My Journey to Equity Grading
First off, I can’t take credit for equity grading. It was inspired by a seasoned teacher down the hall during my first year and the equity-minded school I worked at later in my career. It’s also not just mine; it has been written about extensively.
From the beginning, it never sat right with me that students who worked incredibly hard on a project could end up with a D. It also became impossible to motivate kids who had already tanked their grades by missing a big assignment or test early on. So, over time, I developed my own equity grading policy.
The Basics of My Equity Grading Policy
Minimum Grade for Submitted Work: Anything turned in gets at least a 60%. You turned in one sentence for an essay? That’s a 60%. (I didn’t say a high D, but it’s something!)
Missing Work: Missing work is recorded as 50%, not a 0. It’s still an F, but the student’s grade can be recovered, unlike if they had a zero.
Test Corrections: Students can correct tests up to a B (85%) or for an additional 20%, whichever is lower. This policy has helped students see the value in learning from their mistakes.
Re-dos on Assignments: Granted on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances. I also don’t want working on the last assignment to lead to the current assignment being late.
Homework Grading: Graded based on completion, and I won’t put in a grade for missing homework. Honestly, my grading on work done outside of class is incredibly generous and probably pulls grades up. Not getting those easy points seems penalty enough for students who don’t do the limited homework I assign. This way, I don’t have to worry about which students have the capacity or support to do homework at home.
Special Grading Supports for Struggling Students
I grade drafts generously and final assignments stringently. I don’t think I’ve ever given a student below a B on a draft unless it was really egregious (like plagiarism or a single sentence). I also give lots of feedback and make recommendations on drafts that will help students have an A on their final paper. If a student turns in the final draft but not the draft, I generally just leave the missing grade blank. Again, that lack of generous grading and feedback for the final paper is going to penalize the student enough on their final grade. Outlines are marked as missing grades.
Benefits of Equity Grading
One of the biggest benefits I’ve experienced is the improved communication with parents. I make it clear how students have had the opportunity to improve, and if they haven’t availed themselves of those options, that shifts the frustration back to the student, so parents can address it with their child. This only works if I make it very clear what those 50%s in the grade book mean. I follow up back-to-school night with an explanation for anyone who wasn’t present.
Another benefit is that students don’t give up. In the past, once a student had a zero, they felt like there was no recovering their overall grade, so they gave up. Now, they see their efforts after that poor grade improving their overall grade, and they have hope that keeps them trying. Not having kids who have given up and turned to disruptive behaviors makes my whole class more successful.
Addressing Common Misconceptions
Equity grading does NOT mean reducing rigor. Instead, it prevents students from giving up and ensures that they know you’re meeting them halfway so they are motivated to do the same.
Final Thoughts
Incorporating equity grading into my classroom has not only made grading more fair but has also fostered a classroom environment where every student feels supported and motivated to succeed. Let’s continue to challenge traditional grading practices and strive for a more equitable education system.
