Middle School Teachers and Principal's Perceptions of Standards-Based Grading

Dublin, Shane M.

Middle School Teachers and Principal's Perceptions of Standards-Based Grading

Publique Deposited

A goal of education at all levels from early childhood efforts to post-secondary instruction is student learning. A key strategy to ensure learning is occurring is to report the learning at regular intervals to those involved and interested in the outcome. Therefore, grading and reporting student learning surface as integral parts of a learning institution’s endeavors. Standards-based grading (SBG) is one way to report learning and was the focus of this quantitative study. Specifically, this study explored the perceptions of middle school teachers and principals regarding standards-based grading and effective practices to accompany SBG. The need for a valid and reliable survey became clear; therefore, much time, effort and focus went into developing a survey instrument, testing the instrument in various pilot settings and then revising it to ensure the final study would garner results worthy of making predictions and descriptive statements regarding the sample population as well as the educational community at large. The sample population consisted of teachers and principals in 217 middle and junior high schools within 36 counties in the western region of Missouri. Respondents were overall favorable to both scales on the survey—collaborative culture and perception of standards-based grading practices. There were a number of statistically significant differences; however the results would point to schools being ripe, or at least somewhat open, to SBG implementation. The first step, developing a collaborative culture, is in place in the sample population and presents a platform for SBG to take root. Further study is recommended into how SBG affects student achievement and what long-term results may be regarding perceptions and the collaborative culture. In addition, the middle school focus of this study leaves open the elementary and secondary arenas for similar research. Another avenue this study could spur is how students perceive standards-based grading and what effect the practices have on their learning and progress in the classroom.

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