What type of grading evaluates student learning based on established norms?

Norm-referenced grading is a method that assesses student performance by comparing an individual's score to a distribution of scores from a group, establishing a benchmark based on the performance of peers. This approach allows educators to identify how each student stands relative to their classmates or a larger cohort.

In norm-referenced grading, the goal is to categorize students within a hierarchical ranking, which helps in making decisions about grades that reflect students' performance compared to others, rather than against a fixed standard of achievement. This can highlight various levels of understanding and skill within a given population and is particularly useful in determining class averages and identifying students who fall above or below specific performance thresholds.

In contrast, other grading types, such as criterion grading, focus on whether students meet predetermined standards or criteria for specific competencies rather than comparing them against the performance of others. Formative grading emphasizes ongoing assessment intended to improve learning rather than assign a final grade. Subjective grading can be influenced by personal judgment, making it less standardized than norm-referenced methods. Therefore, norm-referenced grading is specifically designed to evaluate students based on their performance in relation to their peers.