Issues

February 6, 2019

Education Week, Vol. 38, Issue 20

A+ in chalk on a traditional blackboard.

Assessment Exploring Ways to Say So Long to Traditional Letter Grades

Some teachers are ditching grades or using "no zero" policies to keep students more focused on learning and less intent on grade-grubbing.

Madeline Will, February 5, 2019

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8 min read

Chynna Krouser attends a geology class at Hunter College in New York City, where she is a junior with a 3.0 grade point average. Krouser came to Hunter through a pilot project that expanded the admissions criteria for students graduating from performance-based high schools like hers. Krouser submitted an advanced algebra project she completed in her sophomore year at Eastside Community High School in New York City.

College & Workforce Readiness Colleges Crack Open the Admissions Door to Consider Students' Skills

Most colleges rely on standardized tests and grades to decide who gets into their schools. A handful of schools want to change up the mix.

Catherine Gewertz, February 5, 2019

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6 min read

Second grader Jace Willoughby plays the online game Keenville at Newnan Crossing Elementary School. The Newnan school is among dozens in Georgia using the game-based testing system with 1st and 2nd graders. The state plans to develop 31 such games by next fall for teachers to use as formative assessments.

Teaching How Digital Games Take the Stress Out of Formative Tests

Elementary school teachers in the Peach State are using "game-based" formative assessments to take a pulse on their students' learning.

Alyson Klein, February 5, 2019

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7 min read

Fremont High School teacher, Maya Brodkey, left, talks with senior Cristy Gonzalez-Hernandez about her senior capstone project during class at the Oakland, Calif., school. The district has had a policy since 2005 requiring students to complete a “serious research project or exhibition” in order to graduate.

Teaching Can 'Capstone Projects' Deepen Learning for High School Seniors?

Educators in Oakland, Calif., say the yearlong graduation projects are helping students master oral, writing, and research skills that will serve them well for whatever comes next.

Stephen Sawchuk, February 5, 2019

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7 min read

Assessment How to Assess Group Projects: It's About Content and Teamwork

Group projects founder when students don't work well together. Here's the latest thinking on evaluating students on both content mastery and collaboration skills.

Sarah D. Sparks, February 5, 2019

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5 min read

Illustration of papers and magnifying glass

Assessment What Is Performance Assessment?

Here's a handy glossary on terms like project-based learning, competency-based learning, and standards-based grading.

The Editors, February 5, 2019

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3 min read

Griffin Walsh plays Kindville at Newnan Crossing Elementary School in Newnan, Ga. Some schools in the state, including Newnan Crossing, are piloting Kindville, a new formative education assessment program which looks, and plays, just like a video game, but will eventually spit out qualitative math and reading scores.

Teaching Performance Assessment: 4 Best Practices

This isn't the first time states and schools have turned to projects, portfolios, exhibitions, and essays to measure students' learning. Here are lessons from the last go-around.

Stephen Sawchuk, February 5, 2019

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8 min read

Assessment Three Teachers, One Test Question: Will Their Responses Differ?

Education Week asked three 8th grade teachers to evaluate real student responses to an open-ended question on the National Assessment of Educational Progress in social studies. Here's what they said.

February 5, 2019