Invest in Educators. Empower Students.
Transform Schools and Classrooms.

Grading that is accurate, bias-resistant, and motivating improves learning for every student and teacher.

The Problem with Traditional Grading

The grades students receive profoundly affect their learning experiences, opportunities, and even life trajectories. Unfortunately, traditional grading practices have long undermined effective teaching and learning, reinforced achievement disparities, created high-stress classrooms, and failed to accurately describe many students’ true learning.

Most teachers are unaware of the overwhelming research:

Grading can be more accurate and fair
and
Grading can build a student’s agency that shifts from a focus on points to a focus on learning.

As teachers and leaders, we have a moral responsibility to critically examine our current, inherited grading practices and make them better.

Improve Grading In Each Classroom and Systemwide

Equitable grading updates and improves on our 100-year-old grading practices. Unlike traditional grading, equitable grading is grading based only on a student’s understanding of course content (or course standards), thereby making grades more accurate, fair, consistent, and motivating.

At Crescendo Education Group, we provide eye-opening learning experiences that empower educators to implement improved grading and assessment in each classroom and systemwide.

Our partnerships over the last decade have consistently resulted in:

  • Higher student achievement and more rigorous standards
  • More consistent grading across teachers
  • Narrowing of achievement and opportunity gaps

Partner with Us to Improve Grading

We’re here to support schools and districts with improved grading. Changing grading is hard, but it’s possible. And it’s worth it.

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For Educators, By Educators

Our team of current and former educators brings deep knowledge of equitable grading research and practices. With hands-on experience in both classrooms and administrative roles, we understand common challenges and know how to support teachers and leaders to overcome hurdles and improve grading and assessment.

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Powerful Learning Experiences

Our engaging workshops and coaching empower educators. With a combination of in-person and virtual formats, synchronous and asynchronous activities, and collaborative and individualized learning, we tailor our work to meet teachers and leaders where they are. We provide the research, knowledge, and strategies educators need to realize the benefits of equitable grading–for them and their students.

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Tailored Programs

We offer a wide array of services tailored to meet your specific needs. From workshops to individualized coaching to leadership support, we offer comprehensive solutions for schools, districts, and educators at all levels. No matter where your school or district is in its journey towards equitable grading and the unique circumstances you face, we are here to provide support and guidance along the way.

Play Video

“Can We Trust the Transcript? Recognizing Student Potential Through More Accurate Grading”

Do student grades accurately describe student understanding? This report analyzes over 33,000 grades to determine how, and why, grades are frequently inaccurate, and the harmful consequences. The report finds that more equitable grading practices increase grade accuracy and reduce achievement disparities.

Making an Impact Matters

Since 2014, we have supported hundreds of schools and districts nationwide–and thousands of educators–with improving grading.

Chicago Public Schools logo
NYC Department of Education logo
San Leandro School District logo
Arlington Public Schools logo
Talbot County Public Schools logo
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Teachers Served Nationwide

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Teachers report confidence
in consistency and clarity
of grading practices

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Teachers report improvement in not just grading but overall teaching

Let’s Get Started

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1. Discovery

Meet with a member of our team to explain your needs and circumstances, including any prior experiences with improving grading.

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2. Planning

After understanding your context, we’ll work together to select products and services that meet your needs and budget.

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3. Partnership

We’ll provide engaging, effective services that increase awareness, understanding, and implementation of equitable grading practices. Throughout, we will provide insights into the impact of the work and track progress towards our shared goals.

Ready to improve equitable grading in your school or district?

Read the Book

Grading for Equity

What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms

Grading for Equity book cover

Recent News and Blog

The First F In my second year as a New York City Public school teacher, my student, Sharone, declared that the first F she ever received in her school life...

As the manager of the coaching team at Crescendo Education Group, I’ve had the privilege of being a part of, and witness to, so many conversations between educators over the...

We all know that grades play a crucial role in opening doors to opportunities like advanced coursework, athletics, and college admissions. However, our recent report, Can We Trust the Transcript?,...

Education Week | February 2024
Each teacher’s grading becomes siloed, leading to wide variability—one 10th grade English teacher grades very differently from the 10th grade English teacher next door...

Join Our Community

Sign up for our quarterly newsletter to stay connected, informed, and empowered to grade more equitably and to increase all students’ opportunities to succeed. We share research updates, relevant news articles, new supports, podcasts, and other stories or experiences from our teachers, leaders, and partners.

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