Students’ deep and meaningful learning is at the center of American School of The Hague’s mission. Assessment and evaluation are essential parts of students’ academic journeys since they showcase areas for growth and improvement. At ASH, we support students through standards-based grading–a system that focuses on student growth and clear communication to achieve it. In this interview, High School Math teacher Chadwick Hamilton shares an insightful perspective about the system, explaining why it works, and why we use it.

 

 

Traditionally, grading meant assigning a single score to a piece of work within a unit. With standards-based grading, however, the focus shifts. All grading at ASH is designed to help students, caregivers, and teachers understand a student and class' level of understanding and areas of growth”, Chadwick says. “Our goal with 'standards-based grading' is to align all work to a set of 'standards' that are taught throughout the year,” meaning each grade given is “directly correlated with a specific skill, content knowledge idea, or process instead of a unit.”

 

As a result, this shift allows for more clarity and consistency in how students are assessed. Instead of receiving a general score on a project or test, students get feedback on specific aspects of what they are learning.

 

 

Standards-based grading is applied across all subject areas. For example, in math, students might be learning about exponential relationships. “They may learn properties of exponents and how to use these to solve problems as well as the skill of graphing exponential and logarithmic functions. While both skills fall within the same unit, students receive separate grades for each. “This provides more targeted feedback so that we may adjust, adapt, and extend as necessary”, says Chadwick.

 

Similarly, for English, students develop the standard of citing strong textual evidence to support analysis. It may begin by studying short stories, continue to comics and short films, and end with a study of drama. Because the standard is developed over time, feedback on a student’s ability to support analysis with text can be tracked throughout the year.

 

 

At ASH, feedback is more than just a comment—it’s an essential part of the learning process. “It is given based on standards at the formative (developmental) level as well as at the summative (evaluative) level.” explains Chadwick. Students receive detailed feedback through rubrics and written comments that provide insight into their level of proficiency and ways to improve. All of this information is housed in the ASH’s learning management system, where students and families can view their progress as time goes by.

 

 

Standards-based grading works because it encourages a shift in mindset from chasing grades to developing skills. “It focuses attention on performance on standards and not units, making it easier to take actionable steps toward improvement”, says Chadwick. Teachers collaborate to define what mastery looks like, and design assessments that help students reach it. As a result, students are able to reflect on areas of weakness and strength and adjust their attention to maximize their growth.

 

Standards-based grading at ASH is more than an assessment method—it’s a philosophy that empowers students to take ownership of their learning. With consistent feedback, clear goals, and a shared understanding of what success looks like, every student is supported the path they choose.