What Is The Failure Of A Standardized Grading System

One of the foremost problems with the modern education systems is its lack of standardized grading, and its failure to quantify something as qualitative as learning and growth. The common classroom in today’s society has reached a stereotypical basis for grading and what is expected of schools at a countrywide level. Some schools nationwide have tried to solve this problem with a different method of grading that involves the growth and proficiency in a subject area rather than being based on a weighted average of all the points accumulated throughout a semester. This method is known as standard-based grading (Hochbein). While normal grading is based on a cumulation of points that are awarded or penalized through extra credit, late turn-ins,

One principal, Marty Pollio, stated that he had more helpful conversations with parents and teachers about how well their struggling students were beginning to grasp the concepts of previously tedious subjects (Hochbein). Most colleges, scholarships, extracurricular activities, and even some jobs require a minimum GPA that not all students have the easiest access or understanding of in a high school setting (Hochbein). Allowing for students to improve and learn based on how they grow and actively seek help in a subject matter provides a better basis for success later in life. Chiefly, the changes showed improvements in some mathematics and reading scores. On the other hand, these changes took time and are still being worked on. The idea is still a new concept to the schools and it will take even more time to develop into something more helpful, but it is already showing improvement. Some key problems with a system like this are differences in pre-secondary school education and language barriers (Hochbein). Another problem arises in the teacher’s preference, as the grades are based on their judgment of a student’s individual performance and participation. Every solution to a common problem involves taking quite a few baby steps first, but something so revolutionary causes some new issues to

Ms. Krick writes about the values of education against the values of good grades in the real world, and how societal standards have biased the educational field into believing college is a necessary on a career path for success, and in order to get to college, good grades are a requirement, but a testing of one’s actual knowledge is not. The main issue both of these topics bring up is that the success of any of these methods of education or measures of success in life are based solely on the individual. One must be determined and hardworking in order to achieve greatness. Teachers need to push rigor and maximize learning efficiency while students need to build their confidence and education up. Schooling has a huge influence on every form of development: academically, personally, athletically, socially, emotionally, and financially. School should be used to build a foundation not only in problem solving and analyzing data, but in developing competence, integrity, and understanding how to better direct a student’s emotions and goals. In order to accomplish these goals, one must work hard and above all, one must want to work hard. Mrs. Krick describes it best saying: “... hard work more importantly improves upon the self” (Krick). There are a number of bad influences on these positive outlook, such as Common Core curriculum’s