Standards Based Grading (SBG) Scales

Standards Based Grading (SBG) Scales

Instead of simply counting the number of problems a student gets correct (as in traditional grading), Standards Based Grading enables a student to earn credit (and grades!) based on what they can do.

Instead of the traditional percentage scores that used to go in the gradebook, students will see labels that describe their current level of mastery of any standard (think of them as “topics”) covered. In addition to tracking their progress on their own, students will always be able to see exactly what they can do and what they still need to work on – Because of this, there are opportunities built in for students to constantly work to increase their abilities as well as their grades!

Akins has adopted a 4 point scale – 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 that will be used as follows:

0 – No Evidence of Mastery – NEV – this will count as a 60 for grade purposes and indicates that a student has attempted to complete an assignment/assessment but is unable to complete it correctly, even with help. That’s ok! We all start out this way 

1 – Emerging– EMG – This will count as a 70 and indicates that a student is able to be partially successful with help Everyone needs help sometimes!

2 – Approaching – APR – This counts as an 80 and indicates that a student is able to demonstrate partial mastery of a topic on his/her own.

Now that you’re walking on your own and exploring on your own, who knows what you’ll find?!?!

3 – Proficient – PRF – This equates to a 90 in the gradebook and indicates that a student is successful on their own the majority of the time.

On your way to mastery! Believe and keep working and you’ll get there 

4 – Mastery – MST – This counts as a 100 in the gradebook and indicates that a student is not only successful with a topic but is able to apply it to new or more complex situations.

Total Math Hero status!

Where do these scores come from?

1 - Each unit of study will begin with a Pre-Test. Students will complete the pre-test and their raw percentage will be converted to the scale score and entered into the gradebookaccording to the following:
0 – 50% correct = Scale 0 (NEV) 51% - 85% correct = Scale 1 (EMG) 86% - 100% correct = Scale 2 (APR)

2 – After the pre-test, we will review supporting skills that students have already been exposed to but may have forgotten and students will take a shorter assessment about that specific topic that will also be entered in the gradebook. These intermediate assessments will be graded as far as a student completes problems correctly – once a problem is worked incorrectly, we will stop grading and that is the scale from which the student will work to reassess.

3 – We will address any new material as a class and students will have time to work in stations or otherwise on any materials they need to address – Each topic will be assessed separately and will be entered into the gradebook.

4 – When all topics have been covered and assessed, student will take a Post-Test that covers the same variety of material as the Pre-Test. The raw percentage score will be scaled according to the 0 through 4 values presented on the other page.

For example –

The first standards we will address are A2A and A6A – In Algebra 1 these standards cover Domain and Range. Students will take a pre-test and then there are 3 “subtopics” to delve into and then students will take a post-test. This means there will be 5 grades entered into the gradebook to calculate a student’s average.

Example Student:A2A/A6A Pre-Test - 25% correct = scale 0 (TEAMS 60 - NEV)

A2A/A6A Functions – scale 2 (TEAMS 80 - APR)

A2A/A6A Continuous – scale 2 (TEAMS 80 - APR)

A2A/A6A Discrete – scale 3 (TEAMS 90 - PRF)

A2A/A6A Post-Test – 85% correct – scale 2 (TEAMS 80 - APR)

**The majority of Example’s assessments are higher than the pre-test, so that score will be dropped in TEAMS! This means Example’s grade in Algebra at this point is an 83! (80+80+90+80 = 330, 330/4 = 82.5)– Student’s grades will be based purely on what they are able to accomplish! The only other impact to a student’s average will be from their willingness to reflect on what they are doing and accomplishing (metacognition 20%).

All assessments (except for the pre-test) can be re-taken for higher scores! Students will take their scored assessment to tutoring (either during their teacher’s specified hours, FIT, or Homework Haven) and get help with the problems they did not successfully complete. The person who helps them will sign the paper and the student will take it back to their teacher to schedule a re-assessment appointment. The topic assessments can be completed during FIT, but the post-tests are longer and will need to be scheduled during after school tutoring or Homework Haven – They cannot be split between multiple FIT sessions.

If a student completes the tutoring / re-assessment cycle after a 6weeks cycle closes, teachers will go back and submit grade changes to raise report card grades! WHEN a concept is mastered is not as important as the fact that it IS MASTERED and we want students’ grades to reflect what they can do more than when they were able to do it.

Name ______Standard / Unit ______

Name ______Standard / Unit ______