In a large school district in North Carolina, the following grade /EOG disparities were discovered and reported by their E & R Department:

o Blacks, Latinos, and American Indians who scored at the highest level in Math or Reading on the standardized tests were much less likely than Asians or Whites to earn an A on their report card in either of these subjects.

o Less than a third of the Blacks and American Indians who scored at the highest level on the standardized test in reading received an A on their report card, while nearly three quarters of the Asians and more than half of Whites with similar standardized test scores in reading received an A on their report cards.

o In math, more than a quarter of Asian students who scored below grade level on their standardized tests received an A on their report cards, while no similarly scoring American Indians did.

(Paeplow, 2008)

· Even when objective grading policies exist, many teachers tend to let their own beliefs reflect in how they grade their students. Some teachers feel a sense of “ownership” with their own grading policies and are hesitant to deviate from them, even if they contradict school or district policies (Friedman, n.d.).

· Tests, quizzes, assignments, and projects should all be considered criteria for grade assignment. Traits such as “attitude” or “effort” should not be considered when assigning grades for content mastery, but may be assigned a separate grade (Friedman, n.d.).

· Some research suggests that student homework should not be given as much weight in standardized grading. The homework should be the practice in which students make their mistakes and learn from them so they can perform well on the tests (Friedman, n.d.).

· Often students who have mastered none of the material get the same grade as students who have mastered 60% of the material and students who have mastered 90% of the material, yet have zeros for unfinished homework (London, n.d.).

· Students will have a better understanding of their own level of competency if they know how others have scored on particular assignments or tests. Teachers may share with the students the average score, and perhaps list all the scores—keeping them confidential in the process (Friedman, n.d.).

· Norm-referenced grading is grading "on a curve," with the students who perform the best given the top grades. Students are judged against each other. Criterion-referenced grading is based on how well students perform certain standard tasks. Norm-referenced grading has been shown to be detrimental to relationships between teachers and students and between the students themselves (Guskey, 2001).

· Grades are usually assessed using one of the three criteria:

o Product: grade is based on the end result--what the student knows. Final tests or projects are included, but not daily assignments.

o Process: grade is based not on what the student has learned, but how the student arrives there. Daily assignments and work efforts are taken into account.

o Progress: grade is based on how much the students gain while they learn--how far they have come. Sometimes expectations are factored into the grade as well.

· were discovered and reported by their E & R Department:

o Blacks, Latinos, and American Indians who scored at the highest level in Math or Reading on the standardized tests were much less likely than Asians or Whites to earn an A on their report card in either of these subjects.

o Less than a third of the Blacks and American Indians who scored at the highest level on the standardized test in reading received an A on their report card, while nearly three quarters of the Asians and more than half of Whites with similar standardized test scores in reading received an A on their report cards.

o In math, more than a quarter of Asian students who scored below grade level on their standardized tests received an A on their report cards, while no similarly scoring American Indians did.

(Paeplow, 2008)

· Even when objective grading policies exist, many teachers tend to let their own beliefs reflect in how they grade their students. Some teachers feel a sense of “ownership” with their own grading policies and are hesitant to deviate from them, even if they contradict school or district policies (Friedman, n.d.).

· Tests, quizzes, assignments, and projects should all be considered criteria for grade assignment. Traits such as “attitude” or “effort” should not be considered when assigning grades for content mastery, but may be assigned a separate grade (Friedman, n.d.).

· Some research suggests that student homework should not be given as much weight in standardized grading. The homework should be the practice in which students make their mistakes and learn from them so they can perform well on the tests (Friedman, n.d.).

· Often students who have mastered none of the material get the same grade as students who have mastered 60% of the material and students who have mastered 90% of the material, yet have zeros for unfinished homework (London, n.d.).

· Students will have a better understanding of their own level of competency if they know how others have scored on particular assignments or tests. Teachers may share with the students the average score, and perhaps list all the scores—keeping them confidential in the process (Friedman, n.d.).

· Norm-referenced grading is grading "on a curve," with the students who perform the best given the top grades. Students are judged against each other. Criterion-referenced grading is based on how well students perform certain standard tasks. Norm-referenced grading has been shown to be detrimental to relationships between teachers and students and between the students themselves (Guskey, 2001).

· Grades are usually assessed using one of the three criteria:

o Product: grade is based on the end result--what the student knows. Final tests or projects are included, but not daily assignments.

o Process: grade is based not on what the student has learned, but how the student arrives there. Daily assignments and work efforts are taken into account.

o Progress: grade is based on how much the students gain while they learn--how far they have come. Sometimes expectations are factored into the grade as well.

· were discovered and reported by their E & R Department:

o Blacks, Latinos, and American Indians who scored at the highest level in Math or Reading on the standardized tests were much less likely than Asians or Whites to earn an A on their report card in either of these subjects.

o Less than a third of the Blacks and American Indians who scored at the highest level on the standardized test in reading received an A on their report card, while nearly three quarters of the Asians and more than half of Whites with similar standardized test scores in reading received an A on their report cards.

o In math, more than a quarter of Asian students who scored below grade level on their standardized tests received an A on their report cards, while no similarly scoring American Indians did.

(Paeplow, 2008)

· Even when objective grading policies exist, many teachers tend to let their own beliefs reflect in how they grade their students. Some teachers feel a sense of “ownership” with their own grading policies and are hesitant to deviate from them, even if they contradict school or district policies (Friedman, n.d.).

· Tests, quizzes, assignments, and projects should all be considered criteria for grade assignment. Traits such as “attitude” or “effort” should not be considered when assigning grades for content mastery, but may be assigned a separate grade (Friedman, n.d.).

· Some research suggests that student homework should not be given as much weight in standardized grading. The homework should be the practice in which students make their mistakes and learn from them so they can perform well on the tests (Friedman, n.d.).

· Often students who have mastered none of the material get the same grade as students who have mastered 60% of the material and students who have mastered 90% of the material, yet have zeros for unfinished homework (London, n.d.).

· Students will have a better understanding of their own level of competency if they know how others have scored on particular assignments or tests. Teachers may share with the students the average score, and perhaps list all the scores—keeping them confidential in the process (Friedman, n.d.).

· Norm-referenced grading is grading "on a curve," with the students who perform the best given the top grades. Students are judged against each other. Criterion-referenced grading is based on how well students perform certain standard tasks. Norm-referenced grading has been shown to be detrimental to relationships between teachers and students and between the students themselves (Guskey, 2001).

· Grades are usually assessed using one of the three criteria:

o Product: grade is based on the end result--what the student knows. Final tests or projects are included, but not daily assignments.

o Process: grade is based not on what the student has learned, but how the student arrives there. Daily assignments and work efforts are taken into account.

o Progress: grade is based on how much the students gain while they learn--how far they have come. Sometimes expectations are factored into the grade as well.