Collaborative Consulting Approach
Through our collaborative consulting approach, we work closely with educational leaders to assess their institution’s current landscape of grading practices and identify areas for improvement.
Personalized Plan & Support
We then help to create a plan and support implementation to achieve systemwide coherent implementation of accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational grading and assessment.
We believe that key ingredients include:
- A comprehensive education and communication plan for all stakeholders including teachers, families, and students
- Ongoing and deliberate communication to engage different stakeholders to learn about, implement, and support improved grading at the right time
- Unique structures to build capacity and sustain equitable grading and integrate it into other aspects of teaching and learning
- Budgets and calendaring that allocates resources sufficient for teacher learning
- Qualitative and quantitative data collection and synthesis to measure impact, and publish results
- Cross-functional integration in which non-teaching and learning departments support and benefit from improved grading
By fostering open communication and engaging stakeholders at all levels, we create a shared understanding of the principles of equity in grading and its impact on student success.
Strategies
Our experienced team of consultants brings a wealth of expertise in educational leadership, equity, and strategic planning to the table. We guide leaders through a comprehensive process of goal-setting, action planning, and implementation, ensuring that their strategic plan for equitable grading is not only visionary but also practical and achievable within their unique context.
Our consulting services are tailored to meet your needs and often include the following elements:
Build leaders’ capacity to address priorities and challenges through facilitative coaching sessions with our expert practitioners. Strategize on grading vision and goals to develop short-term or long-term initiatives.
Gain a deeper understanding of grading practices across your school or district with an audit. We gather insights through interviews, focus groups, policy review, and other sources to uncover strengths, opportunities, challenges, and recommended next steps to improve grading practices.
Create a draft plan that maps out a proposed Partnership Plan and scope of work that incorporates the audit findings and aligns with the existing capacity, districtwide priorities, and desired outcomes.
Receive ongoing communication and support as leaders implement their Plan, assess progress and challenges, and adjust strategies and tactics when needed.
Visit school districts chosen for their success with implementing equitable grading system-wide using a spectrum of strategies. Visits include meetings with district representatives that focus on central office and site leadership, but may also include board members, teachers, and students.
Invite a member of our team to attend and/or support professional development meetings or other meetings facilitated by the school or district leadership, and debrief about possible next steps.
Powerful Results to Drive Meaningful Change
With our strategic consulting services, educational leaders will emerge equipped with a clear roadmap for driving meaningful change in grading practices, fostering a culture of equity and excellence, and ultimately, creating learning environments where every student has the opportunity to thrive.
This Study Tour was a fabulous experience as we continue to lead work in our district around equitable grading. To think about next steps is a necessary moment in our long-term plan. Sometimes, we get so involved in doing the work and continuing the momentum that we forget to pause, assess where we are, or identify the gaps that are existing in our original plan so we can revise and modify to move forward.
Crescendo Education Group partnered with our group in thought and action to have a positive and sustainable impact on the progress of our administrative team. Our leadership team took a huge step forward when Joe led the discussion! I would recommend Joe to any educational leadership team or institution looking to tackle the real issues in education including leadership, collaboration, and reflective practice.
This Study Tour puts people in places where you can understand and see the work firsthand. We are able to hear about what the challenges are, what they have been able to overcome, what obstacles have they been able to remove as they are able to have more work and support for students and for the teaching practices. Students have the opportunity to control their learning and feel an opportunity for the betterment of themselves. The teachers have a feeling of accomplishment and joy in their work with students.
Let’s talk about how we can support your journey toward equitable grading.
