What Process for Grading Will Be Followed?
As mentioned, teachers working together in inclusive settings may struggle when having to grade
students with disabilities. Following a predetermined and agreed-upon process will make the task
easier for both teachers. Steps for such a process are listed below.
1. Become familiar with district, state, and federal policies and guidelines regarding grading.
2. Identify your personal philosophies of grading (both teachers).
3. Discuss your viewpoints.
4. Co-plan for instruction, including assessment, on a regular basis.
5. Once lessons and activities are planned, determine how most students will be assessed.
Develop objective criteria that include fair standards and fair procedures.
6. Design assessment tools such as rubrics, checklists, and contracts.
7. Cooperatively determine grading accommodations for individual students. (These
accommodations may already be determined for students with disabilities at their IEP
meetings.)
8. Grade students’ work together at first. Later, divide the grading and confer when
necessary.
(Adapted from Christiansen & Vogel, 1998)