How does standards-based grading address behavioral indicators such as participation?

• A. They are included as core measures.
• B. They are tracked separately in a behavioral rubric.
• C. They are not the focus; progress toward mastery is the focus.
• D. They are required to determine grade.

Answer: (C)

In standards-based grading, the main focus is on students’ mastery of the defined learning standards. The grade is meant to reflect what students can demonstrate about their understanding and skills with those standards, not how they behave in class.

Behavioral indicators like participation don’t measure mastery of content, so they are typically not included in the standards-based grade. Instead, behavior and engagement data are often tracked separately or used as feedback to support learning, while the academic grade remains tied to evidence of meeting the standards. That way, a student’s grade accurately represents their progress toward mastery, regardless of how they behave in the moment.

Some schools may keep behavior information in a separate rubric or report, but the standards-based grade itself centers on mastery. This is why the best answer is that behavior is not the focus; progress toward mastery is.