STAMP Grading Practices and Policies 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a standards-based grading system, what does a student's grade primarily represent?
- Their level of mastery on specific learning standards (Correct answer)
- The average of all assignments completed
- Effort and participation combined with scores
- Attendance and behavior records
Correct answer: Their level of mastery on specific learning standards
Standards-based grades reflect a student's demonstrated mastery of specific content standards, not averages or behavioral factors.
Question 2: Which grading practice is MOST inconsistent with STAMP principles?
- Averaging homework scores into the final grade (Correct answer)
- Allowing retakes on assessments
- Separating academic skills from work habits
- Using a 4-point proficiency scale
Correct answer: Averaging homework scores into the final grade
Averaging homework into the final grade mixes practice work with demonstrated mastery, obscuring what a student actually knows.
Question 3: What is the purpose of using a 4-point proficiency scale instead of a traditional 100-point scale in STAMP?
- To provide a more precise picture of mastery levels (Correct answer)
- To make grading easier for teachers
- To align with college admissions requirements
- To eliminate the need for rubrics
Correct answer: To provide a more precise picture of mastery levels
A 4-point scale clearly communicates discrete levels of proficiency (e.g., Beginning, Developing, Proficient, Advanced) rather than arbitrary numeric differences.
Question 4: In STAMP, how should 'zeros' for missing work typically be handled?
- As an 'incomplete' separate from the proficiency grade (Correct answer)
- As a 0 averaged into the grade
- As automatic failures for the course
- As extra credit opportunities
Correct answer: As an 'incomplete' separate from the proficiency grade
Missing work should be recorded as incomplete rather than zero, since a zero does not communicate the student's actual mastery level.
Question 5: Which best describes 'grade poisoning' in the context of STAMP grading?
- When non-academic factors such as behavior lower a student's academic grade (Correct answer)
- When students retake tests to raise their grade
- When teachers round up borderline scores
- When homework replaces test grades
Correct answer: When non-academic factors such as behavior lower a student's academic grade
Grade poisoning occurs when non-academic factors like tardiness or behavior are mixed into academic grades, distorting what the grade communicates.
Question 6: According to STAMP principles, when should extra credit be awarded?
- Never, because extra credit inflates grades beyond demonstrated mastery (Correct answer)
- Only for independent research projects
- For every assignment completed on time
- When students need to raise their grade at the end of the term
Correct answer: Never, because extra credit inflates grades beyond demonstrated mastery
Extra credit that inflates grades beyond demonstrated mastery contradicts the core principle that grades should reflect evidence of proficiency.
STAMP Grading Practices and Policies 1
In a standards-based grading system, what does a student's grade primarily represent?