Vol. 33 No. 1 (2025):
Articles

Navigating Math Grading Reforms: Key Considerations for Educational Leaders

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  • Matt Townsley,
  • Chad Lang
Matt Townsley
University of Northern Iowa
Chad Lang
Glenwood Community School District
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63301/tme.v33i1.3621

Published 2025-02-13

Keywords

  • grading,
  • standards-based grading,
  • Math education,
  • education reform,
  • leadership

Copyright (c) 2025 Matt Townsley, Chad Lang

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Abstract

As grading reform efforts such as standards-based grading and grading for equity gain popularity, school leaders play a key role in supporting mathematics teachers' implementation efforts. This paper will describe what mathematics leaders need to know about grading reform and what mathematics leaders should do to support teachers in implementing grading reform. By developing teachers’ deeper understanding of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, assisting teachers in shifting mindsets from quantifying to qualifying learning, and improving math proficiency communication, leaders can better navigate grading reform in their schools. With proper support and guidance, teachers can assign grades that better reflect students' mathematical knowledge and skills.

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