Written by Dr. Ryan Rathje

Why do the vast majority of classrooms use traditional point/percentage/letter grading systems?

Do these systems effectively communicate the progress of student learning?
No.

Do these systems give the student feedback on how to improve?
No.

Do these systems output data that are valid or reliable?
No.

Do these systems support a growth mindset in students?
No.

Do these systems align with what we believe about student growth and development?
No.

Do these systems help students who need the most help?
No.

Are letter grades, points, and percentages necessary for someone to learn?
No.

Do these systems align with common sense?
No.

Are parents aware of how faulty the traditional system is?
Absolutely not.

Is there any justifiable rationale for these systems to continue?
No.

The traditional grading system is broken.
If you are a teacher reading this right now, you may be feeling defensive. That is a natural human reaction. However, I would remind you that you didn’t make this system up. You are probably using it because it was what was done to you and no one taught you a different way.

Even within the educational system, some know that traditional grading is not effective. Let us consider two groups of people: kindergarten teachers and coaches. In their own unique ways, both know how learning needs to take place and how to report data that help students improve.

• The typical kindergarten report card lists information that is specific about the level of development of the student. Kindergarten students are not typically given a single letter grade for a subject. Particular skills are articulated, and progress on those skills is communicated. Why does that practice stop once they enter first grade?
• Any coach worth their whistle knows how to keep various statistics in order to improve the performance of the player and the team. They do not combine all the stats into a letter grade and tell each player they earned a “B+” or a “D-” after a drill or contest. Any coach who relied on a system of grades as their communication tool would not be coaching for long.

Grades are not necessary for learning; however, feedback is vital. Feedback is defined as “information . . . that reduces the discrepancy between what is understood and what is aimed to be understood” (Hattie & Gan, 2011, p. 258). Good teachers, coaches, parents, and employers know how important feedback is for improvement. What does a letter grade communicate? A letter grade does not meet the definition of feedback but still serves as the main language of communication to students and parents.

It is time for something better.
For the past 15+ years, I have shifted my teaching practice at the elementary and high school levels away from the traditional point/percentage/letter grade system. Why? I wanted to be able to answer “yes” to many of the questions at the beginning of this post.

Additionally, I will share a specific experience that haunts me. During my second year of teaching, a parent asked me how her son could improve in reading. My response was, “If he turned in his assignments on time, it would certainly help.” To this day, I am ashamed of that answer. I gave that mother no feedback (see the definition above) about her son’s reading skills. I had no specific data available to me about the boy’s strengths and struggles in order to help him. All I addressed was how his grade could improve. I needed a new system.

Thankfully, there has been much written on assessment and grading (a few resources are recommended below), and other teachers and schools have changed. The more I learned, the more I realized how massive the gap was between my practice and what research and common sense told me was effective. The more I asked “Why?” and searched for answers, the more obvious it became that a change was needed. I began the journey toward standards-based assessment and grading.

There is not space in a single blog post to explain everything in detail; however, imagine the kindergarten report card with specific information reported for every student. Add in the data tracking of a typical athletic coach, and you get something very powerful to improve student learning. I cannot express the profound impact this change has had on my teaching practice. It has transformed my teaching into an actual ministry. I now have specific information to help me minister to the needs of individual students and help them improve. My practice is now more effective and rigorous. It holds students more accountable, aligns with research, and is more relational. I cannot recommend this direction highly enough.

Since grading practices impact every student, it is time for them to be effective.|
I urge the reader to begin the common-sense approach of aligning your assessment and grading practices with your values and beliefs about students and learning. The change process may be slow, but any movement toward solid assessment and grading practices is better than the status quo.

May God bless your efforts!

Dr. Ryan Rathje (MLC ’98) currently serves as instructor and academic dean at St. Croix Lutheran Academy and as a graduate adjunct faculty member for Martin Luther College.

Reference
Hattie, J., & Gan, M. (2011). Instruction based on feedback. In R. Mayer & P. Alexander (eds.), Handbook of research on learning and instruction (pp. 249–271). Routledge.

Recommended Reading:
Guskey, T. R. (2015). On your mark: Challenging the conventions of grading and reporting. Solution Tree Press.

Marzano, R. J. (2010). Formative assessment & standards-based grading. Solution Tree Press.

Stiggins, R. (2017). The perfect assessment system. ASCD.