The Grading Podcast

145 - The Wrap-Up Dilemma: Turning Evidence into a Final Grade with Dr. Tim Monk

In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by electrical engineering professor Tim Monk to tackle a surprisingly thorny piece of grading design: how to combine multiple types of assessment into a final course grade. Starting from a listener email that initially raised skepticism, the conversation unpacks Tim’s approach to blending standards-based grading for learning targets with specifications grading for projects—using a carefully designed weighted system at the final “wrap-up” stage. Rather than relying on averages throughout the course, Tim uses them intentionally at the end as a communication tool, avoiding common pitfalls like masking learning gaps or penalizing early mistakes. The discussion surfaces key tensions around grading philosophy, clarity for students, and the trade-offs between precision and flexibility, ultimately reinforcing a central theme of the podcast: there is no single “right” system—only intentional design aligned to what grades are meant to communicate about student learning. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! * The 2 Sigma Problem: The Search for Methods of Group Instruction as Effective as One-to-One Tutoring, by Benjamin Bloom [https://web.mit.edu/5.95/readings/bloom-two-sigma.pdf] * Wikipedia Entry on Bloom's 2 Sigma Problem [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_2_sigma_problem] Resources The Center for Grading Reform [https://www.centerforgradingreform.org/] - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: * The Grading for Growth Blog [https://gradingforgrowth.com/] * The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] * The Intentional Academia Blog [https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/] Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: * Grading for Growth [https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AY77FRS7LWBJ&keywords=grading+for+growth&qid=1690223954&sprefix=grading+for+growth%252Caps%252C122&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fe8d967e9ef22adcf74c58fbd3b9392b&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Robert Talbert and David Clark * Specifications Grading [https://www.amazon.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Motivating-Students/dp/1620362422/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IIE9IBXJOZY9&keywords=specifications+grading&qid=1690228778&sprefix=specifications+grading%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=488cafcb421ce6921a7790e129a928b7&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Linda Nilsen * Undoing the Grade [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCZ5VCS?ref_=cm_sw_p_kb_dp&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=kpe], by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com [https://www.thegradingpod.com/]. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuEhnFL_D38], licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/].

144 - Second-Order Change: Why Grading Reform Requires Leadership, Not Just Teachers

In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back Matt Townsley to dig into a critical—and often overlooked—truth about grading reform: if leaders don’t understand and support it, it simply won’t scale. Drawing on both research and real-world experience, Matt explains why grading reform is a “second-order change” that requires deep philosophical commitment from administrators, not just technical adjustments from teachers. The conversation explores the upcoming Iowa based leadership-focused standards-based grading conference, the role of systems-level support, and emerging frameworks like multi-tiered support for teacher implementation. Along the way, the trio connects these ideas to broader challenges in both K–12 and higher education, from structural barriers to the growing urgency of reform in the age of AI. The takeaway is clear: isolated classroom innovation isn’t enough—lasting change requires aligned leadership, intentional systems, and a shared purpose for what grades are meant to communicate. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! * Standards-Based Grading Conference: The 3rd Annual Collaborative Assessment Conference for Leadership Teams [https://coe.uni.edu/llc/about-department/institute-educational-leadership/standards-based-grading-conference] * All Things Standards-Based Grading [https://mctownsley.net/standards-based-grading/], by Matt Townsley * Grading Reform Isn't Options Anymore - Here's Why [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8jtrG6XYuo&list=PLbVT3-fj4jdrelB8b98TVUhX7mX0izT8e&index=4], with Matt Townsley * Top 5 standards-based grading articles for 2025 [https://mctownsley.net/top-5-standards-based-grading-articles-2025/], by Matt Townsley * When standards-based grading feels dark…and reassessments become the flashlight everyone reaches for later [https://mctownsley.net/when-standards-based-grading-feels-darkand-reassessments-become-the-flashlight-everyone-reaches-for-later/], by Matt Townsley * Walking the talk: Embedding standards-based grading in an educational leadership course [https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/jri/vol4/iss2/2/] * The 4 Common Myths about Grading Reform, Debunked [https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-the-4-common-myths-about-grading-reform-debunked/2023/11], by Matt Townsley and Sarah Morriss Previous Episodes Mentioned * Episode 18 - Sportscaster of Alternative Grading [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/18-the-sportscaster-of-alternative-grading-an-interview-with-matt-townsley/] * Episode 46 – Extinguishing the Fires within Assessment and Grading Reform: Welcoming Back Dr. Matt Townsley [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/46-extinguishing-the-fires-within-assessment-and-grading-reform-welcoming-back-dr-matt-townsley/] * Episode 48 - Implementation Challenges and Opportunities: A Conversation with Becky Peppler and Don Smith on Working with K-12 School Districts to implement Alternative Grading [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/48-implementation-challenges-and-opportunities-a-conversation-with-becky-peppler-and-don-smith-on-working-with-k-12-school-districts-to-implement-alternative-grading/] * Episode 59 - Leaning Into ROI and Communication in Leading Grading Reform: An Interview with Dr. Chad Lang [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/59-leaning-into-roi-and-communication-in-leading-grading-reform-an-interview-with-dr-chad-lang/] * Episode 74 - Exploring Alt Grading in Physical Education (in more detail) with Josh Ogilvie [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/74-exploring-alt-grading-in-physical-education-in-more-detail-with-josh-ogilvie/] Resources The Center for Grading Reform [https://www.centerforgradingreform.org/] - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: * The Grading for Growth Blog [https://gradingforgrowth.com/] * The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] * The Intentional Academia Blog [https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/] Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: * Grading for Growth [https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AY77FRS7LWBJ&keywords=grading+for+growth&qid=1690223954&sprefix=grading+for+growth%252Caps%252C122&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fe8d967e9ef22adcf74c58fbd3b9392b&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Robert Talbert and David Clark * Specifications Grading [https://www.amazon.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Motivating-Students/dp/1620362422/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IIE9IBXJOZY9&keywords=specifications+grading&qid=1690228778&sprefix=specifications+grading%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=488cafcb421ce6921a7790e129a928b7&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Linda Nilsen * Undoing the Grade [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCZ5VCS?ref_=cm_sw_p_kb_dp&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=kpe], by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com [https://www.thegradingpod.com/]. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuEhnFL_D38], licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/].

143 - Barrier or Breakthrough? Course Coordination and the Future of Grading with Deb Carney

In this episode, Sharona and Boz are joined by Deb Carney to explore the complex role of course coordination in the adoption of alternative grading practices. What emerges is a nuanced tension: coordination can act as a barrier when individual instructors lack autonomy, but it also offers one of the most powerful levers for large-scale change when coordinators embrace reform. Deb shares her journey into outcomes-based grading and reflects on how collaboration, community, and shared structures made that shift possible. The conversation highlights the importance of communities of practice, either through formal coordination or PLC-like structures, as essential spaces for sustained instructional change. Ultimately, the episode argues that meaningful grading reform is not just about individual instructors making different choices, but about building systems, support, and collective momentum to make those choices viable and scalable. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! * Mastery-Based Testing in Linear Algebra: An Entry Point to Alternative Grading [https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/79380], by R. Swanson, A. Bingham, M. Sanders and C. Moulton * Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Conference [https://sites.google.com/view/rume2026] * Project EMBER: Eliminating Mathematics Barriers through Evidence-based Reforms [https://www.tpsemath.org/projectember] * Join EMBER on Zulip [https://ebme.zulipchat.com/join/glqypfa5v4j4yb2x7f2u5v7h/] * Course Coordinator Orientations Toward Their Work, by A. Martinez, J. Gehrtz, C. Rasmussen, T. Latona-Tequida and K. Vroom [https://hal.science/hal-03113839v1/document] * TPSE: Transforming Post-Secondary Education in Mathematics [https://www.tpsemath.org/] Resources The Center for Grading Reform [https://www.centerforgradingreform.org/] - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: * The Grading for Growth Blog [https://gradingforgrowth.com/] * The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] * The Intentional Academia Blog [https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/] Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: * Grading for Growth [https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AY77FRS7LWBJ&keywords=grading+for+growth&qid=1690223954&sprefix=grading+for+growth%252Caps%252C122&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fe8d967e9ef22adcf74c58fbd3b9392b&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Robert Talbert and David Clark * Specifications Grading [https://www.amazon.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Motivating-Students/dp/1620362422/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IIE9IBXJOZY9&keywords=specifications+grading&qid=1690228778&sprefix=specifications+grading%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=488cafcb421ce6921a7790e129a928b7&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Linda Nilsen * Undoing the Grade [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCZ5VCS?ref_=cm_sw_p_kb_dp&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=kpe], by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com [https://www.thegradingpod.com/]. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuEhnFL_D38], licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/].

142 - Please Harvard! Don't get it wrong this time!! What's wrong with a cap on A's - a discussion with Dr. Stephanie Valentine

In this follow-up to their earlier conversation about Harvard and “too many A’s,” Sharona and Boz welcome back Dr. Stephanie Valentine to unpack Harvard’s proposed new grading policy, which would cap the number of A grades in each class and layer course-based ranking on top of an already troubled system. Drawing on Stephanie’s powerful “Points Are Insidious” manifesto and her experience teaching high-achieving, perfectionistic students, the episode explores how policies built to force distinction can intensify anxiety, undermine risk-taking, discourage collaboration, and ultimately work against the very innovation and intellectual curiosity elite institutions claim to value. Together, the three of them critique the mathematical and ethical flaws of ranking students against one another, examine the gap between top-down policy and classroom reality, and wrestle with what it would mean for faculty to live with integrity under a policy like this—while also reaffirming that the real alternative is not inflated or meaningless grades, but grading systems genuinely grounded in learning, growth, and student wellbeing. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! * Grade-inflation panel says updated plan focuses on reining in A’s, restoring integrity of system, freeing students to follow curiosity [https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/03/plan-to-rein-in-inflated-grading-explained/] * The “Points Are Insidious” Manifesto, Part 3: Perfectionism Is Not Excellence [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/points-insidious-manifesto-part-3-perfectionism-stephanie-valentine-rzrac/?trackingId=f2QUYrLdUtoFBdoOar8mKQ%3D%3D], by Dr. Stephanie Valentine * Grade Caps Fail the Game Theory Exam [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2026/3/27/kominers-harvard-grade-cap/], from The Crimson Tide (Harvard Newspapr) * The “Points are Insidious” Manifesto (Part I) [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/points-insidious-manifesto-stephanie-valentine-yehzc/?trackingId=A7EXrGg5I05%2B9yko7%2FnN1g%3D%3D], by Dr. Stephanie Valentine * The “Points Are Insidious” Manifesto, Part II: Assessing at the Boiling Point [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/points-insidious-manifesto-part-ii-assessing-boiling-point-valentine-jm8ec/?trackingId=M7DCYTS5RlIJDwApI7lzpQ%3D%3D], by Dr. Stephanie Valentine * Yes, Grade Inflation is Real. But Is It a Real Problem? [https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/grade-inflation-real-it-real-problem], from NEA Today * Advice To Our Students [https://x.com/uaustinorg/status/2037304846886621247?s=46], from the University of Texas - Austin * Episode 127 - An LMS Designed from the Ground Up for Alt Grading? Tell Me More! With Stephanie Valentine [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/127-an-lms-designed-from-the-group-up-for-alt-grading-tell-me-more-with-stephanie-valentine/] * Episode 138 - Too Many A’s Or Too Much Confusion? [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/138-too-many-as-or-too-much-confusion/] Shameless Outside Plug for Sharona's Theater Production Company * Chalomot Productions [https://www.chalomotproductions.com/] Resources The Center for Grading Reform [https://www.centerforgradingreform.org/] - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: * The Grading for Growth Blog [https://gradingforgrowth.com/] * The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] * The Intentional Academia Blog [https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/] Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: * Grading for Growth [https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AY77FRS7LWBJ&keywords=grading+for+growth&qid=1690223954&sprefix=grading+for+growth%252Caps%252C122&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fe8d967e9ef22adcf74c58fbd3b9392b&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Robert Talbert and David Clark * Specifications Grading [https://www.amazon.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Motivating-Students/dp/1620362422/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IIE9IBXJOZY9&keywords=specifications+grading&qid=1690228778&sprefix=specifications+grading%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=488cafcb421ce6921a7790e129a928b7&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Linda Nilsen * Undoing the Grade [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCZ5VCS?ref_=cm_sw_p_kb_dp&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=kpe], by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com [https://www.thegradingpod.com/]. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuEhnFL_D38], licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/].

141 - The Ungrading Spectrum: From Compliance to Student Ownership

In this episode, Sharona and Boz welcome back Chris Sarkonak to explore his powerful concept of the ungrading spectrum—a framework that maps the evolution of grading mindsets from traditional, compliance-driven systems to collaborative, student-centered approaches. Drawing on his classroom experience and professional journey, Chris unpacks how educators move from “this is how it’s always been done” toward systems that prioritize student agency, reflection, and ownership of learning. The conversation dives into the hidden inconsistencies of grading (including how the same student can receive vastly different results depending on grading structures), the role of student voice in creating more valid assessment systems, and the real-world constraints educators face when trying to shift practices. Along the way, the hosts wrestle with their own tensions around student input, rigor, and readiness, ultimately highlighting that while no system is perfect, rethinking grading through a lens of collaboration and purpose can dramatically expand who succeeds in our classrooms. Links Please note - any books linked here are likely Amazon Associates links. Clicking on them and purchasing through them helps support the show. Thanks for your support! 1. The Ungrading Spectrum [https://growbeyondgrades.org/blog/the-ungrading-spectrum], by Chris Sarkonak 2. Learning INSPIRed: Student Power Summit [https://www.learninspired.org/ https://www.learninspired.org/events] 3. Episode 136 - Grading for Physicists, Not Point Collectors – with Chris Sarkonak [https://thegradingpod.com/episodes/136-grading-for-physicists-not-point-collectors-with-chris-sarkonak/] 4. Reliability of the Grading of High-School Work in English [https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/435971], by Daniel Starch and Edward C. Elliott (Published September 1912) Resources The Center for Grading Reform [https://www.centerforgradingreform.org/] - seeking to advance education in the United States by supporting effective grading reform at all levels through conferences, educational workshops, professional development, research and scholarship, influencing public policy, and community building. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] - an annual, online conference exploring Alternative Grading in Higher Education & K-12. Some great resources to educate yourself about Alternative Grading: 1. The Grading for Growth Blog [https://gradingforgrowth.com/] 2. The Grading Conference [https://www.thegradingconference.com/] 3. The Intentional Academia Blog [https://intentionalacademia.substack.com/] Recommended Books on Alternative Grading: 1. Grading for Growth [https://www.amazon.com/Grading-Growth-Alternative-Practices-Engagement/dp/1642673811/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AY77FRS7LWBJ&keywords=grading+for+growth&qid=1690223954&sprefix=grading+for+growth%252Caps%252C122&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=fe8d967e9ef22adcf74c58fbd3b9392b&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Robert Talbert and David Clark 2. Specifications Grading [https://www.amazon.com/Specifications-Grading-Restoring-Motivating-Students/dp/1620362422/ref=sr_1_1?crid=IIE9IBXJOZY9&keywords=specifications+grading&qid=1690228778&sprefix=specifications+grading%252Caps%252C131&sr=8-1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=488cafcb421ce6921a7790e129a928b7&camp=1789&creative=9325], by Linda Nilsen 3. Undoing the Grade [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFCZ5VCS?ref_=cm_sw_p_kb_dp&tag=thegradingpod-20&linkCode=kpe], by Jesse Stommel Follow us on Bluesky, Facebook and Instagram - @thegradingpod. To leave us a comment, please go to our website: www.thegradingpod.com and leave a comment on this episode's page. If you would like to be considered to be a guest on this show, please reach out using the Contact Us form on our website, www.thegradingpod.com [https://www.thegradingpod.com/]. All content of this podcast and website are solely the opinions of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily represent the views of California State University Los Angeles or the Los Angeles Unified School District. Music Country Rock performed by Lite Saturation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuEhnFL_D38], licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/].