3rd Annual Standards-Based Grading Conference: Full Schedule

9:00am CDT

Extinguishing Common Fires Within Grading Reform

Monday June 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Drawing from school and district experiences, Dr. Matt Townsley will identify common barriers and provide strategies to prevent, contain, and overcome the "fires" that can derail grading reform efforts.

Speakers

Matt Townsley

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, UNI

Monday June 15, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Keynote

10:15am CDT

Leveraging a Curriculum Adoption to Enhance Standards-Based Reporting Practices in Elementary

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

This session explores how an elementary curriculum adoption can serve as a catalyst for strengthening standards-based reporting practices. Participants will examine how aligning curriculum resources, priority standards, assessments, and grading practices creates greater clarity and consistency for teachers, students, and families. Using practical examples, the session highlights strategies for...
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Speakers

Ashley Flatebo

Principal, West Fork Schools

Janan Wegner

2nd Grade Teacher, West Fork Elementary

Erika Nielsen

4th Grade Teacher, West Fork Elementary

SBG Conference Handout pdf

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Elementary Focus

10:15am CDT

Developing and Using Standards-Based IEPs

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

This session will provide participants with a foundational understanding of standards-based IEPs. The content will include an overview of how the Iowa Core Standards and other high leverage practices and processes can be used for the determination of a student’s present level of performance, the development of IEP goals, progress monitoring strategies and the development of specially designed...
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Speakers

Joe Kremer

Retired Assessment Coordinator, Central Rivers AEA

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

K-12 Focus

10:15am CDT

We Flipped to SBG, but Nothing Changed! Moving Towards an SBG Mindset

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Many schools adopt standards-based grading, yet classroom practice, student experiences, and outcomes remain largely unchanged. This session explores why flipping to SBG isn’t enough and how mindset, alongside mechanics, determines impact. Participants will unpack common implementation traps, examine beliefs that keep traditional grading patterns alive, and explore how the language we use with...
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Speakers

Don Smith

FIRST Educational Resources, LLC

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

K-12 Focus

10:15am CDT

Converting Standards to Letter Grades with Confidence

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

This session explores practical approaches for converting standards-based grading into traditional letter grades. Participants will examine several common conversion methods—Percentage Method, Marzano Method, and Logic Rule Method—while discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each. The session will highlight the evolution of the logic-rule method used at VBC and the lessons learned...
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Speakers

Doug Mossengren

HS Science Teacher, Van Buren County High School

Audrey Ekle

HS English Teacher, Van Buren County High School

Meghan Koellner

Instructional Coach, Van Buren County Community School District

Monday June 15, 2026 10:15am - 11:15am CDT

Secondary Focus

11:15am CDT

Lunch & Panel Sponsored by Otus

Monday June 15, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT

During our lunch panel, Dr. Matt Townsley will moderate a brief discussion of schools across Iowa that have been collaborated with the UNI Institute for Educational Leadership to improve their grading practices.

Speakers

Matt Townsley

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, UNI

Monday June 15, 2026 11:15am - 12:15pm CDT

Keynote

12:30pm CDT

From Points and Percentages to Levels of Proficiency: Creating Task-neutral Rubrics Aligned with Elementary Standards

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Implementing standards-based reporting in elementary schools involves communicating learning "by the student, by the standard." In this session, we will create several task-neutral rubrics aligned with elementary standards that can be used to determine students' current levels of learning. We will also explore the potential use of generative AI to assist with developing these rubrics. Come...
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Speakers

Matt Townsley

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, UNI

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Elementary Focus

12:30pm CDT

Cracking the Code: Helping Parents Understand Grading Reform

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Grading reform can be confusing for families, leading to misconceptions and resistance. In this session, we’ll explore practical strategies to engage parents as partners in the process. Learn how to communicate grading changes in clear, meaningful ways, address common concerns, and build trust through transparency. Whether transitioning to standards-based grading or shifting traditional...
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Speakers

Chad Lang

Director of High School Teaching & Learning, Linn-Mar CSD

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

K-12 Focus

12:30pm CDT

Empowering Teachers and Teacher Leaders to Implement and Support SBG

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Denver CSD has been on a multiple-year journey of improving assessment and grading practices. Through building capacity in a grading leadership team, the district has developed a "rolodex" of support for its teachers. In this session, we will discuss some of our capacity-building strategies and how teachers have been empowered to support their colleagues throughout the past few years.

Speakers

Joshua Lehman

High School Math Teacher & SBG Pilot Committee Member, Denver CSD

Carrie Even

Middle School Science Teacher & 6-12 Teacher Leader, Denver CSD

Paul Gebel

Middle School Principal & K-12 Curriculum Director, Denver CSD

Taylor Anderson

High School Principal, Denver CSD

Jillian White

TLC/Mentoring Coordinator & Secondary Instructional Coach, Denver Community Schools

Cora Campbell

Middle School ELA Teacher & 6-12 Teacher Leader, Denver CSD

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

K-12 Focus

12:30pm CDT

Creating a System to Assess Learner Behaviors Grounded in Employability Skills

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Separating student's academic skills from their behaviors makes perfect sense until you have to figure out what behaviors and how you will assess and communicate them. In this session, you will hear how one middle school used employability skills to create school-wide expectations that served as the foundation for student accountability and enhanced parent communication.

Speakers

Tyler Wedemeier

Middle School Principal, Howard-Winneshiek CSD

Learner Behaviors @ CMS (SBG Conf 2026) pdf

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Secondary Focus

12:30pm CDT

Supporting Secondary Teachers in Creating & Revising Proficiency Scales or Rubrics

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

This session will provide tools and strategies to develop and refine rubrics or proficiency scales that align with learning standards, promote consistency in grading, engage students in the learning process, and provide meaningful feedback to students. Participants will explore best practices, analyze examples, and engage in hands-on activities to enhance their assessment practices. Whether you're...
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Speakers

Betsy Nefzger

Curriculum Director, North Fayette Valley CSD

Julie Frieden

NFV CSD

Monday June 15, 2026 12:30pm - 1:30pm CDT

Secondary Focus

1:45pm CDT

Assessing Your School's Readiness to Get Started With (or Reboot) Standards-Based Grading Practices

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Whether your school/district is getting started with or rebooting standards-based grading, there are some key considerations. Using a "4 Ps" framework, session participants will understand their next steps to meaningfully implement grading reform at the building or district level.

Speakers

Matt Townsley

Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, UNI

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

K-12 Focus

1:45pm CDT

From Day One: Supporting New Staff in Grading Reform

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Successful grading reform starts with recruiting the right educators and equipping them with practical, easy-to-implement strategies. This session will focus on onboarding new staff with simple yet effective instructional, assessment, and grading moves that align with a standards-based mindset. Learn how to identify and support teachers who embrace equitable grading, provide streamlined...
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Speakers

Chad Lang

Director of High School Teaching & Learning, Linn-Mar CSD

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

K-12 Focus

1:45pm CDT

Standards-Based Electronic Gradebooks and Student Information Systems (JMC, Powerschool, Etc.)

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Informal conversations about student information systems and grading. Representatives and educators with a variety of experiences will be present to guide conversations.

Speakers

Eric Townsley

Tech Director, College Community School District

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

K-12 Focus

1:45pm CDT

Small Steps, Big Impact: Launching Standards Based Grading

Monday June 15, 2026 1:45pm - 2:45pm CDT

Transitioning to standards-based grading doesn’t require a complete overhaul—just intentional first steps. This session focuses on practical, manageable ways schools and teachers can begin implementation with clarity and confidence. Participants will explore early decisions around standards, assessment, feedback, and grading practices, along with common challenges and how to navigate them....
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Speakers