Annotated Bibliography of Resources for Educational Reform, Coherent Teaching Practice, and Improved Student Learning

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• Wiggins, G. (1996). Honesty and fairness: Toward better grading and reporting. In T. Guskey. (Ed.), Communicating student learning: The 1996 ASCD yearbook (pp.141-177). Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Wiggins describes the criteria for improving grade reporting systems. Before educators can develop improved reporting systems, they must determine the audience for the reports and what information that audience needs. Assessment systems are currently based on information that is more expedient to the teacher, than informative to the intended audience. He advocates the use of context in reporting: using narrative, student self comparison, multiple score reports and varied data types. To develop an effective reporting document, educators need to insure that grades, scores, comments and other communication methods are comprehensive and valuable to parents. He does not advocate changing the symbols of grading but he advocates that all reports should be standards referenced. However, the most important issue in grade reporting is honest and fairness in assessment and reporting, for it matters little what is said if it does not fulfill these two qualities.

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