No, the teachers should not have to use the same amount of grades. Each teacher may issue assessments differently than others. Teachers within the same grade level may not be covering the same standard on the same exact day either. Each teacher has to consider what is best for their individual students. As long as the school administration does not specify the number of grades required in Reading the teacher should have some flexibility. I am more concerned that only 3 students are passing the class than the total number of grades. Perhaps Mr. Brown has a lower performing class (Example: inclusion, ESOL students, etc.) or Mr. Brown is struggling with teaching Reading effectively to his general education students and should be seeking help.

I don't think they should have the exact number of grades in the gradebook because they teach differently. However, it sounds like Mr. Brown is not assessing students enough. I think he should find ways to assess students more often to determine if they're mastering the content. When he does input grades, the grades are a true reflection of mastery.

In my school system, teachers are required to have a minimum number of grades per subject area. This cuts down on the complaints from parents about their child not having enough opportunities to bring up his or her grade. It really keeps teachers from giving a few large assignments throughout the grading period. We are required to give a specific number of formative grades and a specific number of summative grades as well as a specified number of grades that must come from rubrics.

Teachers don't have to have the same amount of grades but a teacher with more grades available can give a more accurate description of a students' progress. Sometimes the quantity of grades is not as important as the quality of grades if the the teacher stayed on concepts longer in order to ensure mastery and understanding.

My school system has a set amount of summative assessment grades for each grade level. However, each teacher is responsible for assessing their students along the way using various formative assessments. Mrs. Smiths students having better grades does not mean that she is adequately assessing her students in meaningful and useful ways. Nevertheless, Mr. Brown should assess his students' understanding throughout instruction to provide a better picture of what students know and do not know.

At my school, I teach second grade. All second grade teachers have to have the same number of "original" assessments in each subject area in the grade book. Where it differs is when the teachers have to re-teach and re-assess. For instance, throughout the nine weeks, the second grade teachers may have 8 original math assessment grades recorded in their grade books. However, I may have more than 8 in my math portion because I may have to re-teach and re-assess my low-performig students. I do not think teachers should have the same amount of grades. That will differ per teacher due to the types of learners that are being taught. It sounds like Mr. Brown is not fulfilling his job duties by only having 5 grades. On the other side, it sounds like Mrs. Smith has her ducks in a row. Since she has so many grades for reading, it will be easier for her to pinpoint what her students are struggling with (comprehension, vocabulary, or reading skills).

Teachers on the same grade level should have the same amount of grades. This amount should not be a preference, but it should be an equal representation of the standards being assessed. Teachers should plan collaboratively and decide what should be used as an assessment and how many are appropriate for a student to fully demonstrate knowledge. Grading needs to be consistent across the grade level to ensure equal learning opportunities among students.

At my school, all teachers that teach the same grade (and ability) level give the exact same summative assessments according to pre-determined cutoff dates for each unit. Thus, not only are the same number of assessments given, but also each assessment is exactly the same (content and types of questions). Therefore, all students across the board are assessed using the same test and results can be compared among classes. However, quizzes and classwork assignments can vary. These are shared and are encouraged, however, teachers can implement their own based upon the needs of their students. Still, the overall learning goals and concepts assessed are the same, though some teachers will follow different paths to get there. Ultimately, I believe the more grades, the better. More information is better than no information.