Traditional Grading Is Objective, and Other Myths

Tim Westerberg, as heard at the School Administrators of Iowa Conference August 2014

Only 31% of 2011 ACT tested students meet all four benchmarks of success in college.

89% of high school instructors claim their students are college-ready; 26% of college instructors claim their students arrived in a state of college-readiness.

Highly questionable grading practices:

1. The practice of giving zeroes (in the 100 point system) for work not turned in. (At N-K, we are implementing W.I.N. time as one method to ensure students complete and submit all assigned work; we are also implementing a re-do/re-take policy that allows students to re-assess for a better grade.)
2. The practice of giving extra credit.
1. This is typically used to mitigate the negative effect of incomplete work or low grades on regularly assigned work.
3. The practice of combining academic understanding with citizenship and work habits.
1. Doing so destroys the validity of the assessments/assignments
4. The practice of averaging.
1. By definition, this means the combining of unlike elements.  In N-K's new system that eliminates the averaging of two quarter grades and a semester test grade, if a teacher continues averaging grades at the classroom level this produces equally inaccurate measures of learning and mastery.
5. The "Semester Killer".
6. Homework policies that discourage the completion of late/missing work.
1. This happens when a student earns a zero for late/missing work, and life moves on.
2. Instead, if all work that teachers assign was important enough to assign, then it's important for all students to do it.  Therefore, when a student does NOT turn in work, there must be an immediate response (which is one of the main goals of N-K's W.I.N. time)

Our current system of grading is definitely NOT objective, due to the varying practices from teacher to teacher.

Sometimes It's Easier Just to Make a List

At the start of each school year, I make it a point to share with stakeholders a list of the district's improvements.  First, it's important to keep people informed of how their tax dollars are being invested, and it also illustrates the fact that--in very tangible ways--we are always moving forward and seeking to do our work in the best way possible.

This school year we have MANY changes to share and be proud of, and sometimes it's easier just to make a list, then explain the highlights later when time and blog space permit!

That being said, as far as infrastructure goes:

1. New scoreboards at the ball diamonds and in the HS gym
2. Automated field irrigation at the football practice field and both ball diamonds
3. Re-poured the cement pad under the home football bleachers to ensure proper drainage
4. Re-poured many cement entryways to the building to eliminate irregularities
5. Magnetic hold-open devices installed on classroom doors to support fire safety
6. New heating/cooling systems in the weight room and wrestling room
7. Improved and more efficient gym lighting, and new sound systems in both gyms
8. A new phone, bells, and intercom system 
9. New MacBook Air laptops for all of our students

For staff, I am proud to introduce:

1. Miss Ross, our new Family and Consumer Sciences teacher
2. Mr. Rabinovich, our new physics, chemistry, and junior high science teacher
3. Mr. Barnes, our new band instructor

Most importantly, I believe, are the changes to the day-to-day instructional program:

1. The establishment of a building-wide intervention period, called W.I.N. (What I Need) Time.  During this 25 minute daily block, students with incomplete work, struggling grades, or in need of other supports will work in small groups with their teachers to be more successful in the classroom.
2. Credit recovery in the summer--if a student fails a class, or is unable to meet all the course requirements by the end of the school year, they have the option to attend summer school to earn those academic credits.   This helps to keep a student on track for graduation, rather than falling behind.
3. Students who show that they can "do better" on a test, quiz, or other assessment will be allowed to re-do or re-take the assessment (in a different form).  If a student wants to put forth extra effort to earn a better grade, how can we say "no" to that?
4. The establishment of an alternative program, for students who struggle with a chronic lack of achievement.

I'll be sharing more information about the last four items as the year progresses, but for now wanted to communicate to you that Northwood-Kensett is poised for another successful year of student achievement and improvement, and I am excited to be a part of it.