Some teachers are starting standards-referenced grading (SRG) this school year. The switch has affected their way of teaching and grading. 

“You know before with everything, based on more of a point system. This is more based on the standard of what we’re actually teaching.” PE teacher William Wise said, “So there’s a lot more especially in my classes a lot of emphasis on skill level and where they stand. So you know I really have to assess where the kids are at with their skill level with the games that we are playing.”

“Yeah, the focus is more on mastery and less on a,b,c,d those kinds of grades,” Drawing and Painting teacher Gina Brillhart said. “So it really more focusing on what kids know instead of can they do extra credit to make up for things. So it’s really based on what kids are learning.”

Teachers have made adjustments to fit the new system.

“I’ve had to kind of go back and change some of my rubrics and kind of make sure they are focused on specific targets and standards. Instead of just specific skills,” Brillhart said.

This has caused tense feelings for everyone including students.

“I’ll still have to learn new things from how they do it,” Junior Colin Jones said. “Or how they might you know grade and stuff from SRG. But I’ll still understand like the basics of it and how it’ll work. I enjoyed learning about it and I’m kind of nervous putting it into practice but I think the more we use it and get more comfortable with it. I think it’ll work well for everyone.”

During the 2022-23 school year entry-level courses will start implementing SRG. There will be family sessions to learn more about SRG throughout September and October. For more info go to usd259.org/grading.