Equitable and Culturally Relevant Grading Practices

• In Event: Culturally Responsive Assessment in Classrooms: Theory, Research, and Practice

Abstract

We argue that teachers who practice equitable and culturally relevant grading will use culturally relevant assessments as the basis for their grades on individual assessments and apply equitable grading methods that report student achievement on intended learning outcomes, reporting other things (e.g., effort, participation) separately. We combine insights from two areas of research (research about the relationship between culture and pedagogy and research about grading practices) to provide and support these recommendations. In a nutshell, the recommendation is to use a threefold process: (1) Design, select, or adapt and then administer culturally relevant classroom assessments, both formative (ungraded) and summative (graded), of student learning. (2) After students take an assessment, review student assessment results and look at the student work itself, using a cultural lens. If student performance is not as expected, could there be a culture-related reason? If so, re-assess student learning with a different method. (3) Apply equitable grading practices to appropriate components (graded assessments) to arrive at the composite (report card) grade for reporting achievement of intended learning outcomes, as separate from effort, participation, neatness, and other non-achievement factors.

Authors

• Susan M. Brookhart, Duquesne University

• Dwayne Chism, Shifting Perspectives