Grading in an Inclusive Classroom

Grading is always a hot topic in schools. Throw into the mix a classroom with learners who access the curriculum in various ways, students who are "off" grade level, and mindset shifts of what meeting the standard really is, and you're left with a Pandora's box of questions.

A friend of mine, Julia Snider (who has her own awesome blog), shared with me this amazing resource she found. It's been a go-to of mine over the last two years as an instructional coach for my schools.

Grading Resource 101

Flowchart: This is a GEM!

This is a helpful tool when determining HOW to start the grading process. It's referred to on the Think Inclusive blog as well. IEP teams can use this to determine how to write grading procedures into the IEP. Co-teach teams can use when grading assignments, assessments, and projects.

Dennis Munk, Ph.D., from the University of Kansas, provides an extraordinary resource for teachers that describes adapted grading.

Below are some of his suggestions for teachers:

a) Prioritize assignments that will cover most of the material

b) Incorporate progress on IEP objectives

c) Grade on processes used to complete work

d) Grade student effort, changing weights and scales

e) Assess progress made over time

Modified Grading:

A student receiving modifications should receive a modified grading scale. A narrative, described in the IEP grading portion, should detail the specific criteria put in place with justifications WHY the modifications are in place.  A C is meeting the standard. Inherently, a student receiving a true modification should not receive anything over a C because it would demonstrate a skill has been met above the standard and therefore a modification isn't necessary. There are always exceptions to the rule, but in general a modified assignment should help a student meet the standard.

An A is exceeding the standard
A B is above the standard
A C is meeting the standard
A D is not meeting the standard
A F should not be assigned to a student with an IEP- if a student is failing, the adult team supporting the student is failing to provide adequate supports and services

Final thoughts:

At my school in Chicago, we used a 10 point grading scale. 90-100% was an A, 80-89% was a B, etc. We decided as a school that a C is meeting the standard. That means that if you demonstrated knowledge of meeting the standard, you earn a C. This became the benchmark for many of our students who were off grade level but demonstrated that they met the standard through their accommodated work. A B is going above the standard an an A is exceeding the standard.

For a student with an IEP and an identified learning disability in reading to get an A in reading might be a falsehood of how that student is performing. They've been identified with a disability for being off grade level. That's not to say that a student with an IEP can or shouldn't ever receive an A. Each student demonstrates how they've met the standard in a different way. However, a typical rule of thumb is: if the student is performing off grade level but is able to meet the standard with an accommodation, their grade should reflect HOW they met the standard.


What grading resources have you found useful?