Within Cy-Fair ISD, seven secondary campuses are implementing standards-based grading, a system that places students on proficiency levels while learning a new concept.

At the CFISD board meeting Feb. 13, trustees heard a presentation explaining the concept, which starts with teachers identifying what students must know to master each objective.

"It's a new talk in the classroom, and it's definitely a different talk, but from what we're hearing from students and faculty, students have a better understanding of what the standard is, and how they're doing," said Roy Garcia, associate superintendent for curriculum, instruction and school administration.

Under a traditional grading approach, if a student earns a score of 80 percent on a quiz about fractions, the reasons for the 20-point deduction are not made clear. With standards-based grading, there are several levels of proficiency, ranging from beginner to advanced.

"With [standards-based grading] those skills or concepts that are the subdivided pieces of learning to add fractions are divided out," said Mary Jadloski, assistant superintendent for secondary curriculum and instruction. "The student knows for each of those standards what it means to be advanced proficient. That way, they have some better sense of what they know, what they don't know and some ways to show they learned more."

After Jadloski's presentation, several board members asked questions about the new practice. Trustee Tom Jackson said he is worried that teachers' workloads may increase as a result of implementing standards-based grading.

"At some point, I have a concern that by asking our teachers to do more, we are asking too much," he said.

The practice of standards-based grading is not being mandated at any CFISD campus, because it is a philosophical mindset change for teachers, Jadloski said in response.

"Most teachers who venture into this struggle at first because it's a different framework, but once they hit their stride, they really feel like it allows students to move faster," she said.