Keep Standards-based Grading!

Lawrence Public Schools should continue using and developing standards-based grading for our children!
Lawrence has been grading "standards" for several years now. Parents, students and teachers can see what kids know and what they are still learning. Our students continue to score high on standardized tests, meeting the requirements of No Child Left Behind. NCLB has made standardized testing more important, so teaching "standards" has become more important as well. It's logical that we assess children on standards instead of averaging scores.

Standards-based grading informs the student about their mastery of knowledge.

Standards-based grading informs the teacher about what they should be teaching.

Standards-based grading informs the parent about specific learning.

Learn more factual information about Standards-based grading. Here is a pdf file of frequently asked questions that you will find quite informative.

http://www.mead354.org/uploaded/faculty/dmccomas/Classroom_Management/SBG_FAQs_for_parents_and_students.pdf

"Standards" have been around for a long time. There are "national standards" from which states derive the "state standards". States then develop a standardized test that children are supposed to pass or the school is labeled as failing. So, it makes sense that teachers are teaching "standards" in their lessons and assignments. It is also logical for the teacher to grade on the same "standards" on which everyone judges the schools and the whole educational system.

Standards-based grading is intended to communicate information about learning with students, teachers and parents. Standards-based grading assesses the child and what they have mastered instead of averaging the assignments, homework and tests.

Here's another website with factual information about standards-based grading.  http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/ch1/grdstndrdbasdrptng.aspx