Grading at Homewood High

Evidence-Based Grading is a way of reporting student learning that focuses on the specific skills students are expected to develop rather than simply averaging points earned on assignments and assessments. In a traditional grading system, a student's scores are averaged into a percentage. In Evidence-Based Grading, assessments provide evidence of a student's proficiency in specific skills. The student's grade reflects the evidence of learning demonstrated over time. The goal is for grades to communicate what a student knows and can do while also giving students clear information about what they need to work on next

We want grades to provide meaningful information about student learning and help students become more self-reliant learners. In a traditional grading system, students can become focused on questions such as, "How many points do I need?" EBG shifts the focus toward questions such as, "What do I understand? What skills have I demonstrated? What am I still working to develop? What does my teacher's feedback tell me? What do I need to do next?" These are skills students will need beyond high school. In college and careers, students will increasingly be expected to evaluate their own learning, seek help when needed, respond to feedback, and take action to improve.

The biggest difference is that EBG no longer uses a student's overall percentage on an assessment to determine the grade. Instead, the grade is determined by the level of proficiency the student has reached in each skill. For example, rather than simply saying that a student earned an 82% on an assessment, EBG allows us to identify the specific skills the student has demonstrated successfully and the skills that still need development. This gives students and teachers more useful information about what the student knows and what needs to happen next.

Before an assessment is given, the teachers on the course team identify the specific success criteria students need to demonstrate in order to meet or exceed mastery. The team uses those criteria to design and calibrate assessments. Calibration is an important part of the process because teachers review assessments together and make sure that the evidence required to meet is consistent across teachers and sections of the same course. Calibration also gives teachers a process for discussing an assessment if there is ever a question about whether a student's work demonstrates a particular level of proficiency.

Teachers within the same course or subject area work collaboratively to establish the skills and success criteria students are expected to demonstrate. Teams collaborate to discuss what different levels of proficiency look like. This process helps ensure that students in different sections of the same course are being assessed against the same learning expectations. 

Students' proficiency is reported using four levels: Exceeding, Meeting, Approaching, and Developing. “Exceeding” means the student's skill level exceeds the standard. “Meeting” means the student's skill level meets the standard. “Approaching” means the student's skill level is emerging and is not yet meeting the standard. “Developing” means the student's skill level is developing foundational knowledge and prerequisite skills. These levels are intended to communicate where a student currently is in their learning and help identify the appropriate next step.

The overall semester grade is based on the student's demonstrated level of proficiency in each of the identified skills over the course of the semester. We use both mode and recency when determining a student's level of proficiency. The grade is determined by the level at which a student is most consistently demonstrating the skill while also considering the most recent evidence of learning. This is intentional because we want grades to reflect what a student knows and can do now, while also allowing grades to reflect growth over time. For example, if a student initially demonstrates “Developing” on a skill but later demonstrates “Meeting” multiple times on that same skill, that later evidence matters. An early struggle does not permanently determine the student's proficiency level. At the same time, students are expected to continue working toward proficiency throughout the course. EBG is designed to keep the focus on continued learning and demonstrating proficiency rather than accumulating enough points early in a grading period to stop working toward deeper understanding. The Final Skill-to-Grade Conversion Chart is used to convert students’ final skill proficiency levels into a letter grade for report card and transcript purposes. In other words, the final proficiency level for skills 1, 2, and 3 (as indicated on the student’s EBG dashboard) are combined to determine the final letter grade for the course. The Final Skill-to-Grade Conversion Chart is available directly on the student's dashboard. It is also available on the HHS website under Academics.

The overall percentage from the previous system and the current proficiency levels are measuring learning in fundamentally different ways, so they are not direct equivalents. Under the previous system, the overall percentage on a test contributed points toward an average. Under EBG, an assessment provides evidence of a student's proficiency in specific skills. That evidence is considered alongside evidence from other learning opportunities throughout the semester to determine the student's current level of proficiency. Because the systems measure learning differently, an 85% on an assessment from the previous system does not necessarily correspond to a particular proficiency level in the new system.

The final course grade is based on evidence of proficiency in the identified course skills. Practice and preparation activities do not calculate into the final course grade. Instead, they provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, receive feedback, correct mistakes, and prepare to demonstrate proficiency. Assessments that are designed to provide evidence of proficiency are used to determine a student's level of demonstrated learning.

Practice is an important part of learning, but practice is not the same thing as demonstrated mastery. Students need opportunities to practice skills, make mistakes, receive feedback, and improve without every practice attempt permanently affecting their grade. At HHS, practice and preparation are tracked through the Preparation Log. While this information is not calculated into the final course grade, it is an important part of the learning process. Consistent practice, feedback, and preparation help students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to demonstrate proficiency on assessments.

Practice matters because students cannot develop proficiency without opportunities to learn and practice. The Preparation Log communicates whether students are consistently completing the practice and preparation needed to be successful. Students are expected to use practice to prepare for assessments, respond to feedback, correct errors, and strengthen areas where they need additional development. If a student is having difficulty demonstrating proficiency of a skill and the preparation log indicates a student has not prepared, that communicates to the student that he/she needs to complete the practice opportunities provided. At the same time, a student who has already demonstrated proficiency of a skill may not need additional practice and is not penalized for not completing practice that is unnecessary.  The purpose is not to make practice meaningless. It is to separate practice for learning from evidence used to determine a student's level of proficiency.

EBG is not based on a single opportunity to demonstrate learning. Students have opportunities throughout the learning process to demonstrate their understanding of course skills. When a student has not yet demonstrated proficiency, additional opportunities may be provided after the student has had opportunities to receive feedback, practice, receive additional instruction, or address gaps in understanding. These opportunities are not simply about replacing a low score with a higher score. The purpose is for students to demonstrate their current level of proficiency after additional learning has occurred. Because EBG considers evidence over time, later evidence of learning can show growth and may become more representative of what a student currently knows and can do.

Feedback is an important part of Evidence-Based Grading. Students receive information about what they are doing well, where their skill development currently falls, and what they can do to continue moving toward proficiency. Feedback may occur during instruction, through assessments, during individual conversations, or through other communication with the teacher. The goal is for feedback to help students answer: What do I understand? What am I still struggling with? What evidence shows that? What do I need to do to improve? What additional evidence do I need to show my teacher to earn a “meeting” or “exceeding” proficiency?

Student progress is communicated through three integrated measures: Preparation, Academic Progress, and Proficiency. Preparation answers the question, "How am I preparing?" The Preparation Log tracks practice and preparation and provides information about student work, readiness, responsibility, and self-efficacy. Academic Progress answers the question, "How am I progressing?" Academic Progress indicates whether a student is on track toward expected course milestones or may need additional practice or support. This information is reported every two weeks. Proficiency answers the question, "How am I doing?" The Proficiency Log uses assessment evidence to show skill mastery. Together, these measures provide a more complete picture of student learning than a single percentage.

The Preparation Log tracks a student's practice and preparation. It is not calculated into the final course grade, but it is an important part of the learning process. It shows whether students are completing the practice and preparation needed to be ready to demonstrate proficiency. Students may be identified as Prepared, Somewhat Prepared, or Not Prepared. Prepared means practice is completed on time and the student is ready to use it. Somewhat Prepared means practice is completed inconsistently and/or with inconsistent accuracy. Not Prepared means practice is missing or significantly incomplete. Students should use this information to reflect on their work habits and take action when preparation needs to improve.

Academic Progress indicates whether a student is on track or needs additional practice or support. It reflects the teacher's level of concern about the student's progress toward expected course milestones and is reported twice a month. Students may be identified as Not Concerned, Somewhat Concerned, or Concerned. Not Concerned means there are no concerns at this time and the student is on a positive trajectory for academic growth. Somewhat Concerned means there is moderate concern about the student's development toward proficiency and additional support is encouraged. Concerned means there is significant concern about the student's development toward proficiency. Support is required, and the student may be at risk of failing the course. Academic Progress is intended to help students and families identify concerns early rather than waiting until the end of a grading period.

The Proficiency Log shows what students have demonstrated they know and can do in the identified course skills. Students receive a proficiency level for each skill. Exceeding means the student's skill level exceeds the standard. Meeting means the student's skill level meets the standard. Approaching means the student's skill level is emerging and is not yet meeting the standard. Developing means the student's skill level is developing foundational knowledge and prerequisite skills. The Proficiency Log is the evidence used to determine the student's level of proficiency in the skills that contribute to the final course grade.

The proficiency level is intended to tell the student what to do next. A student who is Approaching should use feedback to identify and correct mistakes and continue practicing the skills that need development. A student who is Developing should review foundational skills, practice regularly, and use available resources and support. Students should not simply look at the proficiency level and ask, "How many points do I need?" They should use the evidence and feedback to identify what they need to learn or improve upon.

One of the goals of EBG is to build student self-efficacy. We want students to become increasingly able to evaluate their own learning rather than relying on a grade to tell them whether they are successful. Students should learn to examine their evidence, consider teacher feedback, identify the skills they have mastered, recognize the skills they still need to develop, and determine what they need to do next. This is a significant shift in thinking. The goal is for students to take increasing ownership of their learning rather than relying on a grading system simply to tell them whether they have earned enough points.

Yes. Students entering college or careers need to be able to evaluate their own learning, understand feedback, recognize areas where they need help, seek out resources, and take action to improve. EBG gives students regular opportunities to practice these skills. The goal is that students leave high school knowing not only what grade they earned, but also with the understanding of how to evaluate what they know, what they need to improve, and what they can do next in future education or career settings.

Students at Homewood High School still receive letter grades for their courses. Those letter grades are reported to colleges, universities, and scholarship programs in the same way other high school grades are reported, including through the student's corresponding GPA. Evidence-Based Grading changes the way we gather and use evidence to determine a student's level of learning; it does not change the letter-grade system students receive for their courses.

The Final Skill-to-Grade Conversion Chart is available directly on the student's dashboard. It is also available on the HHS website under Academics.