Two teachers, Sherry Good and Brent Reinhardt, have established a new system of grading this year. It’s known as Standard Based Grading and is becoming more popular among teachers every year. However, it is not always so popular with the students.
In the Standard Based Grading system, students are graded based on their ability to pass a standard, versus being graded on the percentage of the material that they could remember for the test. The student is graded on a scale of 1-4, with one meaning they need to look at the standard again, two meaning they did fine but could use some improvement, and three meaning they understand it well. A four is only awarded if the student can take the standard and apply it to everyday life. If a student has trouble passing a standard, they get the chance to retake questions over the material for a chance to raise their grade.
Brent said that when he first introduced Standard Based Grading, the reaction was negative because “change is difficult and they didn’t understand how it worked.” When asked what they might feel about it now, he responded that “Some students love the change, some hate it and most everyone learns to just live with it without much opinion.”
A few students offered their view on the new system as well. “I like it, but it’s difficult to find out my letter grade, which can be frustrating,” says Jonah Hostetler (‘18). Isabel Rondo (‘16) adds that “It seems easier for the teachers but not for the students.” Carissa Hostetler (‘17”) thinks it’s alright and “likes being able to redo standards and get a better grade for them.”
The opinions are pretty mixed about Standard Based Grading, but most people seem to like it. Olivia Lapadat (‘18) said “I like having one class with Standard Based Grading, but I wouldn’t want every class to use it,” suggesting a nice compromise for those who aren’t big fans of the grading system.