MAKSIMIZE LEARNING — BOOK STUDY
Grading with Integrity
Book author(s): Thomas R. Guskey, Nancy Frey & Douglas Fisher

Text edition of the March 2026 study guide by Mike Maksimchuk. Contact details updated. Original layout is not reproduced. Historical credit instructions in the source are not confirmation of current SCECH availability; contact Mike before enrolling for credit.

🧭 Directions & Overview
"Grading with Integrity" 
By Thomas Guskey PhD, Nancy Frey PhD, and Doug Fisher PhD
Thank you for joining us on this journey!
This study plan is designed for educators to delve into the principles and practices
discussed in "Grading with Integrity." The plan spans the eight chapters, with each
chapter dedicated to a specific area of focus. Participants will engage in reading,
self-reflection, and application activities to deepen their understanding and prepare
for implementation of the concepts presented.
The following session outline encourages practical application of the concepts in the
text, as well as self-reflection on current practices within the district. Remember to
take notes as you read, and reflect on how the information can be applied to your
individual district or setting. Participants are encouraged to engage in discussions
with peers or colleagues to further enrich their understanding, or engage colleagues
in the suggested activities.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if I can support you in any way to help you get the most out of this book study
experience. I'm excited to collaborate and make this journey both meaningful and enriching for you!
MikeMaksimchuk
mike@maksimch.uk
(231) 225-5060

How This Book Study Will Work
● Make a Copy of the Reflection Journal
Access the provided reflection journal and make a personal copy. Use this document to guide your
thinking and responses as you progress through each chapter.
● Share Your Document for Feedback
Share your completed reflection journal with me. After each chapter, create a comment and “assign” it to
me. This will notify me to review your work and ensure proper documentation for SCECHs.
● Respond to Reflection Questions
Thoughtfully answer the reflection prompts for each chapter based on your reading and experiences.
● Complete One Application Activity Per Chapter
Choose one application activity from the list that best fits your current role or instructional context. If
none are a strong fit, please reach out to collaborate on an alternative activity that meets your needs.
● Provide Artifacts and Reflections
For each application activity, include links to relevant artifacts (e.g., documents, images, videos).
Additionally, write a brief reflection describing:
○ What you did or created
○ What you experienced or learned
○ How this influenced your thinking or practice
○ Any changes you might make in the future based on this experience
● SCECH Scale
○ Read Chapter - 30 minutes
○ Chapter Reflection - 15 minutes
○ Chapter Application Activity - 30 minutes
○ Maximum SCECHs Possible: 10
1️⃣Why Grading for Integrity?
Chapter 1 – Why Grading for Integrity?
Reflection Prompts:
● What are your initial reactions to the concept of grading with integrity?
● Reflect on any personal or professional experiences where grading practices felt unfair or misleading.
● How might grading with integrity enhance student motivation and learning?
Activities:
● Write a brief reflection identifying your personal "why" behind wanting to improve grading practices.
● Conduct a preliminary audit of your current grading practices and note potential areas for improvement.
2️⃣A Brief History of Grading:
Chapter 2 – A Brief History of Grading: How Did We Get Here?
Reflection Prompts:
● How have historical grading practices influenced your current grading methods?
● What surprised you most about the evolution of grading practices described in the chapter?
● How do historical grading practices continue to impact students today?
Activities:
● Create a timeline of significant historical developments in grading practices to share with your
colleagues.
● Reflect and discuss with colleagues how historical grading practices might still influence your school's
current approach.
3️⃣Asking Why: What Is Our Purpose for Grading?
Chapter 3 – Asking Why: What Is Our Purpose for Grading?
Reflection Prompts:
● What do you see as the primary purpose of grading?
● How does your grading practice align or conflict with your stated purpose?
● What shifts might you need to make to align grading with clearly articulated purposes?
Activities:
● Draft or revise a grading purpose statement for your classroom or school.
● Hold a virtual or in-person discussion with colleagues about different purposes of grading and record
key insights.
4️⃣Current Grading Schemas
Chapter 4 – Current Grading Schemas: What Are the Existing Problems?
Reflection Prompts:
● Which common grading practices described in this chapter resonate with your experience as
problematic?
● How do existing grading schemas potentially misrepresent student learning?
● What existing grading practices in your school might inadvertently disadvantage certain student
populations?
Activities:
● Evaluate and critique a specific grading schema currently used at your school, identifying its strengths
and weaknesses.
● Develop recommendations for addressing identified grading issues and share these with colleagues or
school leaders.
5️⃣Product: What is Standards-Based
Chapter 5 – Product: What is Standards-Based or Competency-Based
Grading?
Reflection Prompts:
● How familiar are you with standards-based or competency-based grading?
● What potential benefits and challenges do you foresee in implementing standards-based grading?
● Reflect on how transitioning to a standards-based system might impact your students' learning and
motivation.
Activities:
● Research and summarize examples of standards-based grading policies from other schools or districts.
● Create or revise an assessment rubric aligned to specific standards or competencies you currently teach.
6️⃣Process: How Do We Include
Chapter 6 – Process: How Do We Include Nonacademic Learning Goals in
Grading?
Reflection Prompts:
● How do your current grading practices handle nonacademic factors like effort, attendance, or
participation?
● Why is it important to report nonacademic goals separately from academic achievement?
● How might clearly separating academic from nonacademic goals improve equity in your grading
practices?
Activities:
● Develop a separate reporting tool or rubric for nonacademic learning goals.
● Identify specific nonacademic learning goals relevant to your teaching context and describe how you
could monitor and report on them independently from academic grades.
7️⃣Progress: How Do We Report Growth and Improvement
Chapter 7: Progress: How Do We Report Growth and Improvement?
Reflection Prompts:
● How do you currently document or acknowledge student growth in your classroom or school?
● What challenges have you encountered when trying to measure or communicate progress over time?
● Ipsative assessments compare a student’s current performance with their past work. How might this
approach shift your grading or feedback practices?
● Which of the reporting tools described in this chapter (for example, descriptive feedback, low-stakes
grading, portfolios, formative practice) do you already use, and which are new or underutilized?
● How might a stronger focus on documenting student growth affect student motivation and classroom
culture?
Activities:
● Design a Low-Stakes Grading System
○ Develop a plan for implementing low-stakes practice assignments in a current unit.
○ Include how you will give feedback, how these tasks will (or won’t) influence grades, and how
you’ll monitor progress over time.
● Pilot a Mini Portfolio Process
○ Choose one class or group of students and introduce a short-term portfolio process (e.g., for one
unit or learning goal).
○ Include a rubric or reflection guide students will use.
○ Reflect on what you learned and what adjustments you’d make moving forward.
● Feedback Inventory
○ Review and collect recent examples of feedback you’ve provided to students.
○ Analyze them for tone, specificity, and focus on progress.
○ Identify one change you’ll make to better support growth-oriented communication. How did this
change impact your teaching?
8️⃣Grading with Integrity
Chapter 8 – Grading with Integrity: How Do We Get There?
Reflection Prompts:
● What practical steps can you take immediately to begin grading with integrity?
● What potential resistance or challenges might you face when advocating for grading reform?
● Reflect on the key strategies and recommendations from the authors that resonate most strongly with
you.
Activities:
● Create an action plan for implementing grading with integrity in your classroom or school, including
timelines, resources, and support needed.
● Schedule and conduct a virtual meeting or forum with colleagues to discuss the implementation of
grading with integrity practices and to collaboratively address anticipated challenges.