Course Description: This text-based series explores ideas and resources to help teachers align grading and assessment practices in differentiated classrooms. Participants explore a combination of independent reading, a brief video, and reflection prompts to explore new ideas about the purpose of grades, the relationship between instruction and assessment, and the limitations of current grading systems to their own practice. This is designed for teachers and leaders who want to rethink their assessment and grading practices to ensure they are equitable and beneficial for everyone. This is intended to explore the essential question, “How can teachers who have differentiated instruction make instructional accommodations or provide support to struggling learners that is accurate, meaningful, and timely information about student performance?

Course Objectives:
1. Strengthen the learner’s understanding of the relationship between differentiation, assessment, and grading practices when planning instruction or gauging learning.
2. Practices for making assessment, grading, and reporting practices more accurate, meaningful, and equitable.

Participants will:
*Read a brief essay (5-10 pages) by a leading practitioner in the field of assessment or differentiated instruction,
*Watch a brief video sharing additional viewpoints and resources, and
*Write a brief reflective response to help connect ideas from the text and video to their own classroom practice.
Audience: Teachers and school leaders K-12

Texts Explored in this Series:
A Call to Action for Equitable Grading By Joe Feldman
Grading and Differentiation: Paradox or Good Practice By Carol Ann Tomlinson
The Right Way to Do Re-dos By Rick Wormeli

Presenter(s): Material prepared and presented by Diana Scarselletta Straut, Ph.D