PAUSD is currently reformatting the district鈥檚 grading system, beginning a pilot program to transition toward an evidence-based approach for all classes. The program is set to roll out gradually over the coming years, in an attempt to make grades more accurately match students鈥� understanding.
According to Principal Dr. Wendy Stratton, the new evidence-based grading system will be based on that of Adlai Stevenson High School in Illinois, which focuses on students鈥� ability to improve skills over time. In the new four-point grading system, a student鈥檚 teacher determines a final course grade by reviewing the student鈥檚 assessments and considering any clear patterns of growth. Getting a score of four means that a student has exceeded mastery. Three is mastery, two is approaching mastery and one is having a fundamental understanding.
One of the big things with evidence-based grading and teaching is the focus on helping to develop student agency and spending time developing skills that are going to be meaningful and transcend just the high school experience.
— Planning Team Lead Kathryn Catalano
鈥淚t鈥檚 (about whether you can do) the skills to the level that we are asking,鈥� Stratton said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 a more transparent and straightforward system.鈥�
The Gunn administration has formed an ad hoc committee with staff from various subjects to discuss the upcoming changes, which will occur over multiple years. According to Planning Team Lead Kathryn Catalano, Gunn will prioritize quality over speed and do everything possible to make the transition seamless. Catalano鈥檚 conservative projection is that, after a transition period, the final form will be launched in the next seven years. Specifics of the plan have yet to be discussed within the planning team.
For a smooth transition, Catalano says that support resources will be available for both teachers and students. Currently, multiple teachers are participating in a pilot program involving a few teachers from all departments to analyze the practicality of this new system.
鈥淲e鈥檙e encouraging teachers to jump into this with a teaching team rather than doing this by themselves because having a team anytime you鈥檙e trying to learn something new helps a lot,鈥� she said.
What we want to do is identify the essential learning of the class 鈥� the fundamental standards that exist for this course.
— Adlai Stevenson High School Principal Troy Gobble
According to Adlai Stevenson High School Principal Troy Gobble, the shift to evidence-based grading is necessary due to fundamental flaws in the status quo.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a problem with the way that we have graded for 100 years,鈥� Gobble said in a video published by the school. 鈥淲hat we鈥檝e done is forced students into a conversation that鈥檚 around collecting points. What we want to do is identify the essential learnings of the class 鈥� the fundamental standards that exist for the course.鈥�
Catalano noted that the change at Gunn will place an emphasis on developing student autonomy and competence.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more of a philosophy shift,鈥� Catalano said. 鈥淥ne of the big things with evidence-based grading and teaching is the focus on helping to develop student agency and spending time developing skills that are going to be meaningful and transcend just the high school experience. (It鈥檚 about) moving away from content retention and memorization and more towards actual skills applications.鈥�
Computer science teacher Joshua Paley, who gave a TEDx talk in 2023 about the flaws of the current grading system, sees potential in the plan but also has some worries.
鈥淚 worry about class sizes being an issue because the teachers will have to get to know the students better, and it鈥檚 hard to do that with the class sizes as large as they are,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith that said, the concept is as promising as anything related to grades that I鈥檝e seen in a long time … But, as long as the word 鈥榞rades鈥� is involved, I鈥檒l always be skeptical.鈥�
Still, Catalano added that the adjustment will be a collaborative process.
With that said, the concept is as promising as anything related to grades that I鈥檝e seen in a long time … But, as long as the word 鈥榞rades鈥� is involved, I鈥檒l always be skeptical.
— Computer science teacher Joshua Paley
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want anybody to jump into this without feeling ready to do it,鈥� Catalano said. 鈥�(Administrators) want to make sure that we are supporting both teachers and students so that we have a transition that feel smooth and that everybody feels supported.鈥�
