruction work for every student.
Learning is evaluated as a trend over time, with an expectation of mastery at the end of instruction.	All tests given throughout the learning process have equal weight and are averaged for a final grade.
Behaviors such as participation, effort, preparation for class, etc. are reported separately.  The grade, or performance level is about mastery of the material.	Behaviors such as participation, effort and preparation for class are averaged into the grade. It?s hard for students and parents to know if the grade means they learned anything or if they didn?t come to class prepared.
There is no extra credit!	Remember the days of getting ?credit? in class for bringing something for the food drive or frantic work at the end of a grading period to raise your grade?
The adults take responsibility and are held accountable for student learning.	It was accepted that some students would learn and others would not.
High stakes tests (CSAP) test what is being taught to promote accountability for teaching and learning.	Iowa Test of Basic Skills was administered yearly, with about 30% of the content being what was actually taught during the year.
Students are expected to play a more active role in their education. They should know what they need to learn, what progress they are making, and what they need to do. Students have a responsibility to take advantage of what schools have to offer.	Students were not expected to be involved in goal setting, charting their growth, or taking advantage of additional time with teachers to learn. Many students were not expected to do well in school.
Parents are an essential part of the education of their children. Parental support is needed to make sure students attend school regularly and that students make their best efforts to learn. Parents support the importance of a good education.	Parents have always been important! Parents now have on line access to student records and teacher's grade books to support the teachers' efforts in the schools.