The new grading system that's dividing Washington teachers

A new type of grading that challenges the traditional 100-point scale is spreading across Washington state high schools, but teachers are divided on whether it’s a good idea.

The new approach, called standards-based grading, requires teachers to divide curricula up into a large number of “standards”, each focusing on a particular skill or specific area of knowledge. Instead of the traditional midterm exams covering a wide swath of topics, teachers utilize short, regular quizzes that students can retake.

For each individual standard, students are given a number from 1 to 4 indicating their proficiency. A “4” typically means “exceeding standards”, “3” means “meeting standards”, with a “2” and “1” both indicating below-standard proficiency. Proponents of this system claim it offers more focused and useful feedback than midterm exams using the traditional 100-point scale. Opponents claim it creates confusion, additional work for teachers, and grade inflation.

Love it or hate it, it’s getting increasingly difficult to avoid discussion about standards-based grading. Although its influence has exploded only in recent years, this form of grading has technically been around for several decades with origins stretching back to the federal No Child Left Behind Act of the early 2000s and its corresponding emphasis on standards-driven education.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/10/14/the-new-grading-system-thats-dividing-washington-teachers/