Date of Award

Summer 2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Jennifer Putnam

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation case study on the impact of standards-based grading in a North Carolina school district. The implementation procedures and end products of grading reform were assessed using the CIPP model. Data from teacher questionnaires, principal implementation checklists, interviews, and end-of-grade (EOG) test results were used in this mixed methods study. The program evaluation examined the implementation's advantages and disadvantages and offered suggestions for improvement. The research questions examined teacher and principal perceptions of the impact of implementation. Themes of the district's implementation strengths and weaknesses were identified through the use of thematic analysis. The key findings focused on the apparent impact of grading reform when Coherence Framework drivers are present and aligned. Clear impact with regard to summative EOG test data also indicated significance in using standards-based grades to provide feedback. Areas that were identified as needing improvement surrounded consistency and support in focusing direction, cultivating collaborative cultures, deepening learning, securing accountability, and leadership. Knowing the perceived effectiveness, even when all the right drivers are not perfectly consistent, may help teachers and leaders commit to the implementation efforts when striving to more effectively support teaching and learning. The results of this study produced clear implications for maintaining standards-based grading implementation efforts. Furthermore, maximizing the potential of future reform initiatives and making them easier to replicate in the future will come from realizing the support that building leaders and teachers require to be better prepared to support grading reform efforts in their schools.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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