What we know about grading -- Building the foundation -- Developing the grading structure -- The high school variation -- Considerations that affect grading -- Assignments, assessments, and the gradebook -- Timeline, avoiding grade inflation, and decision time -- Getting buy-in -- The development teams -- Critical notes.

Many educators agree that the 100-point grading model is not always a reliable way to evaluate student learning. But is there another way to more accurately and equitably grade students and provide high-quality information to parents while fostering student learning? If so, why haven't school districts across the country changed their practices? In Changing the Grade, author and educator Jonathan Cornue presents a detailed model for developing a more reliable, standards-based grading system--including 30 steps to guide you through the process. In addition to identifying and addressing the barriers to change--such as concerns about how colleges and employers will interpret an alternative grading model--Cornue offers a concrete structure for changing the grading system, providing guidnace on: thinking in a new way about why grades are given and the purpose of a report card grade; identifying what needs to be changed and what actions must be taken to facilitate the change; building a team of stakeholders--including teachers, principals, and guidance counselors--to lead the change process; developing the new standards-based grading structure; designing standards-based assignments and assessments that align with a new grading structure; avoiding grade inflation; and getting buy-in from teachers and other staff members, principals, administrators, the board of education, and the community by demonstrating that the change process is intentional, research-based, student-focused, and permanent. This book also includes helpful samples of standards-based gradebooks, homework assignments, rubrics, and report cards--back cover