Over the last few years, about half of CHS science teachers have implemented a version of standards-based grading (SBG) to their classes.

According to Jeremy Horner, science teacher who uses SBG, SBG assesses students’ comprehension through levels from a rubric. Understanding of a topic leads to higher scores, while a lower score indicates incomplete understanding.

Sophomore Vincent “Vinny” Vitiritto, who is taking an SBG science class, said this way of grading is better because it is more based on the student’s knowledge than the traditional grading system.

According to Vitiritto, the retake system and the way assessments are graded with SBG reduce stress.

Vitiritto said via email, “The scores are more manageable and more general so that you won’t be only one or two percent away from the grade you want. You either get it or you don’t.”

“What the rubric-based system like this is trying to do is acknowledge the flaw that is inherent in any grading system: that all grades are subjective not objective,” Horner said. “When we put a number to it, it doesn’t make it objective. So by acknowledging that, by bringing them out, we can then clarify what do these grades actually mean and what are we trying to communicate to students in what they are able to do.”

Elizabeth Shafer, chemistry teacher using SBG, said the system allows students to master the topic. The last grade of a certain topic is weighted heavier than the first grades because ultimately that is what the student truly knows.

“Standards based grades gives students the opportunity to improve upon their previous assessments,” Shafer said.

Horner said, “The first time any of us does something is probably not the best. As we get more practice or more experience doing it, we should get better. I think a lot of this is natural to sports or music where the first time you play a piece or you run for the first time, the coaches provide feedback so that eventually when you have that final assessment, that game or concert, it would be your best performance. It’s the same idea on assessments in class. We should be able to see where you are right now.”