Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms

Thomas R. Guskey, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. A graduate of the University of Chicago's renowned Measurement, Evaluation, and Statistical Analysis (MESA) program, he began his career in education as a middle school teacher, served as an administrator in the Chicago Public Schools, and was the first Director of the Center for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, a national educational research center. He is the author/editor of twenty-seven books and over three hundred articles published in prominent research journals as well as Educational Leadership, Kappan, and The School Administrator. Dr. Guskey served on the Policy Research Team of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, and on the task force to develop the National Standards for Professional Development. He was named a Fellow in the American Educational Research Association and was awarded the Association's prestigious Relating Research to Practice Award. He was also awarded Learning Forward's Outstanding Contribution to the Field Award and Phi Delta Kappan's Distinguished Educator Award. Perhaps most unique, in the 158-year history of his undergraduate institution, Thiel College, he is one of only three graduates to receive the Outstanding Alumnus Award and be inducted into the Thiel College Athletic Hall of Fame. His most recent books include Implementing Mastery Learning (2023), Instructional Feedback: The Power, the Promise, the Practice (with Smith & Lipnevich, 2023); Get Set, Go! Creating Successful Grading and Reporting Systems (2020), What We Know About Grading (with Brookhart, 2019), and On Your Mark: Challenging the Conventions of Grading and Reporting (2015). He may be contacted by email at guskey@uky.edu, Twitter at @tguskey, or at www.tguskey.com.

Chapter 1: Parents' and Families' Perspectives on Grading and Reporting Reforms Chapter 2: Understand the Change Process Chapter 3: Clarify the Purpose of Grading Chapter 4: Distinguish the Three Components of Computerized Grading Programs Chapter 5: Keep the Report Card Simple and Family Friendly Chapter 6: Consider How Parents and Families Interpret Labels Chapter 7: Replace Old Traditions with New and Better Traditions Chapter 8: Focus on a Reporting System

"When I read Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms, my first thought was 'Why did I not read this sooner?' Having both led (or attempted to lead) grading reform in schools and studied the change experiences of school stakeholders, I am thrilled to finally find this straightforward, practical, and relevant guide that informs crucial shifts to the way leaders approach the change process with families. Without question, Guskey's newest book should be required reading for educators who have ever endeavored to lead meaningful change in grading practices for an entire community." -- Dr. Lindsay Prendergast, School Improvement Coach "Dr. Thomas Guskey has done it again! Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms is a must-read for educators seeking to transform their grading systems in a successful way. Drawing from a myriad of practical insights and real-world examples, Dr. Guskey offers real and actionable strategies that empower educators to navigate the complexities of grading reform successfully. It underscores the vital role of involving parents and families in the process, making it an imperative resource for anyone committed to improving education." -- Garth Larson, Ed.D., Co-Founder and CEO "Dr. Guskey's book is a vital guide for educators seeking to navigate the intricate landscape of grading reform with precision and empathy. It provides actionable strategies that are both clear and effective, addressing the pressing need to align grading practices with evolving educational approaches. By fostering an understanding of the change process and emphasizing the importance of engaging parents and families, this book is an indispensable resource for achieving meaningful grading reform and ensuring success for all stakeholders." -- Catarina Song Chen, International Head of School "Dr. Thomas Guskey has been an instrumental partner in the reform of the Bethlehem Area School District's assessment and grading system. We have moved away from our traditional middle school and high school report cards, and now report letter grades and academic support factors separately, a change that required the participation and support from many stakeholders: students, teachers, administrators, and parents. Dr. Guskey's evidence-based approaches and practical strategies to inform and engage parents have been important factors in our successful transformation. Dr. Guskey shows how parents can, and should, be key supporters of improved grading and reporting systems." -- Dr. Jack P. Silva, Superintendent of Schools "Dr. Guskey masterfully navigates the complex terrain of grading practices and demonstrates a keen understanding of the concerns held by parents and families. The notion of questioning the security derived from familiarity with known evaluation experiences is both thought-provoking and timely. This book is a must-read for educators and leaders striving for meaningful grading reforms." -- Jessica Robyn Schultz Osborne, Academic and Curriculum Director "Engaging Parents and Families in Grading Reforms guides educators on becoming true partners with parents and families in education and describes how educators can best support parents' understanding of purposeful grading. Thomas Guskey is one of education's best when it comes to sharing effective grading practices and strategies that support students and their learning." -- Jensen Ball, Consultant & Manager "This book offers education leaders with a how-to for creating a grading system that provides teachers, parents, students and others with a meaningful and informative measuring stick on student performance. Education leaders will appreciate the practical strategies Dr. Guskey outlines to engage parents in the process of reforming grading systems. Ultimately, all constituents will value the more accurate communication they receive on what each student knows and is able to do." -- Linda Radtke, Executive Director "Grading practices have immense influence on the way classrooms function and should be at the top of our list of school improvement efforts. Too often, however, we don't address grading because we know the anger and defensiveness that changes in grading typically prompt from parents and families. In this book, Dr. Guskey provides a handbook for successfully addressing parents' concerns and opposition. It is a significant piece of the puzzle that we have been missing as we work to make our grading systems effective for student learning." -- Andrew Maxey, Ph.D., Director of Strategic Initiatives "When it comes to educational change, we have tended to focus on teachers and students. While this makes sense, it has left parents and families on the outside looking in. They want to understand the changes we're making, but haven't been included in the conversation. Parents need a compass, direction, and understanding as to what we're up to. They don't need an atlas to figure out what we're doing - they need only a map. With this book, Dr. Guskey has supplied precisely that." -- Myron Dueck, Vice-Principal for Communicating Student Learning "Including parents and families in the conversations about grading reform is an oft-overlooked, yet critical part of the modernizing grading practices. This book masterfully addresses the necessary topics that parents and families need to know in order to understand what is changing and, more importantly, why it has to change. From understanding the change process itself to clarifying the purpose of grading to keeping the reporting process simple, this book will carefully guide everyone to understanding why the sun has set on traditional grading. It's clear, concise, practical, and packed full of sage advice on how grading reform leaders can bring parents and families inside the reform process. This is an essential book for anyone serious about grading reform." -- Tom Schimmer "An outdated way to grade students will hinder not only students' learning progress, but also necessary education reforms. This book is for school leaders, educators, teachers, and anyone who wants to improve education by changing how we grade our students. It is the ideal guide for developing a grading and reporting system that accurately describes students' performance in both cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. As a lifelong participant, supporter, and contributor to the education reform movement, I will say, we applied this system for engaging parents in our schools, and it works!" -- Antarina SF Amir, CEO and Founder