Grading With Integrity
A Research-Based Approach Grounded in Honesty, Transparency, Accuracy, and Equity
- Thomas R. Guskey - University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
- Nancy Frey - San Diego State University, USA
- Douglas Fisher - San Diego State University, USA
Let evidence and integrity guide your grading practice
If you want to ask a polarizing question in education, ask someone their thoughts on grading. Few topics have elicited more interest or opinions, even though grading practices have remained relatively unchanged for years. But opinions are not evidence. The time has come to get it right with a fresh approach grounded in research and the principles of integrity.
Grading With Integrity introduces a measured approach to grading reform based on honesty, transparency, accuracy, and equity with recommendations backed by clear and trustworthy evidence. Addressing the many “whys’’ involved, this thoughtfully organized book addresses central questions related to grading and reporting student learning, covering:
- An historical overview of grading and reporting practices
- A discussion of standards-based and competency-based grading
- Recommendations for reporting non academic learning goals separately from academic achievement, to accurately reflect students' performance
- Suggestions for reporting growth and improvement, using specific assessments and other reporting tools
- An infallible argument for grading with integrity
This book is a must-read for K-12 classroom teachers and administrators who are looking to implement better and more defensible grading and reporting policies and practices. Let evidence and integrity be your guide to enhancing students’ best interests and learning success.
I recommend this book, one hundred percent. The timing of this text couldn’t be more perfect. As educators, we need to start and plan with the end in mind and continue to push our students in the best way possible. This book starts the conversations that allows our students to grow in the right directions.
Grading With Integrity sets the foundation for examining current grading practices by providing historical context, setting a purpose, and delving into our grading schemas. Incorporating real-life examples of challenges and purposes, the book addresses multiple facets within the complexity of grading based on the most current research. Practical strategies and tools for assessment and grading are intertwined throughout each chapter, equipping educators with the necessary resources to implement fair and effective grading practices in their classrooms.
Grades are a huge component of our education system and students’ understanding of “self” while in school. Yet we don’t spend enough time discussing the best practices of communicating grades and scoring student work in ways that are meaningful to the necessary stakeholders, students, teachers, and families. I believe that Grading with Integrity will provide much-needed guidance to teachers and school leaders with varying levels of expertise and experience.
I have the highest degree of confidence in the authors of Grading with Integrity as researchers and practitioners. Grading With Integrity provides the important research over the past century on a variety of grading practices but most importantly, the key research on best practices for creating a system for grading for equity! Not only do the authors do the arduous work of synthesizing and presenting key research, they also provide many practical examples and advice for implementation. What a combination!
