Standards-Based Grades allow schools to evaluate student performance based on specific learning standards rather than relying solely on traditional letter grades or percentage scores.
Instead of measuring only how many points a student earned, Standards-Based Grading focuses on how well a student has mastered a particular skill, competency, or learning objective.
This approach helps teachers, students, and parents gain a clearer understanding of academic progress by identifying strengths, growth areas, and mastery levels for individual standards.
openSIS supports Standards-Based Grades by allowing schools to define standards, associate them with courses, and assess student performance against those standards.
Traditional grading typically focuses on:
Example:
| Student | Grade |
|---|---|
| Emma | A |
| Michael | B |
| Sarah | C |
While useful, these grades may not clearly indicate which specific skills a student has mastered.
Standards-Based Grading focuses on:
Example:
| Standard | Performance Level |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Proficient |
| Problem Solving | Advanced |
| Scientific Inquiry | Developing |
This provides more detailed insight into student learning.
Many schools adopt Standards-Based Grading to:
Rather than asking:
"What grade did the student earn?"
Schools can ask:
"What skills has the student mastered?"
A standard may define a specific learning expectation.
Examples:
Each standard can be assessed independently.
Schools often use proficiency levels such as:
| Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Advanced | Exceeds Expectations |
| Proficient | Meets Expectations |
| Developing | Approaching Expectations |
| Beginning | Needs Additional Support |
These levels provide more detailed feedback than a single letter grade.
openSIS allows schools to:
This enables schools to implement comprehensive standards-based assessment programs.
Teachers can identify exactly which skills students have mastered.
Parents receive more meaningful information about student learning.
Educators can target areas requiring additional support.
Student progress can be monitored over time.
Assessments can be directly connected to curriculum requirements.
Standards should be measurable and easy to understand.
Apply grading standards uniformly across courses.
Standards-Based Grading should support learning and improvement.
Update standards to reflect curriculum changes and educational requirements.
Teachers should understand how standards-based assessment works before implementation.
No. Standards-Based Grading focuses on mastery of specific learning standards rather than overall percentage scores.
Yes. Many institutions use both systems together.
Standards are learning expectations that define what students should know and be able to do.
Yes. openSIS supports Common Core Standards as well as school-specific standards.