Evaluating the Effectiveness of Current Elementary Grading Practices and Determining Perceptions of a Standards-Based Report Card in the Dover Area School District

This research project evaluated the effectiveness of elementary grading practices in the Dover Area School District, focusing on English language arts and math in the first through fifth grades. The study was critical because the district did not have clearly defined elementary grading guidelines, and it was unknown if consistency existed in grading practices. Also, it was not known to what extent grades measured or reflected students' mastery of content. Research questions guided the project. Research question one questioned the effectiveness of grading practices by investigating current knowledge, consistency, and how grading practices measured mastery of content. The goal of the second research question was to determine teachers' perceptions and parents' understanding of grading practices. The third research question determined administrators' and teachers' understanding of standards-based report cards. Mixed methods action research gathered data from teachers' grade books and three surveys. The first research question used data from grade books and a survey, with results minimally supporting effective grading practices. The second research question was answered using survey data and indicated most teachers and parents were confident in their knowledge of grading practices. However, teachers and parents were less confident that grades illustrated students' mastery of skills. The third research question used survey data and indicated that administrators and teachers had a solid understanding of standards-based report cards. The research suggested knowledge of grading practices, but they were inconsistent in several ways, including how they measured and reflected students' mastery of skills and content.