I teach in an AP science classroom in a school whose teachers operate as a part of a professional learning community. Of course, working in a professional learning community means having regular meetings with curricular teams to discuss curriculum and instructional practices rooted in data-informed decision-making. From my experience of working within curricular teams, AP courses are slower to change fundamental practices—like those associated with grading and reporting—than non-AP courses. There is an expectation of content coverage to prepare students to take the AP exam by the end of the year, and, because of this focus, AP teachers are reluctant to try something different. Why change if it is not broken, right?

But it IS broken. Our measurement of success was AP exam test scores, and by that measure, we were very successful on average. However, when we dug deeper, we noticed some students struggled. On other measures of success, including student sense of belonging, valuing the subject matter, satisfaction with the course, and connection with the instructor, we were not scoring so well from the student's perspective. The answer for improving the student experience was grounded in creating a more individualized experience by focusing on feedback instead of grades. 

Three years ago, our school completed a transition to standards-based grading. While it was a good solution for issues such as separating behavior and academic achievement and removing the significant impact of zeros, it still replaced a traditional grade with a standards-based one. Teachers were still falling back on old practices, and students were still asking, “How do I make this 2.0 into a 3.0” instead of “How do I make this C into a B.” Students weren’t collecting points anymore, but they were still collecting 3’s, and, once they received what they wanted, they would stop trying and focus their efforts on another class. Although I found the standards-based grading system far superior to the traditional grading system, students were still focused on scores, not on learning. 

To shift the focus toward learning, I implemented portfolios in the classroom to collect evidence of student learning. In addition, I required students to have regular formal and informal conferences with me. These two additions profoundly impacted student learning, where students discussed their understanding based on feedback, not the grades. Student language shifted from accumulating points toward articulating what they understood.

Portfolios

Using learning portfolios creates a structure for students to demonstrate their level of understanding as individual learners with individual needs. My students began building their portfolios after every content unit we concluded, approximately every two or three weeks. They gathered evidence that supported their mastery of each of the three targets in the course. My curricular team decided that every student who completed a physics course should be able to communicate their understanding verbally, graphically, and mathematically. These science skills aligned well with the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices 4, 5, and 6, so we made those our targets on which students could focus.

Creating portfolios is where the power of going gradeless comes in. If providing scores perpetuated the poor student mindset and habits associated with traditional grading systems, then maybe the answer is to do away with grading. Throughout the semester, I provided written and verbal feedback to students regarding what was strong in their evidence and what they could do to improve it. Some students had much room for improvement, while others demonstrated a complete understanding with their initial submission. Regardless, I provided each student with comments on what they had done well, and extension questions they could answer to enhance their understanding. Both struggling and exceptional students had a pathway to improve. When it came time for students to gather their evidence to submit for their portfolio, everyone had their best work available. 

Students were given the autonomy of determining what evidence from their in-class experiences showed their best level of understanding of science and engineering practices. I insisted that the common end-of-unit assessment included in each student’s portfolio, so I had a consistent measure between students. The students gathered all additional evidence based on their experiences throughout the unit. Many students chose labs, which were common in-class activities, and every student completed them in person. Honestly, I had expected most students to select evidence based on the labs we did in class, but they could choose the labs that best demonstrated their mastery, and that is where student agency over their assessment came in. 

Some students chose less prescribed evidence, like a formal essay. This choice floored me the first time that I scored one. I had a student who was passionate about writing and had taken several elective writing classes in high school. I didn't know it then, but the product I received was better than I had ever expected. This student was not particularly strong with mathematics, and much of my critical feedback involved the mathematical understanding of the material. Upon submitting an essay explaining the material, it was clear this student had understood the course's core concepts, and it was one of the better pieces of evidence I had seen that semester. Had students not had the opportunity to choose the ways of demonstrating their understanding, I would not have had as clear of a picture of what they knew.  

Student-constructed portfolios have now replaced a summative final exam after each semester. As an educator still required to provide the school with a single semester grade that reflected what students had learned in the course, I now had an exhaustive set of student-curated evidence that informed the grade. Although I could have gone through these portfolios on my own and determined an end-of-the-semester grade, the power of using portfolios is fully realized when combined with a student-led conference. 

Conferences

At the midterm and end of each semester, students schedule a meeting with me during class that lasts 5 minutes. I don’t have pre-set questions in mind; I let them do the talking. The goal is a self-assessment based on the work they submitted in their portfolio. I have students create a digital portfolio so there is a “backup” in case paper copies get lost or ruined, but work curated in a binder is just as good as digital for a conference. Students state their case of what they learned about each standard in the class and present evidence to justify their claim. 

Because we practice self-assessment throughout the year, most students know what they have learned. However, despite the practice, students are often hypercritical of themselves and assign a grade less than I would give. I always let them know when they are inflating or deflating their evidence, and we work together to reach a consensus. 

The midterm and the end of the semester are the only times students receive a grade in my class. Students communicate this grade home through email (cc’ing me) so we can continue the conversation with caregivers. Because students have significant involvement, I rarely have parents question the final grade. Instead, students articulate what they have learned and why the grade reflects their learning. 

Conferencing has allowed me to outsource responsibility of determining and assigning grades to student work. This statement seems selfish, but it is far from it. Putting agency over one’s grades into the hands of learners allows them to exercise metacognitive skills. When students learn to self-assess accurately, it enables them to transfer skills and understanding well beyond the classroom.

Dr. David Eddy is a science teacher and a student activities coordinator at Adlai E. Stevenson High School Lincolnshire, Illinois. In addition to engaging with students in the science classroom, Dave also helps to organize 150 student clubs to engage students in areas of interest outside of the classroom. Developing student leadership and advocacy skills has been a highlight of his 18-year career in education. You can follow him on Twitter @deadeddys.