Everything You Need to Know about Standards-Based Grading

Standards-based grading (SBG) departs from traditional grading systems that rely on letter grades and percentages and instead measures students on the mastery of specific learning objectives. This forward-thinking approach not only encourages students to take ownership of their education, but it also provides educators with a more insightful understanding of each student’s strengths and areas for growth.  

What is Standards-Based Grading? 

Standards-based grading breaks down large subjects into smaller learning objectives to help teachers better measure student learning. Instead of assigning a grade to students according to traditional grading scales, standards-based grading measures students against specific skills and standards. This makes it really clear to teachers where students are thriving and where they need help. 

In fact, many districts across the country have embraced the idea of SBG for decades. Standards-based grading is a way to view student progress based on proficiency levels for identified standards rather than relying on a holistic representation as the sole measure of achievement—or what Marzano and Heflebower called an “omnibus grade.” 

Standards-based grading is often contrasted with the more traditional approach to grading and assessment. Instead of the all-or-nothing, percentages-and-letter-grades system, standards-based approaches consider evidence of learning and the data it produces in different ways. 

Traditional Grading System vs. Standards-Based Grading System 

Adopting a Standards-Based Grading Mindset  

When embarking upon standards-based grading, it’s crucial that you don’t seek only to reimagine the way grades and report cards work. You must be prepared for the pedagogical shifts that are necessary to ultimately adopt a standards-based approach. That’s where the term “mindset” comes into play.  

According to Tom Schimmer in Grading from the Inside Out, it might be more beneficial for educators to think about a standards-based mindset rather than standards-based grading. Like any mindset work, that subtle shift in language helps keep the focus off the grading process while highlighting the cultural and paradigm shift. 

Working with a learning management system (LMS) like PowerSchool Schoology Learning means you can support that mindset in various ways. 

Understanding the Standards-Based Grading Scale  

Since standards-based reporting is based on demonstration of mastery, it can’t rely on the traditional grading methods based on the percentage of work completed. The standards-based approach relies upon standards. 

We tie learning materials—assignments, projects, assessments, etc.—to the standards, learning objectives, or learning targets we want to measure. Whether working individually or as part of a professional learning community (PLC) or team of teachers, educators can take an assessable material type in Schoology Learning and align it to the standards that already populate in the platform.  

Most standards-based scales are 0-4 or 0-5 and reflect students’ increasing skill or mastery. For a 1-4 scale, a score of 1 indicates that students have little understanding of a concept and cannot demonstrate any mastery of it. As students learn and progress, they can demonstrate partial mastery and score a 2. Once they meet a target, they score a 3. The 4s are reserved for students who exceed the learning target. You can see this in the chart below. 

Regardless of the method, it’s essential to communicate what the proficiency scales actually mean beyond a number. What does a proficiency score of 4 entail? What does a 1 mean? 

Keep in mind that numbers can be quite deceiving when considering progress against proficiency levels. A student at the beginning of a unit may only be at a 1, which is understandable before learning occurs. Parents and students reviewing their progress may see that in a more negative light. 

To remedy this, set up your proficiency scales (at the district or course level) to display text instead of numbers, which can greatly alleviate concerns about the level indicators. 

The Landscape of Standards-Based Grading  

Teachers are often frustrated by factors at school that are out of their control. But one thing educators can control is how they assess student progress and learning. Research shows that a standards-based mindset paired with standards-based grading correlates to higher academic achievement. Therefore, it’s critical that teachers link assessments and reporting to the standards, as well. 

With the birth of the Common Core, learning targets became more rigorous, consistent, and transparent. The focus has been to create fewer, more challenging standards that make students think more deeply and work towards more meaningful understandings and applications. 

What we now consider outdated school curricula often relied heavily on fact memorization and low-level rote learning, so it makes sense that traditional grading practices were likely an appropriate way to measure how a student was doing in school. Modern experts—such as Guskey, Marzano, O’Connor, and Reeves—agree it’s time for teachers to update their instructional and grading practices to align with current realities of how and what students are learning. 

The Every Student Succeeds Act (formerly No Child Left Behind) mandates that schools can no longer fail students who cannot demonstrate proficiency. All students must be proficient. Schools and districts must now ensure their system is set up to develop and prepare students rather than just sorting them out. There is greater accountability and scrutiny over the way student achievement is measured. Therefore, grades must be more reflective of learning progress. 

10 Steps to Implementing Standards-Based Grading 

Implementing standards-based grading requires careful planning and thoughtful execution to ensure effectiveness. Here are 10 steps to help you implement SBG in your school or classroom. 

1. Learn the standards

Familiarize yourself with the academic standards and learning objectives established by your district. These standards are the foundation of your SBG system.  

2. Explain the system to stakeholders

Invite open dialogue with students, families, and fellow educators to explain the purpose of the benefits of SBG. Address any concerns or misconceptions and build a shared understanding of the new system.  

3. Define clear learning objectives

Break down academic standards into specific, measurable learning objectives for students. These objectives should be concise, understandable, and aligned with the curriculum.  

4. Develop a grading scale

Design a grading scale that aligns with the standards-based approach. This scale can be based on a continuum of mastery levels (e.g. the four-point scale) or use descriptive indicators (e.g. emerging, developing, proficient, advanced) to assess students’ progress toward meeting each learning objective.  

5. Communicate grading criteria

Clearly communicate the grading criteria and expectations to all relevant stakeholders, particularly students and parents. Provide rubrics or scoring guides that outline the proficiency levels for each learning objective, helping students understand what is required to demonstrate mastery.  

6. Emphasize formative assessment

Focus on formative assessments rather than summative ones. Use a variety of assessment strategies such as quizzes, projects, presentations, graded homework, and observations to gauge students’ understanding and progress. This will help you adjust your instruction as appropriate.  

7. Provide timely, specific feedback

Give your students feedback that is specific, constructive, and actionable. Emphasize feedback that highlights strengths and areas for improvement related to the learning objectives rather than assigning grades based on completion or effort.  

 8. Support growth and revision

Encourage students to engage in self-reflection. Give them opportunities to revise their work and demonstrate improved mastery of learning objectives over time. Foster a growth mindset that values effort, persistence, and continuous improvement.  

 9. Track progress and report grades

Maintain records of each student’s progress toward meeting the learning objectives. Use a standards-based gradebook or a digital tool.  

10. Evaluate and adapt

Continuously assess the effectiveness of your grading system. Collect feedback from students, parents, and colleagues to identify areas for improvement. Adjust your approach as needed to ensure the system is fair and transparent and accurately reflects students’ learning progress.  

Standards-Based Grading Pros and Cons 

The instructional changes that often come along with transitioning to standards-based grading bring several advantages to the classroom. As with most things, we must identify the aspects of this approach that are deemed positive and those that might prove challenging to implement. 

Standards-Based Grading and Students 

In a standards-based grading system, students are intrinsically motivated and have ownership of their learning. Students can focus on mastery and understanding in a standards-based classroom without constantly worrying about getting the most points. They become more motivated to really comprehend the material, so eventually you’ll hear fewer questions like, “Will this be graded?” and more questions that will help them gain a deeper understanding of the skills and concepts they’re learning.  

For students to have ownership, learning targets should be presented in student-friendly language to support student understanding of learning goals. When rubrics are incorporated, students have a better grasp on the path to success and can easily self-assess and reflect on their own progress. This self-direction paired with focusing their efforts and choosing their activities leads to ownership of their learning. 

4 Ways Standards-Based Grading Improves Instruction 

1. Instruction is more relevant

In traditional classrooms, you often see teachers routinely presenting curriculum to students—one whole group lesson after another. Sometimes, this is the best method, for example, in an introductory lesson when everyone needs to receive the same information. Over time, though, since students learn at different rates, there will be some who are bored because of the slow pace and some who are confused because they’re struggling to keep up.  

Alternatively, in classrooms that employ standards-based grading, teachers better understand student mastery: what it looks like and where students are on the scale. At any time, they can identify the students at a level 3, 2, or 1, so they can offer assignments that are appropriate for that level. Students at level 1 receive practice and activities to help them reach a level 2, and so on. This type of differentiated learning makes lessons more relevant for students, leading to positive learning experiences and a greater interest in school. 

2. Teachers provide effective feedback

Quality feedback can improve and accelerate student learning. Rather than simply seeing a score of 90% or 7/10, students receive direct feedback on the skill used or task performed so that they understand where they need to focus their efforts to improve. Teachers can also use this feedback opportunity to enhance instruction since they can see if the majority of the class is having difficulty understanding a standard. 

3. Grades have deeper meaning

Students understand why they receive each score. They get a breakdown of how they performed on each standard that details their level of proficiency. Students and parents appreciate being able to track performance so thoroughly, rather than receiving a vague letter grade with no explanation and questionable value. 

4. Teachers and students are clear about expectations

Goals through clearly identified learning targets and proficiency scales are clarified at the beginning of the class, so the teacher knows exactly what they are expected to teach, and students know exactly what they are expected to learn. Using consistent formative assessments, teachers and students can track how well they understand the learning targets and adjust instruction as needed to ensure proficiency. 

When Standards-Based Goes Right 

“I am brand new to my position as Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. I was given the huge task of creating a reporting system for five K-8 schools. I immediately contacted PowerSchool. With amazing responsiveness, patience, and expertise, PowerSchool worked with me to be sure we had an excellent standards-based report card. We were able to create a report card that was supportive of students, parents, and teachers who are new to standards-based reports. From school board members to students, I am getting positive feedback, including the most important from families: ‘I understand this!’ Teacher gradebooks are all aligned to standards-based grading which allows them to quickly and concisely see how students are progressing. By looking at student progress, teachers can quickly assess whether students require additional attention based on progress of standards. Students are amazed at how quickly they can see their progress in class. For the first time this year, all our students and their families will have the ability to see a clear, concise summary of their progress as measured by content area and habits of work standards—amazing!” 

Source: Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for a Maine school district 

What Standards-Based Grading Means for Parents 

Parents need accurate, meaningful, and consistent measures of learning to better understand their student’s progress. Traditional grading is very subjective, and standards-based grading is one way to remedy that. 

Since standards-based reporting is designed to only reflect true evidence of learning, parents get a clear picture of what the student has or hasn’t mastered without the influence of other factors, such as effort and attitude. Consistency can be ensured with a teacher-provided rubric that establishes clear expectations and precisely explains what the student will need to master. 

Parents can expect a meaningful grade, one that clearly communicates what learning has taken place. Standards-based grading supports learning by focusing on the concepts and skills that have or have not been learned rather than accumulating or losing points, so parents know what their students need help with. 

Final Thoughts 

Adopting a standards-based mindset may be the cultural shift your school or district needs. With increased accountability and clear expectations, students and teachers can actually have more freedom to explore their interests and preferences.