Grading the Growth, Not the Identity: How Contract Grading Decenters the Standard

Traditional writing assessment frequently relies on standardized definitions of “good writing” that can leave evaluation vulnerable to instructor subjectivity and implicit bias. This presentation positions contract grading as an innovative, inclusive pedagogical framework in First-Year Composition and writing-intensive courses. By evaluating students based on individual progress, labor and clearly defined baseline requirements rather than a static cultural metric, contract grading can help students retain their cultural and linguistic identities, take agency over their skill expansion and apply critical thinking to broader concepts.
 

Tasha Telles is an equity-centered Senior English Instructor at Arizona State University, where her dedication to creating transformative learning environments has earned her the Kathleen A. Glenn Award for Teaching Excellence and multiple Professor of Impact Awards. Her inclusive, brave-space pedagogy empowers students while her leadership within the Faculty Women of Color Caucus advances campus-wide diversity.