Developing Standards-Based Report Cards

by Thomas Guskey (Editor), Jane M. Bailey (Editor)

"Guskey and Bailey offer realistic solutions to improving how educators communicate a student′s academic progress to all stakeholders. Their work provides a faculty with the research, step-by-step guidelines, and reporting templates to begin the dialogue to develop a standards-based report card. Without a doubt, this work is a model for schools that want to improve their system of grading and reporting. It certainly has transformed ours!"
―Jeffrey Erickson, Assistant Principal
Minnetonka High School, MN

Develop standards-based report cards that are meaningful to students, parents, and educators!

Although schools have moved toward standards-based curriculum and instruction, grading practices and reporting systems have remained largely unchanged. Helping school leaders gain support for transitioning from traditional to standards-based report cards, this book guides educators in aligning assessment and reporting practices with standards-based education and providing more detailed reports of children′s learning and achievement.

A standards-based report card breaks down each subject area into specific elements of learning to offer parents and educators a more thorough description of each child′s progress toward proficiency. This accessible

Provides a clear framework for developing standards-based report cardsShows how to communicate with parents, students, and other stakeholders about changesIllustrates how to achieve grading consistency without increasing teachers′ workloads or violating their professional autonomyFilled with examples of standards-based report cards that can be adapted to a school′s needs, this practical resource shows district and school administrators how to establish reporting practices that facilitate learning.

Genres: Education, Teaching

248 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Joy Kirr · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to go to SBG, this is the book to discuss with the committee. (Yes, I read it for our committee.) It made a lot of solid points and posed many questions to consider.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this for my school. It's not a particularly fun book, but it does a good job of outlining the why and how of moving to standards-based reporting.
Includes example report cards, case studies, and clear guidelines.

[Stuart Macalpine · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent source book for making standards-based report cards. The emphasis on the idea that report cards are primarily a communication project rather than an academic one is key. He suggests that they are constructed with the wider community, unlike the other aspects of standards-based assessment which are more academic and primarily about clarity of academic information, rather than how is this effectively communicated. I am sure we will be returning to this text later.

[Kim Lanza]

Guskey prompted me to think about how our current report card system does not give a true portrait of a student's growth. His suggestion to give a grade that reflects ONLY academic achievement and then provide info on attributing factors (like homework, effort, etc.) intrigues me. Although everyone I speak to disagrees, I think it has merit and would give more honest feedback.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whenever you try to do something new, the hardest part is figuring out the right questions to ask. My favorite part of this book is how Guskey gives a list of questions--starting with "What is the purpose of this report card? Who is it for?"--and even offers suggestions on which questions should be addressed first, since they'll inform the parameters of the subsequent questions.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wouldn't this be lovely?

[Spacek Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to lead the discussion to staff.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful for any school considering a change to their report card system