Grading for Equity is a book that takes on one of the most challenging and emotionally charged conversations in education today; our inconsistent grading practices and how they can inadvertently exacerbate the achievement gap and create inequitable outcomes for our students. The author, Joe Feldman, shares the history of how our current grading practices came to be, what the research says about motivating students to want to achieve and specific grading practices that are equitable and actually take less time for teachers to implement as compared to many of our current practices. This is a must-read for educators wanting to have a fair and equitable way to monitor teaching and learning.

This course renews annually and is ongoing

Course is offered by Teacher Study and clock hours are approved through ESD 112. You will register through the Teacher Study website, and once the course is completed, you will receive a clock hour claim code for pdEnroller. 

1. Purchase and read Grading for Equity, by Joe Feldman.  You can find this book at amazon.com or your favorite bookstore. 

2) Write complete answers to all of the questions on the Book Study Handout. The handout is provided to you after registration is completed.

3) Write a paper reflecting on both of the following bullet-points. The paper will be at least 3 pages in length. 

• Consider your own grading policies through the lens of the three pillars (found on page 66 of the book). How accurate are they? How bias-resistant? How motivational?

• Which of the equitable practices will you try first (choose two or more)? How will you know whether or not they were successful?  As you try these new practices, how will you apply a growth mindset and embrace mistakes to your own learning? Will you let students know about your new grading practices or will you choose to keep that information to yourself? How might students benefit if you explain the “why” behind your efforts to grade more equitably? What will your partnership with students to make your grading more transparent look like?