Why a Gradeless Classroom Transforms Learning

Moving Beyond ‘What Did I Get?’ to ‘What Do I Know?

Early in my teaching career, I encountered standards-based and proficiency grading systems that used rubrics alongside a minimum failing grade of 50%. When I saw a side-by-side comparison of the traditional A-F grading scale next to an equally weighted proficiency scale, the choice became clear: grading should reflect true learning, not just a percentag…