Standards Based Grading

Vs. Point Based Grading

By: Patricia Lopez-Chavez
Position: Standards Based
Grading is most efficient and
beneficial for teachers, students,
and parents
What are the two types of grading?

❏ Standards Based Grading

❏ Grading based on National or California Standards per grade level and
per subject
❏ Grading is based on student’s proficiency level
❏ Point Based Grading
❏ Grading based on National “understanding” of 0-100 point value
system
❏ Grading based on teachers’ own meaning of each point value
Point Based
Grading
● Why are different types of A’s
on exceeding and meeting the
standard?
● A student can get an 85% on an
exam one day but there is no
opportunity for enhancement
after the ‘unit test’
● Teachers can have bias when
deciding between an 89% and a
90%
Standards Based
Grading
● Not just about getting an A,
because realistically what is an
A?
● Based on the student being able
to master a standard whether it
be all the time or at certain
times
SBG vs PBG
“Everybody is a genius, but if you judge a
fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live
its whole life believing that it was
stupid.”

- Albert Einstein
 Reasons
STANDARDS BASED GRADING IS GOOD
● Teachers HAVE to assure every student
meets the standards
● Students have the chance to practice until
perfect
● Parents can see on the report cards what
exactly the student is learning
● Teachers learn to be more flexible and to
think of more creative ideas on how to
teach
POINT BASED GRADING IS NOT AS GOOD
● Teachers can grade on bias and move on
after unit or chapter tests
● Students can ‘redo’ tests but no real room
for perfecting
● Parents just see letter grades and have
their own preconceptions of the grades
● Teachers stick to lecture style lessons
because students are expected to
memorize
I hope you now also agree that
Standards Based Grading is the
way to go.

Any comments, questions, or

concerns?