CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

House Resolution
No. 101

Introduced by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

March 30, 2022

Relative to pupil instruction.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


HR 101, as introduced, Jones-Sawyer.
WHEREAS, Nationwide, school districts are revisiting grading practices and social and emotional supports to respond to the shifting learning context due to the challenges and opportunities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ways in which traditional grading contributes to inequitable outcomes for historically marginalized pupils; and
WHEREAS, Research by Joe Feldman indicates that equitable grading has three pillars: accuracy, bias-resistance, and intrinsic motivation; and
WHEREAS, Grades accurately reflect only a pupil’s academic level of performance, exclude nonacademic criteria such as pupil behavior, and use mathematically sound calculations and scales; and
WHEREAS, Equitable grading reflects a pupil’s mastery of knowledge and skills based on measurable and observable course objectives that promote learning; and
WHEREAS, Research, including, but not limited to, that cited in Joe Feldman’s “Grading for Equity” in 2018, indicates that traditional, behavior-oriented grading systems stifle growth mindsets, hide meaningful information, provide misleading information, invite conscious and unconscious biases, and demotivate and disempower both pupils and educators; and
WHEREAS, Mastery-based learning and grading is a growth mindset approach to teaching and learning based on the expectation that everyone can learn when provided with the right conditions and support; and
WHEREAS, A wealth of academic literature and research supports the importance and effectiveness of implementing a mastery-based learning and grading approach to teaching as a more accurate reflection of pupil learning and growth; and
WHEREAS, Becoming proficient in mastery-based learning and grading is a learning process for educators, families, and pupils, and implementation must reflect and respect the learning of individuals and school communities; and
WHEREAS, Several school districts in California have started to transition to implementing equitable grading policies, including the Los Angeles Unified School District, San Diego Unified School District, and San Leandro Unified School District; and
WHEREAS, School districts, like the Los Angeles Unified School District, have had over 5,000 teachers undergo professional development on growth-mindset instruction and grading to increase equity for all learners and continue to make strides towards providing professional development to more teachers and staff; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly encourages each school district to commit to achieving equity in college and career readiness for all pupils, especially those who are Black, Latinx, and Filipinx, emergent bilingual speakers, pupils with disabilities, foster youth, and experiencing homelessness, and to appreciate that a supportive approach to mastery-based learning and grading may be one important step towards doing so; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly encourages the governing board of each school district to adopt local equitable grading policies and best practices before a failing grade is assigned to a pupil; and be it further
Resolved, That the Assembly encourages a school district’s local equitable grading policies and best practices to include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(a) Providing appropriate academic and social-emotional interventions, opportunities for a pupil to turn in missed assignments or makeup work, and referrals for meetings with the academic counselor or pupil support personnel to provide additional support for the pupil, as needed, before the pupil is assigned a failing grade; and
(b) Annually reviewing semester grading data by pupil demographic categories and considering how the school district is addressing the achievement and opportunity gaps; and
(c) Posting its local equitable grading policies and best practices on its internet website; and
(d) Promoting public participation and feedback in the adoption of its local equitable grading policies and best practices; and
(e) Consider developing professional development opportunities for its personnel to build their capacity and awareness on how to effectively implement equitable grading; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature in the future may consider revisiting existing laws as it pertains to the state’s grading policies; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.