Meet the Author

Joe Feldman

Joe Feldman

Author

Joe Feldman is the CEO of Crescendo Education Group (crescendoedgroup.org), a consulting organization that partners with schools, districts, and post-secondary institutions to help faculty use improved and more equitable grading and assessment practices. Joe is the author of several articles on grading, assessment, and equity, and the author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why it Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms (Corwin). He leads workshops and presentations throughout the country to support teachers and education leaders with equitable grading. Prior to founding Crescendo Ed Group, Joe has worked in education at the local and national levels for over twenty years in both charter and district school contexts, and as a teacher, principal, and district administrator. He began his career as a high school English and American history teacher in Atlanta Public Schools and was the founding principal of a charter high school in Washington, DC. He has been the Director of Charter Schools for New York City Department of Education, the Director of K–12 Instruction in Union City, California, and was a Fellow to the Chief of Staff for U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley. Joe earned his B.A. from Stanford University and a Master’s degree in Teaching and Curriculum from the Harvard School of Education. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two children.

Elements of the Grading for Equity Course

  • Examine Common Grading Practices

    How did we get our century-old grading practices, and how does our use of those inherited practices contradict research, undermine effective teaching & learning, and perpetuate achievement disparities, all without us realizing it?

  • Learn More Equitable Grading Practices

    What are grading practices that are more accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational, and how could I integrate them into my classroom and school?

  • Certificate of Completion & PDUs Available

    After completing the course, submit your certificate of completion to our partners at Teachers College of San Joaquin to earn Professional Development Units

What Educators Are Saying...

“I wish every educator in my school, in my district, well, every educator everywhere, could take this course and gather this information. Most of us became educators because we want what is best for students - yet the very practices we spent years developing to create the most accurate and fair system is inherently detrimental. It is a sad but necessary reality to be aware of this so that we can take the steps needed to combat this.”

April, High School Teacher

“Thank you for designing this class to parallel the work of your book. As an administrator, you have given me a valuable tool to use as I walk with my department chairs and staff in this sensitive yet critical work.”

Jori, High School Administrator

“What’s powerful about this is that this is not ‘This is what we’re expecting you to do,’ but instead it’s a chance to be introspective and clear on what your own goals are for your classroom and do they match with how you grade. I think every teacher should go through this.”

Sarah, High School Science Dept. Chair

“This is all about equity. This is grading and assessing students on what they do inside the classroom, not based on their lives outside the classroom. It’s about giving every student second chances, and third chances, and more, to learn. It’s about giving every student hope. Just like we have standards-based grading, this is equity-based grading—grading in a way that is fair and transparent to students, parents, teachers, everybody.”

Mike, Middle School Math Teacher

How We Transform Schools

  • Self pace your learning about equitable grading through videos and exercises.

  • Become more aware of the history of our grading and its negative impact.

  • Explore equitable grading practices that are accurate, bias-resistant, and motivational.