Equitable Grading: Standards-Based with a Growth Mindset
A Collaboration with the New York State Master Teachers
Equitable Grading with a Growth Mindset
The New York State Master Teachers (NYSMTP) and the Academy for the Advancement of Teaching, Leadership, and Schools (AATLAS), will be continuing the conversation on “Grading for Equity” based on the work of Joe Feldman.
Over the next year, teachers, parents, and administrators will be encouraged to unpack and explore their grading practices in a supportive professional learning community. Participants will have opportunities to discuss, explore, and derive implementable and equitable grading practices that are accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational to support all students.
13-Session Commitment to Explore and Discuss Equitable Grading Practices. Meets Monthly on Tuesdays from 4-5:30 PM.
Limited to 36 Participants.
Contact Dr. Rivera-Wilson @ jrivera-wilson@albany.edu if interested in participating.

PLS Members | Teachers, Administrators, Parents, and Schools
PLS Leaders/Facilitators & Moderators
Erin Bell, Lisa Fort, and Rachel Linehan
Moderators: Dr. Rory Glass & Dr. Jerry Rivera-Wilson
Erin Bell
Bio
Erin Bell graduated mana cum laude from Bucknell University with a BS in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Biomedical Engineering. She earned her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Southern California. Prior to teaching, she worked in the private sector for four years as a Systems integration Consultant for a large pharmaceutical company. Ms. Bell has been in the classroom for ten years and is currently teaching Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry and Regents Chemistry at Saratoga Springs High School where she also coaches the Science Bowl team. Ms. Bell is a member of the America Chemical Society, AP Teach and the America Association of Chemistry Techers and is deeply motivated to inspire young women to pursue careers in the STEM fields. Ms. Bell credits the NYS Master Teacher Program with helping her build an incredible network of colleagues who push her out of her comfort zone and help her continue to improve her content knowledge and pedagogy. She has facilitated the Chemistry and Standards-Based Grading Professional Learning Teams and participated in numerous workshops over her four years as well.
Lisa Fort
Bio
Lisa Fort earned her BA in Physical Anthropology at the University of Alberta and her Master of Science in Teaching at SUNY Potsdam. Ms. Fort has been in the classroom for over 17 years, focusing now on earth science teacher, having tough biology for many years. After teaching for eight years in New York City, she has found a home at Queensbury High School where she teaches Regents Earth Science. Outside of the classroom, Ms. Fort is the Rocket Club advisor and PM School science advisor. She is a frequent presenter at Eastern Science Teachers Association of NYS (STANYS), STANYS, Capital Region Master Teacher’s Lab Day, and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) Empower conferences sharing her love of all things Earth Science with other educators. When not busy with her professional career, Ms. Fort can be found writing novels, drawing portraits, and being active in the outdoors. Ms. Fort brings her belief in the growth mindset into all she does. She is an active participant creating future NYS Science Learning Standards activities, and exploring deeper learning through non-fiction exploration. The opportunities and discussions in the NYS Master Teacher Program prompted an earlier and more meaningful shift in her classroom to incorporate standards-based grading, problem-based learning, and choice for all learners to promote successful global citizenry.
Rachel Linehan
Bio
Rachel Linehan earned her B.S. in Adolescence Education and Mathematics at SUNY Oneonta and her M.S. in Educational Technology at the College of St. Rose. Ms. Linehan has taught mathematics and computer science for other nine years at Bethlehem Central High School. Currently, she teachers Advanced Placement Calculus and Computer Science, and college-level to Computer Science. Outside the classroom, Ms. Linehan has coached both girls’ soccer and softball, serves as the Technology Coach for her colleagues, the Bethlehem Central TA Membership Coordinator, NYSUT MST Committee member, member of the Association of Mathematics Teachers of NYS and the Computer Science Teachers Association, and teacher mentor. She is also a T3 Trainer with Texas Instruments, a position she has motivated to pursue after collaborating with Master Teachers in the Capital Region. Ms. Linehan has taken countless ideas from professional conversations with fellow Master Teachers back to her classroom to enhance her instruction, including new rigorous assessments, project-based learning, and equitable grading practices. Ms. Linehan was co-facilitator for the edTrends: Grading for Equity Book Study which began in the year of remote/hybrid instruction and plans to expand this work into a year-long Equitable Grading: Standards-Based with a Growth Mindset community conversation. Inspired to reflect and provided with the tools to enhance the learning experience for all students has been invaluable to her day-to-day teaching experiences.
Materials & Resources
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Grading for Equity Book by Joe Feldman
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Grading Expectations: Why we need to rethink grading our schools
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How equitable is your grading practices?
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Improved Grading Makes Classrooms More Equitable
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Beyond Standards-Based Grading: Why equity must be part of grading reform
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A New Decade for Assessment: Embedding Equity into Assessment Praxis
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Podcasts
Grading for Equity with Joe Feldman
Vrain Waves: Teaching Conversations with Minds Shaping EducationWhile almost every aspect of school and life has changed between the 20th century and today, little has changed with how we grade our students. In this episode Joe Feldman stops by to discuss his book Grading for Equity: What it is, Why it Matters, and How it Can Transform Schools and Classrooms!
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vrain-waves-teaching-conversations-minds-shaping-education/id1365316994?i=1000510784986
Grading for Equity | The Harvard EdCast
When Joe Feldman, author of Grading for Equity, looked closer at grading practices in schools across the country, he realized many practices are outdated, inconsistent, and inequitable. Today he helps educators develop strategies that tackle inconsistent grading practices. In doing so, Feldman tells the Harvard EdCast how shifting grading practices can change the landscape of schools and potentially the future for students.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-harvard-edcast/id1062333296?i=1000459324848
Grading for Equity with Joe Feldman (204) | Ed’s (Not) Dead Podcast – The All Things Education Podcast
During Episode 4’s interview with Joe Feldman (of Crescendo Ed Group), we discuss the history of grading, why it hasn’t changed, and how current grading policies widen opportunity gaps for students of color. Assessing students is incredibly important, most teachers detest grading, but the purposes of grading have gone far afield from the foundations of a solid education experience.
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eds-not-dead-podcast-the-all-things-education-podcast/id1260380720?i=1000424562372
Episode 18 – Grading for Equity during COVID-19 with Joe Feldman | TG2Cast
Joe Feldman is the author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms (Corwin). Joe has worked in education as a teacher, principal, district administrator, and is now founder of Crescendo Education Group, which since 2013 has supported schools in adopting assessment, grading, and reporting practices that improve equity outcomes in schools. Topics include: How Joe came to see equity as the central issue in grading practice Common grading practices are most susceptible to implicit bias and inequity How grading policies for remote learning during COVID-19 can mitigate or exacerbate inequities What we can take from the COVID-19 crisis that could lead to more equitable outcomes in the future Resources: gradingforequity.org Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms Grading for Equity Online Course #TG2Chat: Grading for Equity During COVID-19 – April 26, 2020 Panel Discussion on Grading/Crediting Policies During COVID-19: Joe is joined by Denise Pope, Ph.D., Stanford Lecturer and Co-Founder of Challenge Success; Stacy Caldwell, M.A., M.B.A., Executive Director or Mastery Transcript Consortium; and Randall Booker, Superintendent of Piedmont Unified School District. Open Letter to the College Board on Plan for Online Testing During COVID-19 Make sure to join Joe as he moderates #TG2Chat this Sunday, April 26, at 9 pm EDT/6 pm PDT!
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tg2cast/id1462154582?i=1000497384430


Contact Us
Catskill 252
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12222
AATLAS@albany.edu
http://aatlased.org
Phone: 518.442.5028