STANDARDS-REFERENCED REPORTING AT HALL MIDDLE SCHOOL

Philosophy & Purpose

Hall Middle School is committed to providing a fair, accurate, and equitable system of assessing and reporting student learning. Our grading practices are rooted in Standards-Referenced Grade Reporting and Competency-Based Education, ensuring that each student's progress is measured against clearly defined grade-level standards. The goal of our grading system is to support student growth, accurately reflect mastery of learning targets, motivate all students to reach their full potential, and give all students the opportunity to succeed by counteracting grading bias and limiting the impact of our subjective and implicit biases.

    Where else in the area is standards-referenced reporting and grading being implemented?

    It is important to note that our elementary schools have been utilizing a similar grading system for several years, so standards-referenced reporting is familiar to the majority of our families. A growing number of schools are creating report cards that reflect student proficiency on specific standards, including Ross School, Del Mar Middle School, and Kent Middle School (all feeders to Redwood). Branson High School is a part of a nationwide consortium looking to end A-F grading in high school. Numerous teachers in the Tamalpais Union High School District embed standards-referenced grading practices into their classrooms.

    How does standards-based grading prepare students for high school, college, and careers?

    Standards-referenced reporting gives students a more meaningful, personalized learning experience and teaches students the self-advocacy skills necessary to succeed in college and/or career settings. It aligns with how students will get feedback on job performance in their future careers. Based upon work done by Marzano, Guskey, Pickering, Reeves, Popham, Wiggins, Stiggins, O’Connor, and Brookhart, standards-referenced grading has increased student achievement. Research on standards-referenced grading has shown that students learn the content on a deeper level and perform better in college when exposed to effective standards-referenced instruction and feedback practices.

    Resources and Articles

    “Why Grades Are Not Paramount to Achievement.” Ashley Lamb-Sinclair

    “Standards Based Grading and Reporting Will Improve Education.” Thomas Guskey and Marco Muñoz

    Grades, College Admission, and Competency-Based Education - Competency Works - Chris Sturgis

    How will students and families receive reports on academic progress?

    Teachers provide students and families with feedback in many formal and informal ways, including graded assignments, assessments, and projects. Teachers update the Aeries Gradebook frequently, allowing students and families to celebrate their growth and reflect on opportunities for improvement. In the middle of each semester, students who are not demonstrating on-grade-level achievement in one or more classes receive a progress report sent to their families. At the end of each trimester, students and families receive a report card with final grades for each course and for individual course standards. In addition, standardized assessments are held throughout the school year, and score reports are shared with students and families.