Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

School of Education

First Advisor

Frank Luzaich, EdD

Second Advisor

Debra Espinor, EdD

Abstract

State test scores have become a gauge that many stakeholders use when judging schools, teachers, and students in the United States of America. Most of these tests are based on the standards set by the state to judge the competency of the students. The purpose of this study was to compare the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) state test score data of seventh-grade students from two middle schools in the Pacific Northwest. It also seeks to establish if there were statistically significant differences between students who learn under a Standards-Based Grading (SBG) system versus a Traditional Grading System (TGS) when grouped by school type. An inferential analysis was performed on whole school data and a focal subgroup of students who received a 2 or 3 grade in their SBG classroom and a C or B grade in their TGS classroom. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed on secondary subgroup data collected from the 2/3 or C/B subgroup of focus. The study found a small but significant difference in whole-school performance, yet results for the 2/3 or C/B subgroup remained non-significant. Because of the small effect size, further research is needed to solidify the relationship between grading models and SBAC scores.

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