Ken O'Connor

"Communicating about student achievement requires CALM grades- grades that are consistent, accurate, learning-focused and meaningful. To meet these four conditions, educators need to ask several essential questions. To what extent am I confident that students in my school/district receive grades that are consistent, accurate, learning-focused and meaningful? 2. To what extent am I confident that the grades I determine for my students accurately reflect...

"Stiggins and O'Connor detail the conditions that must be satisfied in grading practice to be effective. They discuss why grades must serve a communication versus a motivation function, why a focus on achievement is essential, why achievement must represent mastery of standards and how to report on other non-achievement student characteristics."