ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT

LEARNING 2
MODULE 8
GRADING AND REPORTING
Introduction

• In this module, we will discuss how you can assign a final

grade - a cumulative mark that reflects the academic
achievement or performance of students at the end of a
grading period, semester, or school year. What then are
grades and how are we going to report them are the
concerns of the last chapter.
Objectives
At the completion of this module, students are expected to:
1. Compare and contrast the common grade comparison models (basis
for grading), including self-referenced, norm-referenced, and
standards-based models;
2. Identify common methods of reporting grades, including the use of
letter grades, numerical grades, pass-fail grades, standards-based
grades, and narrative grades;
3. Acquire the skills of equating grades using the front-end, back-end,
and total points approaches;
4. Gain familiarity with the K to 12 Grading System; and
5. Reflect on the role of professional judgement in assigning grades to
students.
 BASIS FOR
GRADING/GRADE
COMPARISON METHODS
What is Grading or
Marking?
Grading and Marking
• Grading, otherwise known as marking, is the process of assigning value to a
performance especially of the students. It is also a responsibility that all classroom
teachers must bear. Marks, likewise, serve as a primary source of data in making
decisions for many administrative, educational guidance, and admissions
undertakings. In its typical application, marking requires teacher to compile results
of multiple assessment to make summative evaluations of student performance.

• For Chatterji (2003), marks are a means for communicating and reporting individual
performance/progress on a range of academic, social, or physical domains to
appropriate audiences over time.

• Meanwhile for Gallagher (1998), a grade is an expression of judgment, usually a

symbol—letter, number or mark—that indicates the degree to which intended
outcomes have been achieved. For him, the major purpose of grades is to
communicate how well a student is doing in the several academic (subject) areas
and in non-academic, affective areas such as citizenship, conduct, and effort.
Basis for Grading

• Grades are assigned to provide feedback about

academic achievement in order for students to be
compared according to their achievement. Marks
often reflect factors other than achievement and
are often assigned according to a variety of marking
systems.
Grade Comparison Method
• Grade is also relative – its meaning or value depends on the
framework or grade comparison models the teacher has
used to come up with that mark. The most common grade
comparison models include self-referenced, norm-
referenced, and standards-based grading. A grade of 1.25
based on norm versus a grade of 1.25 based on a set
standards can reflect very different levels of achievement.
Thus, it is important that you indicate the basis for your
grading to avoid or minimize misinterpretation of grades.
Self-Referenced Grading
• Self-referenced grading involves comparing each
student’s learning progress or achievement against his or
her own estimated ability (aptitude) or prior performance
(Witte, 2012).
• This basis for grading model is based on the idea that if
learning is defined as a change in performance, then the
most suitable way to grade our students is to compare their
performance before and after instruction. Assigned grades
reflect how well each student has achieved in relation to his
or her potential (aptitude). This would mean that students
who show the greatest improvement, regardless of subject
matter mastery, would have to get the highest grades.
The Relationship among Aptitude, Achievement,
and Grade in Self-Referenced Grading

Aptitude Level Achievement Level Grade

High High High

Average Average

Low Low

Average High High

Average High

Low Average

Low High High

Average High

Low High
Norm-Referenced Grading
• In norm-referenced grading, a student grade depends on his
or her achievement as compared with the achievement of
other students in a class (Kubiszyn & Borich, 2013).
Normally, in this grading model, students’ scores are ranked
and only certain proportion of students are given
designated grades based on the distribution curve. Higher
grades are given to top students, lower grades to the
bottom students, and middle grades for most mid-rank
students. This grading method has been also known as
“grading on a curve”. Norm-Referenced
Sample Distribution of Grades Example in a Norm-
Referenced Grading

Grade Percentage of students receiving

A 10

B 20

C 40

D 20

F 10
Standards-Based Grading
• The standards-based grading is the most common
grading model used in schools. Unlike with the
norm-referenced grading where the entirety of
grade scale is guaranteed to be distributed to the
students in a class, it is possible for all students to
get 1.0s 0r 5.0s or any other grade in between.
• In percentage-based scale, cut-off percentages
are set at particular achievement levels and are
used to identify certain levels of mastery of the
subject. Usually, the school system establishes the
scale
 Percentage-based Grading
Example
Grade Percentage

1.0 97-100

1.25 94-96

1.5 91-93

1.75 88-90

2.0 85-87

2.25 82-84

2.5 79-81

2.75 76-78

3.0 75

5.0 74 and below

Methods of Reporting Grades/Symbols
used in Reporting Grades

• Within different grading models, a variety of

symbols have been used to report grades. Some of
the more common types are discussed in this
section
Letter Grades

• One of the most common method to report the

level of student’s achievement is to use letter
grades. This method traditionally uses capital
letters A, B, C, D and F ordered by decreasing
performance levels, with each letter corresponding
to different adjectives such as outstanding, very
good, average, poor, and unsatisfactory.
Numerical Grades
• To further complicate things, some numerical
grading system are reported through numerical
scales, with each point within the scale
representing a percentage range. The best example
for this is our own grading system (1.0-5.0). In our
grading system for example, a grade of 1.0 would
mean that the computed grade was anywhere
between 97 to 100, and a grade of 2.25 would
mean a computed grade of 82, 83, or 84. The
increments between each grade point also varies
from one school to another.
Checklist/Rubrics
• Since letter, numerical, or pass-fail grades may fail
to accurately define student’s achievement, many
report cards now include checklists and/or rubrics
as supplement to those grade symbols. Usually,
these checklists and rubrics are being employed to
provide information about non-academic aspects of
the student such as the “observed value” section
that can be found in a K to 12 Report Card (Figure
1)