In Episode 33 of Fires in Grading, Don, Becky, and Garth reflect on three influential voices who helped shape their thinking about assessment and grading: Ken O’Connor, Tom Guskey, and Rick Wormeli. The team explores how each challenged traditional grading practices, influenced the standards-based grading movement, and continues to shape the work happening in schools today. More than a look back, this episode is a tribute to the ideas and people who continue to push educators to question, refine, and improve grading practices.

The school year has just begun, and principals everywhere are balancing countless priorities while trying to lead meaningful instructional improvement. In this episode of Fires in Grading, Becky Peppler, Don Smith, and Garth Larson explore one of the most important—and often overlooked—questions in grading reform: What is the principal's role in making Standards-Based Grading successful?

Together, they discuss how school leaders create the conditions for sustainable change, common leadership mistakes that unintentionally stall implementation, and practical ways principals can support teachers while keeping learning at the center. Along the way, Don shares insights from his new book, The Confidence to Lead, co-authored with Jenni Donohoo, and explains why leadership efficacy is essential to building a culture where both teachers and students can thrive.

In this special episode of Fires in Grading, the hosts begin a new series that explores the personal journeys behind their passion for assessment and grading reform. Garth Larson and Don Smith sit down with Becky Peppler to discuss her path from classroom teacher to national consultant, the experiences that challenged her thinking about traditional grading, and the students who inspired her to seek a better way. Becky also shares the key lessons she's learned throughout her career, the influences that shaped her philosophy, and an inside look at her new book, Reassessment That Works. Whether you're just beginning your grading journey or leading change in your school, this episode offers an authentic look at the experiences that continue to fuel Becky's commitment to improving learning for every student.

In Episode 30 of Fires in Grading, Don, Becky, and Garth tackle one of the most overlooked challenges in grading reform: onboarding new teachers. While many districts invest significant time and effort into developing standards-based grading systems, far fewer create intentional processes to help new staff understand and sustain that work. The team explores how relying on mentors, assumptions, or “learning as you go” can lead to inconsistency, system drift, and the gradual erosion of a district’s grading philosophy. They discuss what effective onboarding should include, how leaders can preserve their grading culture through staff turnover, and why sustainability requires more than just a well-written handbook. If your district has been “doing the work” for several years, this episode will help you ensure that progress continues rather than slowly slipping away.

One of the biggest concerns schools raise during grading reform is:

“What about special education?”

In Episode 29 of Fires in Grading, Becky, Don, and Garth are joined by special guest Danica Lewis to unpack the complicated and often misunderstood relationship between special education and standards-based grading.

Together, the team explores common misconceptions around IEPs, accommodations, modified expectations, grading practices, and student support systems. The conversation focuses on how standards-based learning can actually create greater clarity and communication for students, teachers, and families when implemented thoughtfully.

Whether you are a classroom teacher, interventionist, administrator, or special education teacher, this episode provides a practical perspective on ensuring grades communicate learning while still honoring student needs and supports.

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If feedback is one of the highest-impact instructional practices in education, why is it often missing from the grading process? Together, we explore the difference between grades and meaningful feedback, why students frequently ignore feedback, how traditional grading practices can unintentionally stop learning, and what schools can do to shift students from asking “What did I get?” to “What do I need next?” The conversation also highlights practical classroom strategies educators can use immediately to make feedback more impactful and learning-centered.

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Join us as we tackle one of the most common questions schools ask during grading reform: How does standards-based grading work in AP and dual enrollment courses? The team explores the misconception that advanced courses require traditional grading practices and discusses how clarity around learning targets, aligned assessments, and meaningful feedback can still exist within AP and college-credit structures. They unpack the difference between instructional practices and reporting requirements, including how final letter grades can still emerge from a standards-based learning process. The conversation also dives into the role of College Board frameworks, the pressures schools face from higher education institutions, and why rigor should never be confused with grading complexity. Whether you teach AP, dual enrollment, or support secondary grading reform, this episode provides practical insight into maintaining learning-focused practices in advanced coursework.

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