Equitable Grading Practices
PUSD has partnered with Joe Feldman of Crescendo Education Group, author of Grading for Equity, to research the impact of equitable grading practices on student outcomes.
DEFINITION: What is Grading for Equity? Spanish Chinese
PUSD BOARD PRESENTATION: by Joe Feldman - June 24, 2021
- Slides
- Video Recording (0:40-1:38)
PUSD TOWN HALL PRESENTATION: a panel hosted by PUSD Staff and Students - May 16, 2022
- Slides
- Video Recording (1:00:41)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Equitable Grading Practices FAQs Spanish Chinese
(Please submit any additional questions on this FORM - the FAQ documents will be updated periodically as questions are received)
(Please submit any additional questions on this FORM - the FAQ documents will be updated periodically as questions are received)
THE 3 PILLARS OF EQUITABLE GRADING:
- Accurate - the grade reflects students' academic performance, not their behaviors
- Bias-Resistant - the grade does not reward students with privilege, nor penalize students without privilege
- Motivational - the grade encourages students to achieve authentic learning through intrinsic motivation (self-regulation)

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Grading and Assessment Resources from Crescendo Education Group
- Erickson, J. (2010) “Grading Practices: The Third Rail” Principal Leadership, 22-26.
- Feldman, J. & T. Reed-Marshall. (2020) "Empowering Students by Demystifying Grading" Educational Leadership, 49-53.
- Feldman, J. (2020) "Taking the Stress Out of Grading" Educational Leadership" Educational Leadership, 14-20.
- Feldman, J. (Summer 2020) "To Grade or Not to Grade" [grading during COVID-19] Educational Leadership, 43-46.
- Feldman, J. (04 May 2019) "Equitable Grading in a Challenging Time" Independent School Magazine.
- Feldman, J. (29 April 2019) "Beyond Standards-Based Grading" Phi Delta Kappan.
- Feldman, J. (24 January 2019) Commentary: “What Traditional Grading Gets Wrong” Education Week.
- Feldman, J. (February 2018) “The End of Points” Educational Leadership, 36-40.
- Feldman, J. (2017) “Do Your Grading Practices Undermine Equity Initiatives?” Leadership Magazine.
- Guskey, T. (2013) “The Case Against Percentage Grades” Educational Leadership.
- Marzano, R. & T. Heflebower. (2011) “Grades That Show What Students Know” Educational Leadership.
- O’Connor, K. & R. Wormeli. (2011) “Reporting Student Learning” Educational Leadership.
- Reeves, D. (2004) “The Case Against the Zero,” Phi Delta Kappan, 324-325.
- Schneider, J., J. Feldman, & D. French (2016). “The Best of Both Worlds” Phi Delta Kappan, 60-67.
- Schwartz, K. (2019) "How Teachers Are Changing Grading Practices With an Eye on Equity" KQED Mindshift.
- Weissman, S. (2019) "How Can Colleges Make Grading More Equitable?" Diverse Issues in Higher Education.