On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting (A book for K-12 assessment policies and practices) (Essentials for Principals)

Create and sustain a learning environment where students thrive and stakeholders are accurately informed of student progress. Clarify the purpose of grades, craft a vision statement aligned with this purpose, and discover research-based strategies to implement effective grading and reporting practices. Identify policies and practices that render grading inaccurate, and understand the role grades play in students' future success and opportunities. K-12 teachers and administrators will: Question traditional grading and reporting practices, and seek more accurate practices. Identify the purpose of grading, and ensure school and classroom visions, practices, and policies support it. Implement research-based grading and reporting practices that promote accurate, useful accounts of student learning. Understand why traditional practices, such as grading on the curve and offering plus or minus grades, don't fully report student academic performance. Examine grading and reporting policies, and make sure they support students, parents, and other stakeholders. Contents: Chapter 1: Define the Purpose of Grades Chapter 2: Challenge the Use of Percentage Grades Chapter 3: Challenge Plus and Minus and Half-Grade Increments Chapter 4: Challenge Bell-Shaped Grade Distributions Chapter 5: Challenge the Computation of Class Rank Chapter 6: Challenge the Use of a Single Grade Chapter 7: Challenge the Use of Mathematical Algorithms Chapter 8: Challenge Practices That Confound the Meaning of Grades Final Thoughts