Grading and Assessment of Student Work

An common issue in schools is how to assess student work. It is often a complex, and occasionally contentious discussions, because it gets at issues of teacher autonomy and accountability, and because it is closely linked to student success in school and decisions about dropping out.

Two new resources, Research Into Practice, are available for GEAR UP principals. They were prepared by J. Howard Johnston, part of the EPI team working with principals as part of the Oregon GEAR UP program. The first discusses best practices in grading, and the second examines the use of rubrics for assessing student work. Both provide a summary of best practice in each area and include links to other online resources.

We think you will find the resources helpful and look forward to hearing from you about how you're working on grading and assessment in your school.

Five Key Functions of Effective Principals

A report just issued by the Wallace Foundation reviewed decades of research on school leadership and identified five "key functions" used by effective principals. They include:

• shaping a vision of academic success for all students;
• creating a climate hospitable to education;
• cultivating leadership in others;
• improving instruction and
• managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement.

Of particular importance is that the study "reinforced the empirical link between school leadership and improved student achievement."

The Wallace Foundation has supported studies on school leadership since 2000. The complete report is available on the foundation's website. We encourage you to read the entire report and learn about the impact a principal can have on student learning.

Principals Perspectives - Podcasts on School Improvement

Principals in the Oregon GEAR UP schools are involved in many exciting initiatives that are changing their schools in exciting ways. In order to share some of these programs and to allow principals to speak directly with other principals, a set of podcasts is being developed by Jerry Lynch with support from Dana Beck at Oregon GEAR UP.

Four podcasts are currently available at http://gearup.ous.edu/podcasts.php or through the Principals Perspective link at the iTunes Store. Current topics include:

• College and Career Advisory Program – Kristi McGree, Principal, South Umpqua High School
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support – Bryan Wood, former principal , Brookings-Harbor High School and Diane Kinney, Dean of Students, Azalea Middle School
• Increasing Student Expectations and Test Scores – Jay Mathiesen, Principal of La Pine High School
• Freshman Academy – De Ann Jenness, Principal, North Marion High School

The podcasts are a rich resource for principals or their staff who can learn about the ways that GEAR UP teachers and principals are improving the educational experience of their students.