Investigating the Relationship of Standards-Based Grades vs. Traditional-Based Grades to Results of the Scholastic Math Inventory at the Middle School Level

Oct 15, 2026

Grading represents a central professional responsibility, yet educators often differ on whether standards-based or traditional-based grades more accurately reflect student learning. This study examines sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade mathematics students from five middle schools in the same district who completed the Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI). Approximately 500 students used a standards-based grading system and about 1,900 used a traditional grading system. Research aims to relate classroom end-of-year grades to SMI assessment results.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Purpose of the Study

Research Questions

Significance of the Study

Investigating the Relationship of Standards-Based Grades vs. Traditional-Based Grades to Results of the Scholastic Math Inventory at the Middle School Level Erin Lehman Rapid City Area Schools David De Jong University of South Dakota Mark Baron Wayne State College Grading is one of teachers’greatest challenges and most important professional responsibilities. Educators are unclear on whether standards-based grades or traditional-based grades do a better job of accurately reflecting what students have learned, so the purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between classroom grades and scores on the Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI) assessment. The individuals were sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade mathematics students from five different middle schools in the same district as they took the SMI assessment. There were about 500 students in the standards-based grading system and about 1,900 students in the traditional grading system. Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Vol. 6. Fall/Winter 2018 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2018 International Council of Professors of Educational Administration. This manuscript may not be used commercially or edited. When quoting portions ofthis text, full attribution to the author/s is required. The purpose of assigning grades to student learning varies from educator to educator. Wormeli (2018) explains that allowing educators to decide how to assign grades to student learning may not be an accurate picture of what students know, understand, and be able to do. Teachers’beliefs in what to grade and to record are significant influences on what a student earns as a grade (Brookhart, 2017; Guskey, 2015; O’Connor 2011) . O’Connor (2011) stated, “Teachers develop assessments based on their professional judgment of what is to be assessed and how–a subjective process”(p. 11) . Grading practices at the middle school level must change in order to “meet the learning needs and desires of future generations of young adolescents, the core middle school practices must continue to grow and thrive”(Schaefer, Malu, & Yoon, 2016, p. 18) . Traditional grading systems utilize an A, B, C, D, or F or similar scales to denote student understanding of all content standards. In contrast, standards-based grading systems utilize a reporting system based on individual content standards (Guskey, 2015; O’Connor, 2011; Heflebower, Hoegh, & Warrick, 2014) . Standards-based grading centers on specific learning standards or goals (Guskey, 2015; Hanover Research, 2014; O’Connor, 2011) . “More and more educators are beginning to question traditional grading practices that were developed to sort students into learners and non-learners, not to support learning for all”(Brookhart, 2011, p. 10) . The grading and reporting system have changed throughout the years, most notably the traditional and standards-based grading system. The traditional grading practice tends to lump content with effort and behavior into one letter grade (Brookhart, 2011b) . All too often, traditional grading practices in the United States are based on instructional and motivational principles that cause many students to give up in hopelessness and accept failure rather than driving them toward academic success (Stiggins, 2014) . When the standards-based educational reform began in the 1990s, the goal was to replace learning from basic facts to synthesis and application (Shepard, 2009) . More recently, the Common Core State Standards for mathematics emphasized conceptual understanding as well as procedural skills and increased rigor of content (Briars & Foster, 2012) . Content standards and common assessments improved consistency and coherency in curriculum and instruction, but grades and grading remained in the hands of the individual teacher (Wormeli, 2018) . To make grades more meaningful, issues related to both purpose and reporting format must change as well (Guskey, 2015) . Grading often remained subjective. O’

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the study?

To understand the relationship between classroom grades and scores on the Scholastic Math Inventory (SMI) assessment under traditional-based versus standards-based grading systems.

Which students and settings were included?

Sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade mathematics students from five middle schools in the same district; about 500 students were in a standards-based grading system and about 1,900 were in a traditional grading system.

What research questions does the study address?

It asks the relationship between SMI scores and end-of-year grades in traditional grading (four middle schools) and in standards-based grading (one middle school) for sixth through eighth grades.

Oct 15, 2026

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