FIAE Chapter 14

In this chapter, report cards while using differentiated grading is discussed. Because many report cards are designed mainly by focusing clearly on the grade and less on the growth or mastery gained, communicating differentiated grading is difficult. The best suggestion that this chapter offers is to focus on the objective of the reporting system, which is to communicate mastery of the student on the desired essential understandings. Without a comment section or the ability to mark the rubric with indication of notes, than the rubrics becomes less worthwhile because there is simply a report of the composite grade with no indication of mastery. This becomes particularly important when working with a student who has an adjusted curriculum. When a student is reported of having a high grade, but has not mastered the same content as the other students, the grade isn't reflecting the mastery of the same standards, but this doesn't mean that their mastery is any less significant. This is just something that needs to be noted for future reference, so that other educators, parents, and most importantly students know that they are still mastering important content, but that they still have some work to meet the standard. This goes back to the idea of weighted grade. If a student is still getting the same amount of mastery, but different material, they are still worthy of the same grade. This also relates to the confusion one   might have when attempting to grade on multiple subjects in one assessment. In the previous chapter it makes a good point of discussing that using gradebooks as representation of grades in the different topics instead of the different assessments it creates a more accurate depiction of the student's mastery.