TDNet Discover

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental policy analysis study is to examine the summative-heavy grading structure and its relationship to student engagement and academic outcomes for high school students at Cardinal Stritch High School and Academy. For the purpose of this study, a summative-heavy grading structure is defined as a grading system in which the majority of a student's course grade is derived from summative assessments, specifically an 85% summative and 15% formative weighting. The theoretical framework is grounded in constructivist and humanistic learning theories, which frame assessment as a condition that shapes how students interpret learning and respond to feedback. The study will be conducted in the secondary grades of a private K-12 school in the Midwestern United States. It will include de-identified, aggregate records for students in grades 9 through 12 across multiple academic years. Data will be collected from school records generated through routine processes, including gradebook records, course grades, grade point averages, standardized assessment results, and attendance records. The dataset will be prepared through extraction from student management systems, removing identifying information, organizing by academic period and cohort, and consistently classifying formative and summative assessment categories. Analysis will use descriptive and correlational procedures to examine patterns across academic outcomes and participation indicators within the dataset. The anticipated results are intended to provide insight into how the grading structure is reflected in institutional records and how patterns of engagement and academic outcomes appear within the policy context.