PATHWAYS TO PROFICIENCY
implementing evidence-based grading
| troy | mark | anthony r. | eric |
| GOBBLE | ONUSCHECK | REIBEL | TWADELL |
Copyright © 2017 by Solution Tree Press
Materials appearing here are copyrighted. With one exception, all rights are reserved. Readers may reproduce only those pages marked “Reproducible.” Otherwise, no part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without prior written permission of the publisher.
555 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
800.733.6786 (toll free) / 812.336.7700
FAX: 812.336.7790
email: [email protected]
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/assessment to download the free reproducibles in this book.
Printed in the United States of America
21 20 19 18 17 1 2 3 4 5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gobble, Troy, author.
Title: Pathways to proficiency : implementing evidence-based grading / Troy Gobble, Mark Onuscheck, Anthony R. Reibel, and Eric Twadell.
Description: Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016053171 | ISBN 9781942496137 (perfect bound)
Subjects: LCSH: Grading and marking (Students) | Educational tests and measurements--Methodology.
Classification: LCC LB3060.37 .G64 2017 | DDC 371.27/2--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016053171
Solution Tree
Jeffrey C. Jones, CEO
Edmund M. Ackerman, President
Solution Tree Press
President and Publisher: Douglas M. Rife
Editorial Director: Tonya Maddox Cupp
Managing Production Editor: Caroline Weiss
Senior Production Editor: Christine Hood
Senior Editor: Amy Rubenstein
Copy Chief: Sarah Payne-Mills
Copy Editors: Miranda Addonizio and Ashante K. Thomas
Proofreader: Jessi Finn
Text and Cover Designer: Rian Anderson
Editorial Assistants: Jessi Finn and Kendra Slayton
To Danielle; thanks for your love, patience, and support.
—Troy Gobble
To Dr. Bernard T. Hart, a life’s guide and a great educator.
—Mark Onuscheck
To my wife for her incredible patience and unwavering support.
—Anthony R. Reibel
For Mom; thank you for teaching me what hard work and perseverance look like.
—Eric Twadell
Acknowledgments
A long time ago, the old Yankee Stadium was called “The House That Ruth Built.” We don’t think it would stretch our credibility in the least to suggest that Adlai E. Stevenson High School is “The House That Doc Built.” Stevenson High School has been noted as the most recognized and celebrated school in America and the birthplace of the professional learning community (PLC) movement. Under the leadership of former principal and superintendent Rick DuFour (also known as Doc), Stevenson has become a model of education reform and a lighthouse to those looking to implement best practices and create a PLC culture in their own schools. Although Rick retired from Stevenson in June 2002, we owe him great gratitude, and his legacy lives on in the culture of continuous improvement that permeates every aspect of our school’s daily life. The PLC process is well embedded into the DNA of our school culture.
We feel blessed to be working at a school that has been on the leading edge of reform for more than twenty-five years, and Solution Tree has been sharing our stories along the way. Many thanks to all our friends at Solution Tree, including Jeff Jones, Ed Ackerman, Douglas Rife, and Shannon Ritz. Claudia Wheatley has been our champion and advocate, continually pushing us to clarify our thinking about proficiency and share the next chapter in our school’s story of continuous improvement. And last, but most certainly not least, we are grateful for our new friend and editor Christine Hood, who has been supportive and patient as we tried to translate our experiences with evidence-based grading in our school into a story that will guide and help other schools and teachers create new and improved evidence-based grading and reporting systems.
Stevenson’s administrative team works relentlessly to ensure that faculty and staff have the tools to guarantee high levels of learning for all students, and the team comprises passionate protectors of our school’s mission, vision, and values. Likewise, we must thank Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125’s board of education for its continued service and support: Steve Frost, Gary Gorson, Sunit Jain, Bruce Lubin, Terry Moons, Merv Roberts, and Dave Weisberg. Our board is unrelenting in its expectation that we improve each year as we move closer to our mission of success for every student.
Finally, and most important, we owe special thanks to the Stevenson High School faculty who are leading the evidence-based grading journey. As we endeavor to build on the strong foundation of excellence here at Stevenson, we find that if we are truly going to realize our vision and values, we need to upend the traditional grading and reporting system used at Stevenson and across the United States for many years. To our amazement, our faculty have tackled the challenge head-on, rethinking and reshaping grading and reporting practices.
While it certainly isn’t easy work, our faculty have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving teaching and learning conditions for students that is truly inspiring. This book represents faculty members’ journey through implementing evidence-based grading and reporting. We stand in awe of their willingness to set aside personal interests, convenience, and individual autonomy to do the hard work of creating an evidence-based grading and reporting system that actually helps and supports student learning and achievement. We are merely their storytellers.
Solution Tree Press would like to thank the following reviewers:
Tyler Auer
Mathematics Teacher
Fay School
Southborough, Massachusetts
Tyler Hartl
Principal
Sagewood Elementary School
Casper, Wyoming
Jodi