Skip To Main Content

What is Standards Based Grading?

What is Standards Based Grading? A basic understanding: At Hillview Middle School, the implemented grading system is called Standards Based Grading (SBG). It was fully adopted in 2023, but the process began in 2016. SBG at Hillview has a scale of one through four, with one being the lowest and four being the highest. SBG is a system that focuses on increasing achievement, mastery, and student learning. This differs from traditional grading (A’s, B’s, C’s, etc.), because SBG focuses on mastery versus completion. Traditional grading focuses on the amount of successfully completed assignments and tests, while Standards Based Grading zones in on specific standards and helps improve each specific topic versus the subject as a whole. At Hillview, grades are split up into three periods or trimesters. Students receive a report card after they complete a trimester.

Why SBG?

In 2022, the MPCSD school board adopted Board Policy 5121 and Administrative Regulation 5121 that directed implementation of standards based grading.  

MPCSD decided to move to Standards Based Grading because it better highlighted what a student is able to do at the end versus focusing on what they bring to the class and how many times they raise their hand.

A Standards Based Grading Scale: As mentioned above, SBG has a scale from one to four. Each number represents a level of understanding. A student will receive a grade based on demonstrated mastery of a certain standard. A one is “Little to No Mastery” meaning a student hasn’t understood the topic very well. A two is “Partial Mastery”. This shows that they haven’t fully understood the content, but can comprehend some of the standard. A three is “At Grade Level” or “Meets Expectations” which is when the student shows that they can successfully understand the content of the subject. This is where most students are at and what the teachers goal for the students is. A four is “Deeper Understanding”. This is above what is expected and the student can show that they can take what they’ve learned and can apply it to more advanced ideas. It is important to understand that not all assignments offer a four, so sometimes a three is the highest possible grade. Students may choose to not attempt the level four and can pass with a three. Even with the option of a four, students do not have to go for it, and that doesn’t mean they cannot show as much mastery. A four is optional, and can reflect a deeper understanding of the subject. The only other earnable grade is an IE-insufficient evidence. This means that the assessment did not provide enough information to show that they can pass the level, or they did not get enough questions correct on all levels. An “IE” can also be received if the student was absent.

Here is a rubric for a standard.


 

What are Standards?: In SBG, instead of receiving a percentage and a corresponding letter grade for the entirety of the class, teachers create multiple standards that cover a certain topic. For example, in math class, the standards aren’t as broad as “I can do multiplication.” The standards focus more towards specific skills like “I can multiply a single digit number by a single digit number” and “I can do double digit multiplication”. This helps students understand what specific areas they need to work on. Standards relate back to the goal of SBG, which is to give a more helpful level of feedback for the students. On report cards, as seen below, if a standard is assessed in one trimester, but not in another, there will not be a grade in that category.

 

 

How does this compare to Traditional Grading?: The short answer is that it doesn’t. SBG isn’t comparable to letter grading. In traditional grading, A’s, B’s, and C’s are all passable and so is a three in SBG. That doesn’t mean that they correlate. Traditional grading and Standards Based Grading approach different ways of learning, so a grade in SBG isn’t interchangeable with a letter grade.

 

Standards Based Grading System

Traditional Grading System

Focuses on giving feedback to students to help them reach proficiency. SBG looks at the most recent display of mastery from a student on a graded assignment.

Focuses on successfully completed work. Traditional grading looks at all assignments, tests, quizzes, etc, and bases the percentage grade off of all the evidence.

Grade is reached by demonstrating mastery on the final assessment.

Grade is reached by all grades of entire content within the subject.

Assignments do not affect the grade unless specifically graded. Assignments are practice for mastery and most of the time used for feedback.

Assignments mostly affect the grade. Any missing, incorrect, or late work affects the percentage, possibly bringing it down.

Grade solely based on the final assessment, or the retake on the assessment, depending on the newest graded test that the student used as a show of mastery.

Grade based on all content and can be brought up or down with missing assignments and extra credit.

 

How do homework assignments affect the final grade?: Most assignments under SBG aren’t graded, unless the teacher has a specific reason to grade. Homework usually receives a formative grade of 1, 2, 3, or 4. A lot of the time, students receive a learner habits grade that consists of homework, but the summative grade for a standard usually is affected by the grade from the assessment. All other things besides tests like homework, being late, coming prepared, go into learner habits, also known as Hawk Habits.

How do assessments work?: For students, the assessment is the final display of mastery. Although there are reassessments, tests represent the majority of the standard. Usually, an assessment covers multiple standards. Teachers create units that can have a variety of standards, which are taught, practiced, and then demonstrated in the final test. 

How to reach the final score: Most of the final grade is based on the assessment for the unit. Teachers will have many assignments that prepare the student for the final assessment, which is based on in-class assignments, homework, etc. Teachers don’t get to pick a grade per student. Each level has requirements and if a student cannot meet that requirement, it bumps them down to a lower level. Since SBG is based on working up to the final grade, the assignments beforehand can give students a chance to understand what areas they need to improve on and where they can study more. SBG also offers reassessments, meaning a student has another chance to prove that they are proficient.

What are reassessments?: Reassessments are offered by teachers to students who scored below a 3. Students are expected to study just the same and come to the reassessment just as prepared. Teachers usually require a parent signature for the student to be able to reassess, letting the teacher know the parents know what happened

 

Common questions asked:

  • Why does my child have a 2? 
    • A 2 indicates that your child is not yet at mastery for that target standard.
  • How can they get to a 3?
    • After each summative assessment students will have an opportunity to reassess if they score below a 3 on one or more standards. Students will then complete a Reassessment Plan that includes the date of the reassessment. 
  • Why isn’t there a four option?
    • There are options for a four on some standards but not all standards.  A four shows “deeper understanding” of a standard and this is not available for all standards.
  • Why don’t they have enough opportunities?
    • Students have an opportunity to assess in class.  Then, if they so choose and complete the reassessment plan, they can reassess - a second opportunity to show mastery.
  • How can I see how my child is doing or what their scores look like?
    • Our Learning Management System, where scores are posted and regularly updated, is Schoology.  We recommend families sit with their student to review Schoology together.  You can find Schoology on the school-issued iPad. 
  • Why do only assessments count?
    • There are often multiple ways for students to show mastery of standards, including, but not limited to, assessments, projects, and essays. 
  • Is this good for getting into a private high school?
    • We worked with both public and private high schools on our MPCSD Whole Child Evaluation Committee, the group that designed our Board Policy.  Both public and private high schools are familiar with our grading system and it does NOT impact acceptance?

 

Created by Ellie Kriebel, Sophie Hong, and Sadie Wang; Class of 2025