Should kids get zeros in K-12? A grade should show what a student knows. Dr. Scott Marion of the Center for Assessment joins Rachael Maves. They cover zeros, the 100-point grading scale and standards-based grading. It starts with South Carolina's new grading law. Then Rachael and Scott step back to a bigger question: what should a grade actually communicate to teachers, parents and students? As Scott puts it, a grade in an academic class "should communicate the student's achievement of the expected knowledge and skills." In this episode: - How a single zero can outweigh an A - Why so many zeros come from missing work, not a lack of understanding - Separating habits and responsibility from academic performance, while still reporting on both - A district math team that paired that separation with targeted reteaching and retakes - What standards-based grading is, and why it's a step, not a silver bullet - Why changing grading policy takes longer than you think About Dr. Scott Marion: Scott is a Principal Learning Associate at the National Center for the Improvement of Educational Assessment (Center for Assessment). He served as its executive director from 2015 to 2025. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education and serves on the National Assessment Governing Board. He co-edited the National Academy of Education's Reimagining Balanced Assessment. Read the takeaways and FAQ: https://www.parseceducation.com/podcast/standards-based-grading-scott-marion/