Leading Leaders in Rethinking Grading: A Case Study of Implementation of Standards-Based Grading in Educational Leadership

• In Event: Examining Implementation and Outcomes in Educator Preparation Program Courses

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to share the process of how one university instructor worked toward a shift to standards-based grading (SBG) in a graduate Educational Leadership program. In an accountability era, educational leadership programs are using standards to guide coursework and instruction, but grading practices remain as subjective as they were 50 years ago. Educators of future leaders must address this need. Instructors need to effectively communicate essential learning to students, so they have a clear understanding of their learning progression; standards-based grading is designed to do this. The author shares best practices in grading as well as the challenges of implementation of standards-based grading.

Author

• Erin Lehmann, University of South Dakota