Challenging Standard Grading Practices: A Qualitative Action Research Study

The present qualitative Action Research study was conducted to determine students’ perceptions of current teacher grading practices and how a standards-based grading (SBG) report card affected secondary students’ perceptions and understanding of grade fairness and accuracy compared to a standard report card, which reports a single grade that often combines academic achievement with behaviors, attendance, homework completion, deadlines and the like. At the end of the first four-and-a-half week grading period of the fall 2016 semester, a group of tenth-grade English II Honors students were presented with two different report cards, one that utilized a single numerical average and one that disaggregated achievement by learning standard. Qualitative data was collected through the use of interviews and a Likert scale and was disaggregated by gender. The results showed that these honors students preferred standard grading practices and report cards. An analysis of the results showed no difference in responses based on gender but did suggest that the students’ White, middle-class identities may have shaped their perceptions of school. The results of this study were used to develop an Action Plan in conjunction with the student-participants that impacts policy and gives students a voice in their own assessment and enables teachers to design and implement effective grading practices