If you've ever questioned the logic of reducing a student's entire academic performance to a single test score or a vague letter grade, then here's a book that will revolutionize the way you think about assessment and grading. Drawing from years of in-depth research, Robert J. Marzano provides you with guidelines and steps for designing a…

The North Carolina State Board of Education developed the ABCs of Public Education in response to the School-Based Management and Accountability Program enacted in 1996. The ABCs focuses on accountability with an emphasis on high educational standards, teaching the basics, and maximum local control. This document reports the results of the…

Should portfolios replace the traditional report card or be used in conjunction with other evaluative methods? A study assessed the value of portfolios as an evaluation tool and the popularity of their use. Research supports the use of portfolios as a viable means of assessment, yet studies are inconclusive and do not support portfolios as a…

This paper is designed to provide Iowa educators with information on reporting results of assessments of students with disabilities, including grading, diplomas, and transcripts. A question-and-answer format addresses: (1) indication of the provision of reasonable accommodations on students' report cards; (2) honor rolls; (3) pass/fail grading…

This study investigated the effect of weekly progress reports on the academic achievement of seventh grade language arts students. It also investigated the effects of weekly progress reports on locus of control attribution and the relationship between academic achievement and locus of control attribution. The study took place in a suburban school…

Describes a Scottish project--"School-based assessment using item banking"--investigating the feasibility of producing computer-based test marking and reporting facilities. Teachers would construct their own tests from item banks and carry out diagnostic assessment and criterion-referenced measurement to evaluate students with SCRIBE, a…

This paper presents a system consisting of report cards, instructions for students, parents, and teachers, designed to provide effective classroom behavior management techniques. Application of the daily report card in a regular fourth-grade classroom is presented. Results indicate rapid improvement with a minimum of teacher time and effort.…

Examined practice of weighting grades to reflect class difficulty in literature in Maryland high schools, and particularly the Frederick County Maryland school system. Surveyed impact of reworked grades, teachers' attitudes, and parents' attitudes. Concluded weighting to be advantageous in college admission. (ABL)

Three male primary students were issued a daily report card rating their disruptive behavior. Parents were asked to praise positive reports and ignore negative reports. Results showed that the intervention was effective in reducing inappropriate behaviors while increasing assignment completion. Ratings by parents, teachers, peers, and subjects…

Explains the use of mean and median as grade averaging procedures for students in science. States that using the median produces numerous advantages for student and teacher. (RT)

When parent-teacher conferences don't improve a problem student's behavior, a systematic change strategy is needed. Daily report cards are effective if they divide the day into segments, provide evaluations for each segment, feature increasingly demanding goals, provide parent reinforcement, use mild punishment, and accrue reinforcement rewards. A…

A national survey of elementary and secondary general education teachers (n=368, response rate of 52%) examined classroom grading practices, including grading adaptations for students with disabilities. Results indicated that teachers found certain adaptations (pass-fail grades, portfolios, multiple grades, and grading for effort) useful for…

Home-school collaboration refers to the relationship between families and schools where parents and educators work together to promote the academic and social development of children. Eighteen empirical studies of home-school collaboration interventions that also measured a school-based outcome were identified and evaluated according to guidelines…

The present research examines the achievement-related implications of establishing friendships with high-achieving versus low-achieving classmates. Fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-grade students (N = 929) participated. During the fall and spring semesters, the report card grades of children and their friends were obtained and children completed…

Reliability methodology needs to evolve as validity has done into an argument supported by theory and empirical evidence. Nowhere is the inadequacy of current methods more visible than in classroom assessment. Reliability arguments would also permit additional methodologies for evidencing reliability in classrooms. It would liberalize methodology…