Big changes are coming to how students in the Eau Claire Area School District are evaluated, and it’s sparking conversations about the future of education. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, the district will transition to Standards-Based Grading for grades 6-12, a move that promises to shift the focus from subjective measures to clear, objective learning standards. But here’s where it gets controversial: will this new system truly level the playing field, or could it leave some students behind? Let’s dive in.
In a letter released on October 9, the district unveiled plans to overhaul its curriculum and teacher training, with Standards-Based Grading (SBG) at the forefront. Michelle Radtke, the district’s director of secondary programming and post-secondary readiness, explains, ‘SBG is all about aligning teacher practices, feedback, and student goal-setting with predetermined standards for each course. The goal is to prioritize learning over traditional, often subjective, grading methods.’ For instance, instead of a 100-point scale influenced by factors like attendance or extra credit, SBG uses a four-point scale tied directly to specific learning targets. This means a grade of ‘4’ indicates mastery, while a ‘1’ shows the student still needs support.
And this is the part most people miss: while attendance and participation won’t factor into the four-point scale, they’ll still be tracked in a separate report called a ‘Portrait of a Graduate.’ This dual approach aims to provide a more holistic view of a student’s progress, but it raises questions: Is separating academic performance from behavioral metrics a step forward, or does it risk overlooking important aspects of a student’s development?
Eau Claire isn’t the first to adopt SBG. Districts like Appleton, Racine, and Baraboo have already implemented similar models, though each has its own unique approach. ‘We’ve studied what works and what doesn’t,’ Radtke notes. ‘This isn’t just a trend—it’s a researched-backed shift toward clearer, fairer evaluation.’ But not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that SBG could oversimplify grading or fail to prepare students for traditional college grading systems.
To address this, the district is also rolling out a ‘Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum,’ a framework designed to ensure all students, regardless of teacher or school, have access to the same high-quality content. ‘It’s about equity,’ Radtke emphasizes. ‘Every student deserves the opportunity to learn the same material, no matter where they are.’ This curriculum update, in the works since 2022, was a necessary first step before implementing SBG.
For high school students, there’s an added layer: final semester grades will be converted to traditional letter grades and a 4-point GPA for college applications. While this aims to ease the transition, it also highlights a potential gap between SBG and the systems students will encounter later. Is this a temporary fix, or a long-term solution?
Parents will have a chance to learn more at informational meetings scheduled for early November at both high schools and DeLong Middle School. The district is also encouraging questions through an online submission form, which will be used to build a comprehensive FAQ page. As the transition nears, one thing is clear: this shift is about more than just grades—it’s about redefining success in education.
What do you think? Is Standards-Based Grading a step in the right direction, or does it miss the mark? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s keep the conversation going!
